I see very little need for all that asbestos, John. Some specific comments:
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But I see that dynamic changing. With the C&TS' bright red cars and now a wedding chapel caboose, the C&TS is beginning to look more like the glitzy train ride. But its Chama and Antonito bases are anything by glitzy. I see the train and the towns going in two different directions.
Good points all. In fact, this all goes full circle back to the RR lacking clear over-arching direction and purpose. The Friends may be doing a great job and marching along very well to their drummer, while the operating company may be marching equally effectively to a very different one. What is the ultimate litmus test against which potential decisions made by these two separate divisions are measured? What about when their activities are in conflict? There's got to be more than just arbitrary one-off decisions by the commission to keep everyone marching together.
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In Durango the D&S seems to be embracing its heritage, with things like the Silver Vista, and Bumblebee paint scheme, and a Maroon paint scheme on its first class cars that is much more in keeping with railroad paint schemes in general, and the DRG's pre-WWI maroon scheme. Even the Grande Gold cars have at a lot of DRGW precedent.
Funny how that's working out, isn't it? Of course, much of the D&S's heritage is long gone, as so sadly documented in some of your images, but the new, more history/railfan friendly D&S of the last few years has seemed to rediscover that there's incremental money to be made from its history, and from the railfan crowd, especially when you're willing to go the extra mile as they have of late. Kudos to them for their efforts, and keep in mind - they wouldn't be doing these things if there weren't advantages, both financial and promotional.
In defense of the C&TS, the limited locomotive situation and year-to-year survival mode they've been in simply hasn't allowed them any lee-way in getting behind similar activities. Still, you can't help but ponder what things'd be like if the C&TS themselves got behind a Railfest type event.
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But in my view, for what it's worth, if and when the C&TS does do some planning and looking at these issues systematically, it would do well to embrace its role as a living museum, try to do that well, and market the heck out of it.
And again, I pretty much agree with your thoughts here, though you have to be careful with the whole idea of marketing "history". My contention is, and has strongly been for some time now, that there's a growing number of folks who crave unique, off-the-beaten-path, authentic (not schmalzed up and prettified) places.
Part of this does have to do with history, but part of it is simply about seeing and experiencing the few places left that are still real. Putting too much marketing emphasis on history may even backfire, as it's the "realness" that this target market values, and museums often connote all the rough edges being smoothed over. Call it the anti-Disneyland experience if you like. And I think it's VERY marketable.
Scott
