Bill:
Thanks for clarifying the thinking and direction on the passenger car restoration. I think we can all appreciate the great work you have accomplished with #0579 and given sufficient resources’ bringing some of these cars back to life is doable.
I would like to just clarify a couple of points though. I think we need to keep the Friends mission and that of operating entity for the RR clear and distinct. I understand some of the Friends funds have been diverted temporarily to help with locomotive rehab but this was more a matter of necessity due to the current situation. Historic car restoration is the province of the Friends, track and locomotive maintenance and restoration is the responsibility of the commission and operator. We need to keep this distinction clear so that the states will own up to there fiduciary responsibilities in this regard. If we continually bail them out then we will not have the resources for our historic mission and they will continue the status quo which is not working.
Now back to your decision re: the RPO #54. I say let’s make this the start of the 1937 > San Juan recreated train set which will be operated on special occasions and for potential movie work. I think you will find that fund raising and enthusiasm will be easier if you can give us all the “big” picture of how this will be the start of this process. If the #54 needs to be steel reinforced in the frame for even limited operations then let’s get the engineering done now and make this part of the work plan. You already know that cast steel trucks are going to be a integral part of the hurdles in this rebuild so we need to involve the D&S, CRRM, Knott’s, Huckleberry and others in helping us with a passenger truck master plan that might benefit everyone with shared resources.
This will also hopefully open up the dialogue for the possibility of horse trading, purchasing or otherwise obtaining the other cars or parts needed for the San Juan i.e. the #169 baggage car at Golden. It will also allow the Friends to focus our resources in a manner that has a finite goal. I know people are going to say where are you going to get the coaches and parlor car, so maybe if originals are not obtainable they are recreated from scratch. We need to approach this from a glass half full and “can do” attitude i.e. where there is a will there is a way. Let’s go for it!