Re: San Juan Lament

As for display in Cimarron, my understanding from visiting with a former Montrose city manager several years back was that the city signed a 100-year (?) lease with the Park Service for the 278 and short caboose (forget the number)to go on display in the canyon. I think the city still owns the loco and caboose. I believe the boxcar is owned by the Park Service, as is the equipment at the interpretive center at the old railyard site in cimarron (think there's an old outfit car, maybe two stock cars, and a neat little crane mounted on a pushcar). I've seen pictures of the 278 when it was on display on main drag north of downtown Montrose, near the old chamber of commerce building (and the old Rio Grande yard, i think). It didn't look too good there, so at least it's in a better place now, where vandals have a harder time doing their thing.
Montrose is a neat place, having lived there a few years. Besides old depot now housing a nice museum, there's some three-rail evidence on one leg of the wye, a walking path along the old branch to Ouray (with an interesting bridge across the Uncompahgre near the start of teh path, near Riverbottom Park), lots of old boxcars,stock cars and at least one outfit cars in farmers' back yards, and, i think, two old tank car tanks in use at the county fairgrounds for some type of storage by county maintenance.
The grade east from Montrose over Cerro is recognizable in many places, as is the land slip that cut it off. But you can see bridge remains, and grade on both sides of the hill.
Check out the movie theater downtown, too, by the post office. The upstairs theater has an old snack bar, etc. Nice atmosphere. Just don't wear a tie in Montrose. People look at you funny.
My 2 cents worth.