This article brings up what to me is “the” biggest issue facing the C&TS, i.e. the economic justification/ funding for its continued existence. It is hard to understand why Exuc. Director Leo Schmitz didn’t bring up the study done by the commission that he was involved in back in 1999 which showed a $42 million economic impact to the local economies from the RR...
If the Director and Commissioners aren’t going to be the RR’s best advocates then you might as well just shut it down because it doesn’t work to keep playing this beggars game with the states. Perhaps NM should revisit a buy-out of the CO portion of the compact as they seem to have the desire and means to do something beyond the lip service we have seen from CO. From an operations standpoint this could free management to consolidate service facilities in Chama with a potential savings in overhead.
The good news from the income side is that the C&TMC is taking in almost $65 per passenger, which I would assume is due to higher ticket prices and increased parlor car revenue. The bad news is they spend everything they take in and this doesn’t cover the costs of track maintenance and locomotive overhauls. Yes things are looking better than they have in years but even with a return to 50,000-60,000 riders per year without the commitment and long term backing from the owners (the states) the RR is just going to continue to be under capitalized which is not what most of us think this RR deserves.
Show me the money, commissioners; that is your No.1 job. Get out there and do whatever it takes to get the backing of the local community to pressure the state legislatures to fund the RR. Everything is in place to make this RR work if you can deliver your end of the bargain. Failure is not an option. You were appointed to work this out, don’t let us down.
Rod Jensen
