Dropping The Fires

Within the next thirty-six hours the Georgetown Loop Railroad, Inc. will be dropping the fires on three decades of excellent and historic mountain railroading.
From a trackless, abandoned right-of-way, the Railroad took the steps necessary to rebuild the former Colorado Central narrow-gauge line into a safe and successful operation that has drawn thousands of passengers literally from all over the world.
There have definitely been challenges - obtaining the equipment, hiring the people, polishing the rough spots and maintaining the smooth ones, and taking care of the myriad details required to run a railroad. An organization that runs as smoothly and as professionally as the Railroad has taken care of the small stuff to prevent the ‘big stuff’ from happening.
A railroad is not just the machinery, it is also the people. Locomotives, railroad cars, tracks, and shop equipment are just so much metal, wood and fabric. The heartbeat of this Railroad is those individuals who’ve poured their hearts, souls and careers into making the Railroad an unqualified success. Steam and sweat, oil and muscle, and probably even a little blood all came together, resulting in a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
GLRR alumni will be present this weekend. They may be from other parts of the country, or from other parts of the world, but the connection these people have with each other will never be forgotten.
It has been has been my pleasure and honor to have been welcomed by the Georgetown Loop Railroad, Inc. family. Each and every person I’ve met has been courteous, friendly, and most of all, enthusiastic about their job. This reflects commendably not only on those individuals, but on Railroad management as well.
Thank you, and best wishes to the Railroad and to its people. You are, and always will be, a memorable part of Colorado history.
-Jim Poston