No question that a common physical location can improve communication and decision making. But right now the problem is far more basic than that. The current "triad" of Commission, Friends, and Operator is missing a key element....a stable operator.
In the old days the triad worked because for whatever reason Kyle was able to do an effective and more or less self-supporting job as operator. Now, for whatever reason, the operator has become an economic basket case, totally dependent on the funds provided by the states and to a lesser extent the Friends. I would suggest the triad has outlived its usefullness.
The states and the Friends need to come up with a whole new approach, so that the railroad has a cohesive governance structure reflecting it's various constituencies, reasonably stable and adequate source of funding, and an effective operating manangement.
Without suggesting the specifics of how this ought to be done, here are a couple of comments.
One, the Friends and perhaps the CRM need to step up aggresively to ensure the museum mission of the C&TS gets preserved. I am really concerned that if it is left up to the politicians in Denver and Santa Fe, they would be very happy to see a butts-on-seats tourist operation that pays very superficial if any attention to real historic interpretation. Which simpfly reflects the priorities of the local communities which are more interested in economics than history. The fact that the railroad has preserved as much authenticity as it has is probably more the result of the people at Kyle than anything inherent in the structure.
Two, the Friends need to get serious about major private fund raising to support the museum mission. Funding from the states is inherently political and therefore unpredictable. The volatility and uncertainly of state funding needs to be dampened by private sector fund raising. When I was on the Friends development committee we were told by every knowlegeable person we talked with that we were a fund raising opportunity looking for a place to happen. But the powers that be chose to focus inward and raise far more modest sums from the membership primarily.
Three, whatever organization that evolves needs to expand it's base. There are some significant organizations that could contribute, but have been largely excluded. The C&TS as a railroad museum is of national significance, not just local. The CRM comes to mind as does the Narrow Gauge Foundation, and there are probably others. The railroad needs a larger gene pool from which to draw its leadership.
For what it's worth.
JBW
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