What the C&TS Interstate Compact actually states

In the thread entitled "D&S is getting ready for the future, shouldn't the C&TS," several posters asserted the often repeated misunderstanding that the C&TS was established for the purpose of economic development and not for the purpose of creating a living museum. This deserves to be corrected. The following is excerpted verbatim from the Interstate Compact (emphasis mine):

The state of New Mexico and the state of Colorado, desiring to provide for the joint acquisition, ownership and control of an interstate narrow gauge scenic railroad, known as the Cumbres and Toltec scenic railroad, within Rio Arriba county in New Mexico and Archuleta and Conejos counties in Colorado, to promote the public welfare by encouraging and facilitating recreation and by preserving, as a living museum for future generations, a mode of transportation that helped in the development and promotion of the territories and states, and to remove all causes of present and future controversy between them with respect thereto, and being moved by considerations of interstate comity, have agreed upon the following articles: [Followed by Articles I through V]

[law.justia.com]

The phrase, "preserving, as a living museum for future generations, a mode of transportation that helped in the development and promotion of the territories and states," makes clear the primary mission of the railroad. As with other areas of public life, facts have consequences.