MOst people don't realize the Colorado Railroad Museum being a historical railroad museum is also a tourist railroad. We are 200 feet short of a half mile of track. We have 3-1/2% grades. So we don't have 40 miles of operating track. There is enough running room to show what these Shays can do pulling an 8 car train. Who is going to start an operating tourist railroad exculsive with WSLC equipment. We certainly are in the tourist railroad category running Thomas 3 times a year. Shays are lettered for the West Side and Argentine Central. THe ex Georgetown Loop equipment includes the Shays, 2-8-0s 40 and 44, 54 ton diesels 130 & 140. Center cab diesel 15. Then there are the D&RGW freight cars, MOW equipment, Gramps tank, and a caboose 0574, to name a FEW. There is a great RGS 0400 caboose. THe owners want 5 million for the entire collection and NO LEASING. I doubt someone will come up with that amount and start another tourist railroad on top of that.Even the resourceful Russ Sperry couldn't pull that off. (or could he?) Be satisfied the Shays are well maintained, run, and displayed in the open off of two radial turntable tracks. So we don't haul logs, but that is much better than having them in someones warehouse. The CRRM's speed limit is 10mph, the Shays are in their element at that pace.
Bill Gould
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/2011 06:59PM by HighCommander.