Re: C&TS interim trains - Ideas

Hi, William -

Of course we're just playing "what if" again - IMHO which doesn't hurt so long as we don't call up the
RR and pester people with our ideas. IF there were two engines in Antonito this morning - and IF there
are enough cars on the east end to make up two short trains - your suggestion makes sense. In fact, it
MIGHT be possible to base one train at Cumbres temporarily - with bus connections from both Chama
and Antonito. Water is available, and the skip loader and a pile of coal can be brought up from Chama.
The biggest problem will be waste disposal - both the locomotive's ashes and human "ashes" - but a
temporary slab on the siding and a 'honey wagon' could solve these pretty quickly.

IF the trestle isn't too badly damaged, perhaps a light locomotive could be moved across on temporary track, and #19 could deadhead a few more passenger cars to the east end for use on an Antonito-Cumbres train while more permanent repairs are being made to the trestle to allow it to return to full service.  Of course this is all conjecture until a thorough inspection of the damage to the trestle has been completed.

- Russ