Re: C&TS winter plans

According to Kim Smith, C&TS General Manager interviwed on this week's edition of Sack Talk hosted by Chama's radio station, KZRM, the focus this winter will be on running gear work for the three locos in service, 484, 487, & 488. Running gear work for three locos will tax the Chama shop capacity, there will be no money or resources to begin any other rebuilds. The trackwork has been taking its toll on the locos. With NO money to fund this winter's operations as of yet, even the running gear rebuilds will be in question. For the foreseeable future there won't be more rebuilds. AND, short of private source funding of which none is on the horizon, the 463 and 497 are a l-o-n-g way off.
The greater concern here is not getting more locos in service just have poor trackwork beat them to pieces as well. It has been expounded on many times here and in several other forums that the track is key to the whole issue (and marketing, etc.). Don't look for more locos until 1) ridership increases, 2) more funding comes from Colorado, 3) trackwork conditions improve (which requires significant capital investment regardless of whose plan is followed).
Be thankful it ran this season at all, and thank the C&TS crews for making it happen. Pray for a next season.