GLRR, Inc. earned their reputation as a class act that was substantially responsible for the previous success at the Loop. However, they did not own the underlying property and track they operated on. As has happened many times before and will continue to happen in similiar cases, the actual owners of the property decided on a different operator (or use for the property) when the lease/contract expired. (How many operators has CATS had since Kyle left?)
CHS and Railstar will have their own reputations to earn, just like everyone else. Considering that they had to completely re-equip the Loop, it will take time before everything operates at the same level again.
Unfortunately there seems to be the mistaken notion by a few that somehow GLRR was entitled to any contract they wanted and that only their employees could operate the Loop's trains. Where were CHS's rights as the owners? And now, it seems that it has become CHS's responsibility to deliver tourists into and guaruntee the financial success of almost every business in Clear Creek county! It is sad that the Loop's delay in opening is causing some financial grief to some area businesses and may put their investment at risk, but that is a risk you take in any business where you are guessing at the economy, gas prices, the weather, road closures, fires, etc.
I made the effort to ride the last revenue day of GLRR in 2004 because I knew things would never be the same. (Little did I know that I would be the first over the bridge on the 21 and 12 a few months later.) Mistakes have been made, will again be made, because no one is perfect. But, I hope that we will someday soon see the same success for the Loop's sake.
I prefer to respect and honor GLRR how I remembered it over the years and those last days as a part of history. With any luck, we will again experience their doubleheaded Shays fighting upgrade but through a different forest. For now, I feel that over two years later the same sour grapes are making an awful whine.
