For tourist or not for tourist that is the question.Remember the D&SNG did not provide the land for McDonalds.As much as I loved the D&RGW and loved working for them it was a great little railroad.They "DID NOT LOVE THE NARROW GAUGE"
Plain and simple.Real estste was money to them
and Durango loved the tourists and they still do.
There is still a fine line between thre dollar and historisity.I wish Mc Donalds was somewhere else,but it isn't.Remember the D&RGW was responsible for the devistation of the Durango yard too.And Chama if time had been different could have looked just like Durango today.I'm sure we are all glad it didn't.I still get the impression that the railfans have some measure of contempt for Durango and the D&S.I wish Durango was like it was in 1950 but I still am glad when I have to go to the emergency at Mercy or my dad was able to get knee surgery in town.That is one of the main reasons why I didn't choose the C&TS for employment.We dont' have this and we don't have that.We don't have the structures that Chama has.We don't do this and that right."We are too touristy" Mabe so but tourists pay my paycheck.
I believe the railfan base is building and I'm happy because I'm one myself.But you can't go back
plain and simple.And with carefull planning the C&TS must progress towards a better tourist base
if it is to survive.Even if McDonalds comes to town.No getting away from it Chama and Antonito will have to be where Durango is now in some ways
or it won't survive.