John: Will try to be brief as I can but you asked a big question. There are several themes running here concurrently and I can comment only on part of them. Since I am not on the Board I may not have all the facts exactly right but this is the way I understand them. As was previously posted, one of our members several years ago made a very generous monetary contribution for construction of a facility in Antonito. I am not informed as to the status or content of this project. Regarding a repair and storage facility in Chama, the Friends passed a resolution approximately five or six years ago to construct a car restoration facility. A Triad Study was made to identify portential sites. A site immediately south of the Chama enngine house was selected and soil samples were taken for contamination. A small amount of contamination was found and, in addition, a zealous member discovered that in 1901 or thereabouts there was a flood in Chama and the site was probably under some water. A new site was then selected adjacent to and west of the existing Chama yard (the area immediately behind and to the north of the NAPA auto parts store). A meeting was held with the operator, the Friends, the Commission, and others. A tentative buildeing design was presented that included staged construction. The initial building was to be two tracks wide, two cars in length with some shop space along the sides and provision for the addition of more length in future years if necessary. The site was staked and shown off as the future site for the CRF (car restoration facility). Since then nothing has happened. In addition to the site I just mentioned, another acceptable site was identified adjacent to the tail of the wye near the sawmill. Since all sites identified are on state owned railroad land, construction would have to be leasehold improvements and meet with SHIPO approval. Another alternative not really examined in depth was the purchase of land somewhere adjacent to the RR right-of-way with the idea of donating the facility to the RR once completed. This would keep contnrol of the project away from the politicos until completed and probably speed up the process. One of the last efforts by the late Ralph Flowers (bless him) as I recall was a plea for financing to construct some pole structures in the "Swamp" for storage. That was last Fall before all the other complications arose. I do not know what, if anything, has happened since.
