Albuquerque Journal 4-01-04
| March 01, 2004 08:30AM |
Railroad Prepares for Season After Grant-Funded Upgrades
By John Arnold
Journal Staff Writer
CHAMA— On the main drag of this tiny village on New Mexico's northern border, barely a soul stirs this time of year.
But while Chama hibernates beneath the white blanket of winter, the town's heart beats strong inside the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad engine shop, where the industrial din of clanking metal and whirring machines represents a revival for the historic narrow-gauge railroad.
The excursion train, which hauls sightseers on a 64-mile journey between Chama and Antonito, Colo., is still reeling from two devastating summers that put some tourist-dependent merchants out of business.
Two years ago, the railroad shut down for a month because of extreme fire danger in the Carson and Rio Grande national forests.
And last year, all but one of the company's locomotives had to be parked because they were due for expensive and time-consuming mechanical upgrades.
Thanks to a $442,000 allocation from the New Mexico Legislature in 2002 and a $1.2 million federal grant, that work began last fall and is now moving full-steam ahead in the railroad's engine shop.
General Manager Kim Flowers said she's optimistic that the railroad can secure an additional $807,000 before opening day on May 29. That money would allow three of the railroad's six locomotives to be up and running for the season.
For the past four months, Cumbres & Toltec workers have been moving nimbly over, around and under two stripped down 1925 Mikado steam locomotives— barely recognizable in their naked states.
"It's just amazing to see the state they're in now, and the state they're going to be in," Flowers said.
So far, three locomotives— two stationed in Chama and one in Antonito— have been torn apart and are being upgraded to comply with federal safety requirements. For example, workers are using ultra-sonic testing devices to measure the thickness of the locomotives' boilers. Sections of the boilers that are too thin are being replaced.
The 19 machinists, mechanics and laborers assigned to the task are aware of what's at stake.
"It's really up to us to make sure they (the locomotives) run," said shop foreman Steve Montaño, who has been with the railroad 17 years. "If they don't run, there's no tourists and everything's dead."
Flowers expects the railroad to operate six days a week this summer, with two trains running on the weekends.
Cumbres & Toltec has already booked 3,000 riders for the season, according to Flowers. She expects to sell tickets to more than 30,000 riders in 2004.
"Very easily, I think we'll double capacity (this year)," she said.
Such expectations stand in stark contrast to the numbers last year. Because the railroad only had one operating locomotive, the company could run just four one-way trips per week. The limited schedule meant a drastic reduction in ticket sales, and it rattled Chama's economic foundation. Some merchants said their business dropped off as much as 80 percent.
"It is only by the grace of God that we got by last summer with one locomotive," Flowers said.
The new standards responsible for the work in Chama were implemented by the Federal Railroad Administration following a 1995 boiler explosion on a Pennsylvania excursion train. The accident seriously burned three crew members and prompted federal regulators to re-evaluate their safety standards for steam locomotives.
"It really caused the FRA to stand up and take notice," Flowers said.
But the new federal requirements presented a challenge for cash-strapped excursion railroads like Cumbres & Toltec. Flowers said that the railroad still needs $807,000 to finish the upgrade work under way.
The railroad requested $1.5 million for engine rebuilding and other facility upgrades from the Legislature this year but came away nearly empty-handed, with just $275,000. That money is earmarked for track upgrades.
The railroad has applied for another $500,000 federal grant and is also seeking funds from the Colorado Legislature.
Flowers said that the railroad is determined to find the money, even if the company has to dip into funds allocated for operating expenses.
Copyright 2004 Albuquerque Journal
..................................
By John Arnold
Journal Staff Writer
CHAMA— On the main drag of this tiny village on New Mexico's northern border, barely a soul stirs this time of year.
But while Chama hibernates beneath the white blanket of winter, the town's heart beats strong inside the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad engine shop, where the industrial din of clanking metal and whirring machines represents a revival for the historic narrow-gauge railroad.
The excursion train, which hauls sightseers on a 64-mile journey between Chama and Antonito, Colo., is still reeling from two devastating summers that put some tourist-dependent merchants out of business.
Two years ago, the railroad shut down for a month because of extreme fire danger in the Carson and Rio Grande national forests.
And last year, all but one of the company's locomotives had to be parked because they were due for expensive and time-consuming mechanical upgrades.
Thanks to a $442,000 allocation from the New Mexico Legislature in 2002 and a $1.2 million federal grant, that work began last fall and is now moving full-steam ahead in the railroad's engine shop.
General Manager Kim Flowers said she's optimistic that the railroad can secure an additional $807,000 before opening day on May 29. That money would allow three of the railroad's six locomotives to be up and running for the season.
For the past four months, Cumbres & Toltec workers have been moving nimbly over, around and under two stripped down 1925 Mikado steam locomotives— barely recognizable in their naked states.
"It's just amazing to see the state they're in now, and the state they're going to be in," Flowers said.
So far, three locomotives— two stationed in Chama and one in Antonito— have been torn apart and are being upgraded to comply with federal safety requirements. For example, workers are using ultra-sonic testing devices to measure the thickness of the locomotives' boilers. Sections of the boilers that are too thin are being replaced.
The 19 machinists, mechanics and laborers assigned to the task are aware of what's at stake.
"It's really up to us to make sure they (the locomotives) run," said shop foreman Steve Montaño, who has been with the railroad 17 years. "If they don't run, there's no tourists and everything's dead."
Flowers expects the railroad to operate six days a week this summer, with two trains running on the weekends.
Cumbres & Toltec has already booked 3,000 riders for the season, according to Flowers. She expects to sell tickets to more than 30,000 riders in 2004.
"Very easily, I think we'll double capacity (this year)," she said.
Such expectations stand in stark contrast to the numbers last year. Because the railroad only had one operating locomotive, the company could run just four one-way trips per week. The limited schedule meant a drastic reduction in ticket sales, and it rattled Chama's economic foundation. Some merchants said their business dropped off as much as 80 percent.
"It is only by the grace of God that we got by last summer with one locomotive," Flowers said.
The new standards responsible for the work in Chama were implemented by the Federal Railroad Administration following a 1995 boiler explosion on a Pennsylvania excursion train. The accident seriously burned three crew members and prompted federal regulators to re-evaluate their safety standards for steam locomotives.
"It really caused the FRA to stand up and take notice," Flowers said.
But the new federal requirements presented a challenge for cash-strapped excursion railroads like Cumbres & Toltec. Flowers said that the railroad still needs $807,000 to finish the upgrade work under way.
The railroad requested $1.5 million for engine rebuilding and other facility upgrades from the Legislature this year but came away nearly empty-handed, with just $275,000. That money is earmarked for track upgrades.
The railroad has applied for another $500,000 federal grant and is also seeking funds from the Colorado Legislature.
Flowers said that the railroad is determined to find the money, even if the company has to dip into funds allocated for operating expenses.
Copyright 2004 Albuquerque Journal
..................................
| Subject | Author | Posted |
|---|---|---|
|
roger hogan | March 01, 2004 08:30AM |
|
Douglas van Veelen | March 01, 2004 11:44AM |
|
roger hogan | March 01, 2004 12:10PM |
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
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