Re: Rebuild the Chili Line? WHY??

Russo Loco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Right On, Mike -
>
> In addition, rebuilding ANY railroad line where
> the tracks don't already exist is prohibitively
> expensive, and even if eventually popular it would
> take years to build up a customer base.
> The C&TS already exists, yet every year is a
> struggle just to hang on even with significant
> support from the two states - support that
> rebuilding of the Chili Line would be very
> unlikely
> to receive.  Ditto relaying the third rail
> from Alamosa.  There's already a mixed train,
> some-
> times even pulled by steam, from Alamosa to
> Antonito - yet what is the level of patronage?
> I've never seen more than a half-dozen riders -
> even when #18 has been on the point - and
> I seriously doubt that it would make much
> difference if the train were narrow gauge instead
>
> of standard.
>
> One benefit - yes, benefit - of the trestle outage
> this summer has been the much shorter
> Cumbres-Osier round trip.  We fans might miss
> the drama of the charge up the hill from Chama to
> Cumbres - especially when double-headed - but the
> typical family gets to see plenty of beautiful
> away-from-the-highway scenery, cross a very high
> trestle, and enjoy a delicious meal in a time span
> a couple of hours shorter than the full
> Chama-Osier round trip - even if they ride the bus
> up the hill.  If I had mega-millions to
> invest, I'd pave the road into Lava and develop a
> wild-west oriented town, hotel & casino (and
> potential movie set) as a two-night destination -
> with the train ride on the day between - long
> before I'd invest any money in relaying any track
> anywhere.
>
> - Russo (muy) Loco


When I rode the SL&RG august of 09 from Alamosa to Antonito to ride the C&TS from Antonito to Osier and back my father and I were the only passengers... And the SL&RG conductor both ways was a big NG fan he talked about the 3rd rail and even the possablity of his company picking up the C&TS operating contract then running trains from Alamosa to Chama it really made my heart skip a beat that someone else was thinking along the same lines as me and we discussed all sorts of details of the operation on the return trip. But hey its just a Conductor and a nobody so again "pipe dreams" really great guy though said he would put a word in for me and told me who to talk to about getting a job for the railroad, wish I did!

What bothered me most that trip besides the sunburn was the C&TS docents... they really didnt seem to like the SL&RG very much... a few curious passengers asked about the ex UP diesel and alaska dome car waiting at Antonito and everything they said about the SL&RG came off to me as trash talk...

-Brian R. Drew



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/25/2010 04:40PM by FordCVP71.