Re: 130 program, bubble gum, and car fires

I guess I feel I need to post this. I am currently involved with an "operating museum" in South Eastern Indiana. I am a railfan, but I consider myself a railroader when I am at the throttle or at the end of a fusee. I have two sides of me pulling me in both directions -- Signals or no signals, that is the question.
When I am in the cab of the locomotive coming at a crossing I should feel more at ease when that crossing has flashers. I don't. I have seen too many cars pull in front of my locomotive even after stopping and looking right at the locomotive. Working as a brakeman, I have had to stop a train (5mph backing movement) and walk over to a car that drove up on the tracks and stopped during our approach. This with working signals on his approach. He seemed a bit startled when I told him a train was coming when it wasn't more than 20 feet from him.
I have also done my share of flagging crossings, both during the day and at night, with and without fusees. Why I am alive to write this post is a wonder. If someone can come up with a better attention getter than a red fusee in the middle of the drive lane, I would like to see it. They just don't want to stop.
What seems to work the best, short of education, is a bright light, and a VERY loud air horn (sorry, were diesel). But even that combined with flashers will not solve your problem. (Whistles substituted for horns, of course)
No matter what is done, if you cross grade crossings with a train, you will eventually hit somebody.
That said, I have chased trains along the 4% eastbound from Chama. I cherish the pictures and slides that I got last year from those "original" crossings. Time seems to stand still on the C&TS, even when progress is occurring.
If lights and gates show up on the C&TS, I will know and understand why, and have no problems with it. But that "update" will forever change the flavor and pocketbook of the C&TS. Once they go up, they won't come back down. And the RR usually pays for the maintenance, even if the state installs them.
I guess a very long post can be summed up like this:
"How much benefit vs loss will the C&TS have to endure for the changes made?"
We have to update our equipment, track, etc. if we want to continue to operate safely. But preservation needs to be a consideration, especially with treasure like the C&TS.
Facts first, decisions second.
My penny and a half's worth!
Ryan