I just sent the following to Mr. Moss. Hope it is accurate!
Mr. Moss,
I urge that you thoroughly investigate the dismissal of a proven operator of the Georgetown Loop for the past 30 years on safety, equipment, and a cost analysis vs. the new operator.
This changeover will cost the already strapped Colorado taxpayers millions just in preparation and will no doubt be more than a small bump in the flow of tourist dollars to an already hurting local economy.
Start with simple numbers. The GLR Inc. supplies all equipment at no cost to Colorado, GLR maintains all equipment at no cost to Colorado. GLR hauls 115.000 fares annually, providing a large influx of tourist dollars to the Clear Creek County economies.
On the other hand, a steam locomotive restoration, as the CHS proposes x3, run a minimum of $500,000 and could go as high as three times that amount on the locomotives proposed - C&S No.9, C&S No.60, and C&S No.74. This makes no mention of all other rolling stock needed to be acquired, refurbished / restored in order to have a train. The total could be enormous. And one might make special note that while CHS might make an argument they "have" these locomotives, none are capable of coming close to hauling the 115,000 annual fares, and all will do so at higher operating costs than those operated and owned by the GLR. Lower capacity, higher operating costs, does this sound like good math?
Please read the following link for an excellent summation of the equation as it exists at this moment.
[www.ngdiscussion.net]
The bottom line is that Colorado is about to get a multi-million dollar enema, in an effort to provide a far lesser operation on the loop, cause harm to a local tourist economy, not to mention endanger a large group of priceless, historic Colorado artifacts. There is much information to be learned here. I urge you do some digging, and expose this farce to the Colorado public before a few individuals cost the many a lot of taxpayer dollars that simply do not need to be spent here. The loop makes money for all concerned as is, and has the reputation as one of the best run tourist steam operations in the US. Why is this being tossed in the can for a VERY questionable future ? People need to know.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Brent Burger