Tourist Train Paying Top Dollar for Goods: Some of the Items Can't Be Obtained Elsewhere, According to One Commissioner.
Posted on: Sunday, 9 April 2006, 15:00 CDT
By Erin Smith, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo.
Apr. 9--ANTONITO - Despite some grumbling, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad board bought some hard to come by items Thursday from a previous operator of the tourist train.
Last month, the commission finalized a contract through Dec. 31 with the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Management Corp. to operate the line, commissioner Wayne Quinlan of Antonito said.
The contract is for $43,000 and the corporation will provide labor and management for the season.
However, eyebrows were raised when the former operator of the line, the Rio Grande Railroad Preservation Corp., told the commission how much it wanted for goods sought by the railroad.
RGRPC wanted $130,000 for its fixed assets, including shop equipment, a wheel lathe, track equipment, radios, telephones, computers and storage trailers.
Some of the items simply can't be obtained elsewhere, commission executive director Leo Schmitz explained.
Commission chairman David Cargo, who was New Mexico's governor when his state and Colorado became joint owners of the line, indicated he was not happy with the RGRPC's price or the fact that the group wanted all the money before the season even begins.
"It strikes a good deal for RGRPC . . .They understand that that could conceivably put us out of business," Cargo said.
"This outfit has pushed us to the edge of disaster. It is a disastrous situation . . . and not bargaining in good faith," Cargo commented.
He noted that the fair market value RGRPC placed on some of the materials is twice what the corporation paid for the items used several years ago.
A representative of the RGRPC questioned Cargo about his characterization of the deal and asked for specifics but Cargo said if he started picking at the items, the deal might not materialize.
The commission approved spending $105,000 for the assets and the Friends of the C&TSRR will donate $25,000 to the purchase.
The payment will be made April 15 after Schmitz can check out the items to make sure they are there as several items including a fire truck and two flat cars have been sold by the RGRPC.
"Let's finish this thing up and get rid of it," Cargo commented.
The C&TSRR Commission, with two members each from Colorado and New Mexico, oversees the operations of the 65-mile-long narrow gauge tourist train that runs from Antonito to Chama, N.M., crossing the state line 11 times, during its May 27 to Oct. 15 season.
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Copyright (c) 2006, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo.
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Source: The Pueblo Chieftain
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