Darren,
I know it seems as if it's a "damned if you do and damned if you don't" kind of scenario but this one was called
WAY in advance! Think of it more as an "I told you so" rather than as a piling on of the CHS and Railstar.
Bottom line: Not ONE THING has gone right for the CHS since their decision to get rid of GTL Inc. (Oh, and don't try and feed me that line about how GTL Inc. refused to submit a bid during the RFP process! That story is one of the biggest "spins" that Bell always tries to sell to the public!) They didn't have a plan or if they did it also went the way of all their other plans!
(*Sigh) I have given up worrying about what is happening on the Loop. I had hoped that Railstar would be able to somehow keep the Loop running despite the heavy-handed oversight by the CHS. They can't and although I don't really blame them, I'm not surprised. They have a diesel that is totally inadequate for mountain running and which destroys the gauge of the trackage when it
is run!
Now, they are expecting a rejuvenated 1203 to be their back-up diesel or to be a second engine to help the #12 (which has been maxed out running this railroad in the desperate attempt to carry more passengers.) Has maintenance been deferred? Has there been questionable practices in the firing of the engines? It depends upon whom you get your information from. Remember, it's not just that there's no steam on the Loop but that there's no
trains on the Loop!! Why? Weren't we promised that there would be a winter maintenance program? (Oooops.....)
I have nothing but contempt for the CHS in how they are handling this entire affair. That's no revelation. I am watching them screw up by the numbers and it's painful to endure!!
Please, if you can, give me SOME hope that all will be well! So far, these BOZO's are batting 0.00!! (I hope you noted that I haven't even gone off about how many $$$ have been wasted covering their collective *sses!!)
