I can perhaps offer some insight into the questions you asked. But you will have to give me the benefit of a dimmer memory.
We, who were involved at the earliest (pre 1970) times did have thoughts about trying to preserve the line all the way from Chama to Durango, even to trying to involve the Jicaralla Apache trip.
But economic and political reality quickly raised their ugly heads. It became all too apparent that the two states would be biting off more than they could comfortably digest. So we had to scale back our ambitions and concentrate on the most scenic portion of the line. But even at that it was touch and go. In retrospect it's my opinion that we were damn lucky to save what we did. Wish that it could have been more, but that simply wasn't in the cards.
CJ