trainrider47 Wrote:
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> Bill,
>
> I'm all for getting young people involved, but
> that's not who I see chasing the trains in the
> back country.
>
> Guys that can afford to trailer a $10K - $15K ATV
> and then use it to chase the train, or drive their
> $35,000 4X4 pickup truck into the back country can
> darn well afford $895 for a two day charter.
>
> If someone drove down from Denver in the family
> car and are staying in a campground, then I have
> no problem with them chasing up to Cumbres without
> making a contribution, but if their pickup costs
> twice what my car does and they are staying in
> hotels in Chama, they can afford to pay something
> towards the charter.
>
> I'm sorry, I don't buy the unaffordability issue.
>
> Michael Allen
That’s my point. The young potential railfans are not coming because they are scared off. I just think we should be doing something to encourage their coming and participating. I’m just thinking that their participation should be encouraged somehow so that when we older railfans die off, there will be someone to take our place. I don’t have the answer, but I think that it should be looked at.
And yes, if someone can contribute, they should. In fact I have so contributed in the past— still got yelled at by train riders. As Roger suggested, the most important element at work here is respect— it goes both ways.
Bill M.