Next fall/winter

[Joe Kanocz]

I posted this on the other forum. I'm curious what Friend's members think. As well, if something does happen will folks pony up and go above and beyond our plans for next year with any work on OY. In another words, I'm not proposing to detract/alter/modify from current Friend's plans/goals for 2014.

"Looks like there was interest in winter operations on the C&T with the recent Great Locomotive Swap.

Can't say I came up with this idea but I like it. I'm curious what everyone thinks of this...

Run OY out of Antonito with one locomotive to Chama. It's a mild grade and mostly downhill. Weather is highly unpredictable. First week of Dec last year and we would have had a locomotive swap. This year is a different story. In any case, OY wouldn't have had an issue. In a mild, low snow, there's usually something to plow sitting on the tracks in early Dec. This year would have been plenty.The first Saturday of Dec is usually the local day for their Christmas event and in prior years the day of the Christmas trains. Time this to open things for the kids the next day. Chama to Dalton is ok. Taking a kid to the real north pole, Cumbres would stick in any kid's mind forever.

A single locomotive charter is $10,000. Add in another crew and ??

I'd really hate anything as priceless as this to be a rich man's charter. How can this be done where the tickets aren't thousands of dollars and everyone has a good and safe time?

Now is the time to plan. OY supposedly is operational now but would anyone want the peeling paint in their videos, photos? Friends can do the paint, but there's a declining working volunteer level last year.In another words, unless there's more volunteers just saying Friends do it, is unrealistic. In another words, a volunteer level to get OY looking good and operational to cut costs. Also, there needs to be in place a plan of a snowmobile, snowcat to get someone out if they need medical or other issues.

Time to plan is now. Likely if a reasonable plan is promoted, it will be likely considered. Please be realistic too."