Commission Meeting by Vern Glover

Thanks to Vern Glover
Vern Glover
THE DECISION Following three and a half hours of executive (closed) session down the road at C&TS Commission headquarters in Antonito, Colorado, the Chairperson Carol Salisbury announced that no action had been taken in the executive session. This was followed directly by a motion to (1) cancel the outstanding Request for Proposals (RFP) and (2) negotiate with Rio Grande Railway Preservation Corporation (RGRPC) as operator with the intention of creating a new business model. Further, the C&TS Commission will continue with on-going locomotive and car work with its own shop employees. Motion seconded and approved by the Commission. The first negotiating session will take place on Wednesday January 15. The next meeting of the Commission is planned for Saturday January 25 at Antonito.
A question-and-answer session followed. The Commission property issues were brought up and Kim Smith Flowers, as RGRPC General Manager, announced that a review had been performed of files and invoices and that identifiable Commission property will be returned immediately. Mentioned were a compressor core and boiler tube swaging (rolling?) tools.
Commission members confirmed that the consulting civil engineer's report was received and that the work was out for bids on the Windy Point roadbed stabilization project.
In response to Jay Wimer's questions about goals and performance standards, it was stated that the overall concept was to be a revised business model and a better definition of roles and responsibilities for those involved. Public comments will be welcome at the commission offices prior to January 15.
Following this discussion, the meeting was adjourned.
THE COMMISSION MEETING
While the decision above sets in play the actions for the immediate future, the earlier public session of the meeting also set in place some important elements in establishing the future situation of the C&TS.
First, Lt. Governor Diane Denish of New Mexico addressed the meeting. (Governor Richardson was scheduled to attend but was diverted by his discussions with the North Korean delegation in Santa Fe.) The Lt. Governor stated that New Mexico was committed to support of the C&TS as a major economic driver in northern New Mexico. Her overall theme acknowledged the C&TS as part of the economic base of the area as well as an important part of New Mexico's cultural heritage. Governor Richardson is working with the Colorado governor and legislature on the C&TS issues.
Lt. Governor Denish was visibly pleased with the strong New Mexico representation at the meeting with included a good number of interested citizens, nearly the entire shop force of the railroad, several operating employees, nearly the full management of RGRPC, citizens of Chama and Antonito, and a reporter from the Denver Post. Notably absent were representatives of three of the four bidders to operate the railroad: Jerry Fisher, Railway Operating Consortium, and Scenic Railways II.
Second, the new commission members from New Mexico were introduced. Steve Malnar assumed the position of vice-chairman and Carl Turner became treasurer. Commission offices are rotated annually, by the way. Retiring commissioners Medardo Sanchez and John Swartz appeared visibly relaxed at the meeting, although their short speeches made it clear that they would continue in their work supporting the railroad. John Swartz will fill the role of lobbyist for the C&TS in Santa Fe, an increasingly important task as New Mexico fulfils its commitment to fully fund the railroad.
In this connection, it was reported that the final application for the first year EDA grant for locomotive overhauls ($1.3 million) was paralleled by a request for $1.3 million from the NM Legislature as a back-up should the federal grant not come in. Later in the meeting, the commission confirmed that New Mexico would fund the total C&TS needs without regard to Colorado's financial statues. The actual funding request was not defined or discussed at this time.
Carl Turner, a former commissioner and lobbyist on behalf of the railroad, stated his position that the C&TS was a state-wide asset as a living museum and fully deserving a permanent funding and state-supported enterprise. (Means of funding is one of the issues addressed by the NM legislature.) In contrast, the commission has received an unsolicited inquiry about buying the railroad for an unspecified sum. "Not for sale!" was the response. Another party was said to have offered $1 million for the line.
Colorado Commissioner Lewis Entz stated that the Colorado governor and legislature were supportive of the C&TS but there was no money to contribute. He further stated that he and Representative Al White was working toward establishing a means of permanent funding in the budget in contrast to annual capital appropriations. This, of course, reflects one of the goals expressed by the NM legislative committees.
Mark Yates, acting as Chama shop superintendent, offered a report on locomotive status, essentially confirming Jay Wimer's regular detailed reports on the Narrow Gauge Dead Goat Saloon. It appears that 487 driver and running gear work has top priority, with similar work on 488 and 484 proceeding as well.
Carl Turner made the point that 2003 is the centenary of locomotive 463 and that some rebuilding and birthday party activities would be appropriate.
Boilers were another issue, with an interesting exchange popping up during the discussion following the executive session. Kim Flowers noted that the RGRPC was in possession of the boiler survey reports on 484 and 488 but had not been reimbursed by the Commission. (That would be under the separate locomotive contract, not the operating contract.) Further, there was some question about the welding standard used in repairing 484's firebox side sheets last year and the situation was being discussed with Ralph Gutierrez, the FRA inspector for motive power.
Regarding the purchase of a diesel-electric locomotive for the C&TS, one of the railroad's employees who works both in the shops and in operations made the valid point that any useful diesel loco must be both powerful and have dynamic brakes to be effective on the C&TS. The 47-ton #19 and similar D&S locos are simply too light to handle much load on the up grades and do not have enough braking power on the downhill runs. (Although the issue was not brought to conclusion, it is clear that heavy diesel locomotives, such as those on the White Pass & Yukon, might well present serious weight concentration problems on the two high trestles on the C&TS. Finding such locomotives is another problem.)
I think those were the major issues.
Vern
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