Re: Now I Understand How They Felt

Jerry -
I was there for the final few summers of D&RGW freight operations over Cumbres, and for the first C&TS photo freight - the "Toltec Rattler" in October, 1972 - as well.
If painting the NON-historical C&TS passenger cars bright red, pansy pink, or fandango fushia helps bring in money to refurbish the coaling tower and to restore a couple dozen boxcars to authentic colors and working condition, what's the harm? The C&TS tourist cars stand out like sore thumbs even in B&W photos, since their proportions are so obviously different from original D&RGW equipment. MUCH more important is the problem of finding a durable modern paint to replace the 'boxcar red' on the genuinely HISTORIC freight cars - a dark reddish-brown that doesn't turn PURPLE(!) as it ages ...
- Russo Loco