Thanks for the posting of the photo/ link to the wonderful views of Alamosa in July of 1969; they represent a truly historical chronicle of this terminal.
Now I have several retrospective thoughts for anyone who is old enough to remember. During the late 1960's the movement to preserve some of the D&RGW narrow gauge was under foot including the National Park Service (NPS) review of the remaining portion of the NG line from Alamosa to Durango circa 1968. Does anyone have a copy or a link to this NPS report?
Now seeing IMHO the still serviceable condition of the shops and equipment witnessed by the views in the linked site in late July of 1969 just days after the ICC approved of the abandonment of the Alamosa to Durango line makes me wonder... if much consideration was given to preserving the Alamosa facilities by the states of CO and NM when the C&TS was formed. Considering the purchase price for the 64 miles from Antonito to Chama and all the equipment and such was $547,120 how much more would Alamosa have cost (if available)? Consider that in 1959 the D&RGW almost sold the entire Silverton line with one engine and 10 passenger cars and related stations and misc freight equipment for $250,000 (an option for an additional engine was $10,000) with the equipment to be repaired/ serviced in Alamosa for cost plus 15 percent... Obviously the D&RGW continued to operate the Antonito to Alamosa portion of this line as a standard gauge branch so this would have been problematic to the states to have trackage rights so to speak over the third rail. In hind sight the shops complex in my mind would have been worth preserving for the continued use in servicing C&TS locomotives and cars if not for the historical preservation of one of last intact NG facilities... I will concede that from a tourist standpoint the additional 28.6 miles and 1 hour and 5 minute travel time (San Juan schedule) is not the most scenic from Alamosa to Antonito but consider this:
Add all the costs and effort that have gone into building shops and facilities in both Chama (another CRF in Chama is still proposed by the Friends) and the Antonito engine and CRF and all the expenditures on equipment to replicate what Alamosa had and I just wonder....
As we would later see the D&RGW didn't have much use for Alamosa and most of it was quickly torn down. I understand that some of the structures may have been in far worse shape than they appear but given the alternative of replacing these facilities I just wonder if the option of retaining Alamosa was fully explored almost 40 years ago...I guess it is sort of fitting that Governor Cargo gets to sort out the current mess on the C&TS as just last week he agreed to pay RGRPC for equipment he should have probably negotiated with the D&RGW for in 1969…yes Governor, what goes around comes around, be thankful that you have had such good stewards (operators and Friends) of the C&TS for the past 36 years... Maybe the CO/ NM C&TS commission will finally step up to manage their property with you heading it before it is too late. One bit of advice though, before you criticize all those who have tried their very best to preserve this amazing railroad please take a few hours and review the history of your Commission as written in the minutes of the meetings and the experiences of the people and organizations that have dealt with the Commission over the past 36 years. That review would be a worthy task for all current commissioners and staff… consider that you need to understand the history lest you repeat it... please leave us with a well thought out master plan for those who will follow in the years to come that will allow the RR to not only survive but to prosper to its full potential. If we work together as a team as the Triad agreement sets forth perhaps your partners in this would be more than willing to show you where all the skeletons have been buried while you were away... BTW where exactly is the revised Triad agreement that guides the RR operation???
Rod Jensen
P.S. I little more transparency for the Commission wouldn’t hurt either i.e. like a Commission website where agendas, meeting minutes and such are posted so we can see what is going on...
D&RGW Alamosa, CO shops, July 28, 1969
