The main reason these trips are so hard to pull-off is that there is a small number of "hard-core" fans willing to make these trips. They will ONLY MAKE THESE long trips to Chama if the trains are going to LOOK RIGHT! That is the key, not the other fluff and free crap. No fancy logo is going to sway the real fan, or extra days of dancing in the streets of Chama. Give them a good product and it will sell.
That all said, the Railroad has been reluctant recently to operate in a historic manner with properly lettered locomotives, and helpers like the old days. A real pusher Chama to Cumbres, and mid-train helper from Antonito is prototypical of the way most trains were run in the 60's, and thats what should be depicted. Make the train look right, and you have aced 95% of the problem. The last remaining factor is price. The commission has set a rather steep price on charters based on engines used. One engine is $1Ok, and 2 engines is $20K. So, its very difficult to run a proper trip with 30-40 hard-core riders and make it affordable. 60-100 people cattle car trips are not what the hard-core guys want. The more people the more passenger-rider cars are needed and that screws up the look of the historic train!!!
At $10K for one engine you could sell 40 tickets for $300.00 each and net $12K. That is only leaving a cushion of $2K for all incidentals, such as liability(if needed), food, snacks, and advertising, phone calls, etc, and any profit(laugh!). So, use two engines, and now you have to practically double the price and $600.00 for one day is pretty steep.
The way I see it the numbers and trains just don't add up right now. Maybe in the future. I hope so!
Greg (Back from the brink of death once more) Scholl
[www.gregschollvideo.com]
