Steve Williams Wrote:
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> Carl I agree. That seems to be what is forgotten
> when the C&TS’s mission is brought up. Some seem
> to think it is
only to preserve the
> time capsule that it is. The whole railroad was
> saved not just to be a historic landmark, but
> first and foremost to generate economic dollars to
> help the community. Diesels would be an investment
> in the communities that depend on the train. When
> the train shuts down, who suffers? If any
> community needs the railroad more, it is
> definitely Chama and Antonito vs. Durango. What is
> the point of having a railroad if it can’t
> operate during tourist season?
>
> That is part of why it is fortunate that it was
>
NOT preserved and put in the NPS system in
> 1968. In the national park system you are stuck
> with piles of protocols and rules that do not
> currently burden the C&TS. I studied Yellowstone
> in an environmental history class and the park
> cannot remove facilities it created in the 30s or
> 60s since they represent a historic time period.
> So now the park has to maintain facilities that
> are not necessarily historic, or part of the
> ecosystem for which Yellowstone was set aside.
> Empty gas stations and garages not being used, but
> cannot be removed either because the structures
> have now become historic, and other similar
> issues. The bureaucracy gets too deep.
>
> As much as I would
not like diesels at
> either location, the casual tourist would accept a
> ride on a diesel, vs. no ride at all. I also would
> prefer diesels whipped out vs changing any more of
> the fleet to oil. I like that 493 is being
> restored, and accept that the trade-off is oil. To
> see any other operating K switched would turn my
> stomach (except maybe 498). Harper takes his
> responsibility seriously to keep his railroad
> operating, it keeps his people working, which
> should be his main goal. To keep your people
> working you have to do what you have to do. The
> viability of the operation now and in the future
> should outweigh authenticity, as much as it pains
> me to say it.
If your going to throw authenticity out the window then who cares if the train runs. The whole draw of the D&SNG and C&TS is the coal fired steam locomotives and historic route and ride. If you do have to make concessions like switching to oil then the authenticity that can be preserved needs to be priority #1. Keeping the RR as historically accurate as possible has to be a consideration, if not then take the easy way out and go 100% diesel and bring in all new non-historic passenger cars. There has to be a balance and I get it that it is not easy. But, it can be done.
William
aka drgwk37