Fares in the 1960s took a jolt when they were raised in 1967 from $6.00 to $6.50, children $4.25 to $4.50. Then again in 1971 another steep increase to $8.00 for adults and $5.00 for kids. So a family of 4 could ride the train for an amazing $26.00--one reason that there were long cancellation lines. The second train was augmented with the first bus service that the Grande initiated in 1969 that by the middle 70s had grown to 8 busses daily. These were operated at times under contract to the Grande by the Gray Line. Mike Darmour, who was the Durango School District's truant officer ran the bus service for the Grande for many years. These busses supplemented the capacity of the train without the necessity of adding additional rail equipment. Promoted as an alternative for those who wished to ride only one way, this device actually served to substantially increase ridership and for many was the only way they could ride the train. As explained in the Grande's sales prospectus for the Silverton branch, the Grande found itself in the tourist business in 1962 with no likely escape so decided to make the most of it--for only the Silverton line. The freight operations were never off the chopping block. Why run a train to Aztec (no wye or turning loop may factor into that) if it would add revenue to the freight line? Eliminate revenue, show no public need or necessity, and that's how they ultimately killed the rest of the narrow gauge.
Ridership figures varied wildly. In 1949 there were only 16 trains that carried 1882 passengers. In 1966 they operated 198 trains and carried 77,959 passengers and in 1971 operated 208 trains and carried 102,952 passengers. In the Bradshaw years, by the early 1990s, ridership was approaching 200,000, figures never achieved since. Sold out trains in the Grande years were the norm during late June through early August, the bus service and Bradshaw's added rail service eased that situation considerably. Even at the fares the Grande was charging, they made money. The flood expense was written off in 1970 and 1971 as extraordinary charges of $79,948 in 1971 and $66,817 in 1970, but still reported profits in both years. To put costs in perspective, the Grande estimated in 1972 that it would take 28 full (16 people year round) and part-time (summer) employees to operate the line at an estimated cost of $175,000.
