The "last year of the Loop" not withstanding, ridership numbers are of great importance to local businesses and to the continued existence of the Loop itself. While it's encouraging (sort of) that train capacity can not keep up with passenger demand, how do you address word-of-mouth advertising from turned-away passengers that "we tried to ride the Georgetown Loop, but couldn't get a ticket" that is bound to spread among the tourist/railfan community?
Railstar is doing the best they can with the under-equipped (by CHS), under-staffed, overworked, conscientious individuals doing their best to insure the Loop survives. Still, one steam engine and one (sidelined, Steve?) diesel can only do so much, and until the #9 and her narrow-gauge sisters come on line after *proper* restoration, meeting ridership demand will be a struggle.
Following Steve Torrico's lead, a Google search of "Georgetown Loop" resulted in the following:
The #1 result is "www.georgetownloop.com", a website owned the Georgetown Loop Railroad, Inc., and it happens to include the following:
"The CHS chose another operator to run the Georgetown Loop Historic Railroad and Mining Park. For information, please visit the Colorado Historical Society's website at:
www.coloradohistory.org or by calling 303.866.3682."
Google results #2 and #3 are from the seldom-updated CHS website, with #4 going to GLHR's "www.georgetownlooprr.com" (no updates since May 11, 2005).
Result #5 is the Summitt County Explorer's description of the Loop which, interestingly enough, shows photos of trains of THE GLRR, Inc.
Granted, different search engines may provide different results, but three of the top five search-engine hits belong to CHS and/or Railstar.
The bottom line is...the bottom line, and decreased ridership in comparison to *any* year is not a good thing.
Jim Poston, President,
Colorado Historic Railroad Preservation Association
