I don't know the details here, but Ron Trottier runs two other railways, 2' and standard gauge. He does not live in Maine or even that close to Rome, New York, he just owns the company that operates the railways. I think that he will probably hire the people to run the railroad from Colorado (Colorado folk probably don't want a bunch of relocated New Yorkers running a railroad, but at least these are also upstate folks, not us Southern NY city and 'burb folk that "tawk funny" and would get on your nerves even more). It is quite possible that some New York people will relocate to run this new venture if it ever gets off the ground.
Regardless of who is hired to run the railroad, yes the stingy 30 percent of operator profits will be going to Railstar Inc. based in Cape Vincent, New York (which is WAY upstate on the St. Lawrence River), but on the bright side of the dark moment, **supposedly** 70 percent is going to Colorado...right? Yeah sure, like anybody can trust CHS...
I'd be pretty ticked off if a Texas-based operator moved in and took over operations of Roaring Camp (don't worry, it's never going to happen) or another railroad that our area took great pride in having, and in addition operators that were very active in the local community. That is how I'm sure the people of Colorado feel about losing the GLR Inc. as the operators of their prized attraction. We all know that Lindsey Ashby and Mark Greksa are the #1 people to run the railroad in Georgetown (and without the Ashbys, there wouldn't even be a railroad there), and the CHS morons probably realize this too...their egos and ignorance is what is getting in the way. A real disgrace for the type of organization they are *supposed* to be. Let's just picture again what I said...IF NOT FOR THE CURRENT OPERATOR OF THE GEORGETOWN LOOP RAILROAD, THERE WOULD NOT BE A GEORGETOWN LOOP RAILROAD IN THE FIRST PLACE TO FIGHT OVER. They created it and made it grow into what it is today. I hope you CHS folks see this in bold, italic, underlined, and oversized print...and you feel one foot tall. That would be like some person taking away the Earth from God and auctioning it off to someone else.
Railstar should be trying to open up more steam railroads here in New York, one of the most steam-deprived states in the country! We have NO operating standard-gauge steam, except for that Chinese piece of junk that comes in every now and then. Two years hopefully and we'll see LIRR 39. As of now, I believe the largest operating steamer in our state is a 2'gauge Daveport 0-4-0T which is owned by none other than Railstar Corp. and Ron Trottier.
Keep steaming through the dark tunnel everyone (particularly anyone involved with GLR Inc.)...there's an end to it and hopefully there is a light at that end and Lee Behrens is sitting there eating a big old piece of humble pie when their precious plan fails.
-Ed Kelley
