Chama Visitor's Center and Covered Storage in Yard

The C&TS Commission agenda for their upcoming meeting on September 27th has two items that perhaps someone in the know can clarify/ explain. Under new business items:

11f. Approval of Friends Interpretive / Visitor Center
11g. Approval of Concept of Car Shelter Over Tracks in Chama

I am aware that the Friends has proposed a visitor center in Chama however I have not been able to ascertain if a final site has been chosen and what the criteria is for the site selection. The latest Friends newsletter states “The visitor’s center is envisioned to be in Phase I, a 9,000 -10,000 square foot facility in or near the Chama railroad yard that will attract visitors and enhance their experience, support the preservation of the living museum and the operation of the tourist railroad and, in the end, stimulate tourist activity and economic development in the region.”

My concerns are placing a visitor’s center and now a covered car shelter in the Chama yard fundamentally changes the historic character of the yard. This goes counter to the core concept of what historic preservation of the railroad property is or should be about IMHO.

Rod