Okay, what about all the other short lines in the state? Do they get 5 cent tolls added to the roads near them? What if there are no tolls on the roads near by?
The SRNJ im sure could use a little extra cash, what about the WandW or the BRW? Can't forget about the MandE and NYSW either.
The Catskill Mountain railroad in NY state is I believe all volunteers - they are restoring the equipment and clearing up and opening up more long abandoned track each weekend.
http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 28&t=46904
The BelDel and NYSWTHS also is doing a lot of volunteer and hand on restoration and running of trains
http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 27&t=48098
These groups are doing much with very little cash and a lot of hard work by volunteers. How about that?
Why doesn't someone ask the CMSL about volunteering themselves or funds for materials to get something done? Id be quite curious as to the response that they would get, if you could get a hold of anyone.......
Cribbing and some fill could probably be built over the washout to get the cars out of Rio Grande, that would go miles for improving community relations. Not good enough to put the line back in service, but enough to get the cars out. What would have been better would be to get the cars out there BEFORE the wash out, like they said they were going to a few years ago, but thats a seperate story.
Updating the website for potential customers (both passenger and freight) would also be helpful. It would cost just a few minutes of time to say something to the effect of "we haven't fallen off the edge of the earth and we are still here"
When have you ever seen the CMSL state when when the start up date was this year? If the reports of service start up are not posted on their web site and are not coming from a press interview from the president himself then they aren't starting period! Taking parts from other cars? If you didn't read it here and elsewhere the cars in Rio Grande have been stripped of parts from vandals. As far as updating the web site, when there is something new to tell you they will! What do you want them to do? Project a date like others have done only to miss it .
Im sorry ironghost, but that is one of the most rediculous statements I have ever read. Thats the PROBLEM!!! We HAVEN'T seen the CMSL state when they are going to start up this year. Its now almost July, and as of about 10 minutes ago, the website still looks like the same as a few weeks ago. There have been various newspaper articles about events and referencing the CMSL and "rumors" (I guess that would be a good word) about when service would start. Instead of fanning the flames why CAN'T the CMSL state "sorry, we are looking for a later summer start" or at least SOMETHING. When/if they ever do start running again, why would any one even go? im SURE that there have been families that have been burnt because of the lack of info about the CMSL operations. I mean, even RR.net members have stated "thanks for the info, i was planning on heading down there this weekend" or something to that effect after reading threads on this site. Folks "not in the know" im SURE have made the trek only to be very disappointed. Its called being proactive, and does wonders for customer relations.
And i find it VERY hard to believe that EVERY single useable part of every single piece of equipment stored in Rio Grande has been stripped by vandels. If that was the case, the cars would have been scrapped long ago. the last time I was down in Rio Grande adn saw the cars and relatively recent pics of them, while they looked sad, they loooked far from being shells. They are still relatively complete.
I know my opinion is the discenting opinion here, but I don't care. I just call it like I see it, with a bit of a "real world" slant to it. We are all railfans and would love to see trains running on every set of rails that is still 4 feet 8 and 1/2 inches apart, but sometimes you gotta step back and take a look at the bigger picture. And the bigger picture with the CMSL is pretty sad.
There is a difference between playing with trains in 1:1 scale and railroading. And im sorry, what the CMSL is/is not doing is not railroading.