Mr. Cutter--
Please be aware that I am not your friend, nor do I want to be. All I did was to point out the obvious. Making enemies out of everyone in Creede is downright DUMB!! Nazi storm trooper tactics do not work. Those folks are building a fund to fight you. If this was approached correctly, they might be putting this money together to help you. It looks to me like you are more concerned about the easements than you are the railroad. Could you tell who your insurance company that is making you do all this is and provide an agent's name and a policy number? This is a public non-profit corporation, and that information should be a matter of public record. Since it appears that you are the spokesman for the foundation, I will put this in language even you will understand. Please read on.
In the early 1980's, a detailed study was made by Mr. Jim Ozment, the Chief Engineer for the Colorado Division of the D&RGW/SP, regarding costs to bring the Creede Branch up to standards to operate a tourist line. At that time, the cost was somewhere around a half million dollars a mile, which sent the potential operator running for the exits, and he already had a locomotive and rolling stock. Fast forward that cost to the present time, and it is very possible that prohibitive costs may well prevent saving this line. Add in a locomotive (You will need two.) and rolling stock and repairs to structures and you could be approaching the sale price of the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which sold three years ago for about twenty-two million dollars. Incidentally, Mr. Ozment lives in Golden, CO and his number is in the phone book. If you think what I just wrote is a bunch of bull, call him up and ask him.
So far, as far as I know, no one has seen any cost figures. Have you? You need concrete bids on repair and replacement of tracks, and copies of the bids from those interested. Where are those bids? Where will the rolling stock come from? Who can or will supply it and how much will it cost? Do you have commitments from the municipalities involved to help with tax free building sites for resturants and motels? If you do, make them available. A "Pie in the Sky" approach for fundraising is not acceptible, and the results will be disappointing. A well documented program will go a long way toward deciding whether you can proceed or not. Historically, the idea is great, but financially it may not be possible and until these figures are obtained and made public, no one, including you, will know.
What you are doing is hard work. I did some of that when we were opening the line from Antonito to Chama, and for the first three years I came to Chama and painted equipment. Anything done on the railroad is hard work. But there is a BIG difference in clearing the line for a putt-putt car than there is to make it passenger train ready.
Since this was directed to me, as far as "What have you built?' ask Don Shank. As for "What will you be remembered for", I am only interested in being remembered for being a good husband, father and grandfather. Nothing else matters in the long run. Ask your own father. As for" Have you ever tried?" Tried what? Time to get back to sixth grade English, maybe???
The foundation and your trail blazing leader need to settle the mess that has been made in Creede. There are some financiall heavy hitters there, and you are going to wind up dribbling away your funds in a protracted legal battle. Get cost figures on everything. Find out what stadium you are playing in before you start the game.
Stop attacking everyone. (I read the thread sent to Bo Boulware. He was the number 2 man at Stapleton International Airport for a long time and could help you out. Insulting him won't help.)
If you folks continue to operate without making public all costs and the like, you most assuredly will fail, and you will have no one to blame but yourselves.
Incidentally, there is no "St. Lewis" in the 1950 Official Guide that I have.
In closing, come after me all you want, because I will not respond to any more nonsense like that I read earlier. You need all of the friends you can get, and you do not have one here.
Al Chione
