# Extra Extra read all about it Feds to fix bridge.



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

In January issue of TRAINS MAGAZINE in a section called Preservation Briefs I read the following 


FEDERAL GRANT WILL PAI FOR THE BRIDGE REPAIR on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Rail Road  

The Federal transportation enhancement fund will pay to get the structure fix in time for the Rail Road's M 28, 2011 season opening 

Other funding sources including a insurance payout will cover the remainder of the costs. 

Want to know more Go to page 61 of TRAINS MAGAZINE the January 2011 issue


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Gee I havta wait for Santa to renew my subscription...


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

That's great news, JJ! For those of you who haven't ridden the C&T, you owe it to yourself to do so. The ride from Chama to Antonito, or vice versa, is one of the most spectacular you'll find anywhere.


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## pete (Jan 2, 2008)

The c&t, durango&silvertonand cass are the three best steam train rides in the us.


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Roger that, Pete. Done 'em alll and want to go again.


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Uh,oh! We forgot to mention East Broad Top. Now Kevin will be ticked off. But ya know what, Strongman, I am still miffed that after driving all the way to Orbisonia one fine Sundaya few years ago, I arrived at the depot to be told, rather nonchalantly, that they weren't running any steam that day, 'cause them locos was down. Like I shoulda known that?! 

'Course I did get to measure and photograph the Orbisonia firehouse, a modeling work in progress...


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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

GREAT NEWS, JJ! The ride from Chama to Antonito is one of he greatest steam rides I've ever been on, and the 'Friends' bend over backward to make everybody feel like they're one of the family. Support the C&T!


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## livesteam53 (Jan 4, 2008)

Thanks for the News JJ.


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## Pterosaur (May 6, 2008)

I hate it when my love for railroading smacks straight into my desire for lower taxes/deficit but I am glad they are spending the bucks to fix the bridge.


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## jebouck (Jan 2, 2008)

Apparently the boys on the Narrow Gauge Forum haven't heard about this. There are several members there who are involved directly with the C&TSRR. 
There was a lot of rumors. No direct info.
Good news, anyway.


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## Dwayne (Jun 10, 2010)

A quick glance at my dog earred copy of the Constitution makes no mention of the federal gov't providing funds for repairing damaged railroad bridges. But who cares... a new bridge funded by taxpayers makes railfans happy so that's all that matters...


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Nothing on the Narrow Gauge Discussion Group and there are quite a few folks in that group directly connected with the C&TSRR. No one has even mentioned this. Therefore I'm going to wait and see with this and treat it as a rumor for now. Many floating around.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By Gary Armitstead on 29 Nov 2010 11:58 AM 
Nothing on the Narrow Gauge Discussion Group and there are quite a few folks in that group directly connected with the C&TSRR. No one has even mentioned this. Therefore I'm going to wait and see with this and treat it as a rumor for now. Many floating around.










Rumor? It is on the printed page of a reputal Trian Magazine. If it is in Print it has to be true









I mean they wouldn't print a lie









What is this world comeing to


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

I hear what you're saying JJ, but if you frequent the Narrow Gauge Discussion Group on a regular basis, you would know there have been notices about the railroad receiving word that Uncle Sam would be fixing Lobato bridge. I've even seen notices from the railroad management saying that the Feds would fix it. But then a few days later, it is"de-bunked". I haven't read the Trains article. I'll pick up a copy and see. The ONLY word I saw from a government official was Gov. Bill Richardson proposing that the State of New Mexico would allocate $1,000,000 to the project. That is far from the roughly $2M plus needed to repair the bridge. Remember that the Train Magazine article would have had to be submitted for publishing many, many weeks ago. AND if that was the case we would have heard about these funds quite a while ago. That's all I'm sayin'. 

JJ, I truly hope that Lobato can be repaired before the May opening. I'm still pessimistic when the government is involved and we are in such a lousy economy.


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Gary...I quoted the press release verbatim in this thread...page 2...towards the end.
http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S1800649.shtml 

http://www.cumbrestoltec.org/news/113-lobato-trestle-donation.html 

http://www.corailroads.com/


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By Gary Armitstead on 29 Nov 2010 12:31 PM 







I hear what you're saying JJ, but if you frequent the Narrow Gauge Discussion Group on a regular basis, you would know there have been notices about the railroad receiving word that Uncle Sam would be fixing Lobato bridge. I've even seen notices from the railroad management saying that the Feds would fix it. But then a few days later, it is"de-bunked". I haven't read the Trains article. I'll pick up a copy and see. The ONLY word I saw from a government official was Gov. Bill Richardson proposing that the State of New Mexico would allocate $1,000,000 to the project. That is far from the roughly $2M plus needed to repair the bridge. Remember that the Train Magazine article would have had to be submitted for publishing many, many weeks ago. AND if that was the case we would have heard about these funds quite a while ago. That's all I'm sayin'. 

JJ, I truly hope that Lobato can be repaired before the May opening. I'm still pessimistic when the government is involved and we are in such a lousy economy.










Hey Gary

I understan I was just pulling your leg. 

I sure hope that they can fix it by the open of train season. 

JJ


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

This is the update from the President of the railroad dated November 24th, 2010.

C&TSRR Up-Date From The President 

I received this from Elmer today. 

- Locomotive 488 - The boiler 5 year inspection has been completed and the locomotive is being reassembled in preparation for a hydro test next week. Full steam testing and pop off valve testing will happen next spring when the weather warms up. Compliments to the Antonito Shop with help from the Chama Shop in completing this critical tasking. 

- Locomotive 487 - The work on the 487 drivers is coming along well. A counter weight had to be pressed off and is now back under repair with the intention of having the number 2 and 3 axles back on the 487 by December 9, 2010. The Chama Shop has done an excellent job of getting on the 487. The plan is to have the 487 ready to go in early March 2011 in anticipation of moving girders and ties to Lobato Trestle in preparation for construction beginning in early April 2011. 

- Both shops will shut down for about 2.5 months beginning on December 9, 2010. 

- Marketing Update - The Marketing Team continues to press ahead on a number of fronts. We are working new contracts with key contractors including Taos Web for website support, Internet Honey for social networks, and Fulgen on the reservations system. All contractors are being asked to step up their presence and support of the railroad in anticipation of a significant campaign to announce our return to full service in May 2011. My thanks to the Marketing Team for their good work in this critical area. There is a new Gift Card Program that has been developed by Nick Quintana and the Marketing Team just in time for the Holidays. Thanks Nick. The Marketing Team is working drafts for next years brochures which include streamlining the number of trip options, collapsing motor-coach transportation options into the cost of tickets, and looking to promote the Mid-Day Meal at Osier. The goal is to make our trip options simple to pick and incrementally working the web site and the reservations system to be more user friendly so that when you decide to go, it is easy to get a reservation. In addition, programming efforts have been launched to send Thank You notes to people within 24 hours of riding on the railroad. The plan is to have a final draft of the brochure ready for review by the Commission at the December 16 meeting, go to printing before the end of the year and begin brochure distribution in January 2011 in racks and for promotion during winter and spring marketing events. My thanks to Tim, Chris, Nick and Roger for working this effort. Roger and Nick have worked with the Chama Village Council in getting approval to hang a Village of Chama/C&TSRR banner at the south bridge coming into town. The banner will welcome people to town and direct them to Old Town Chama and the railroad as opposed to just turning left and heading up to Pagosa Springs. Thanks Roger and Nick. 

- Track Program - The Track Gang completed its appointed duties by mid-November and the track is ready for winter, and more importantly, given the work they did, we are confident that the track will be in good shape for start-up in the spring. In addition, crushing of ballast at Martinez Point became a reality with crushing equipment being moved in by rail, ballast was made and spread on the railroad before the Track Gang went home for the season. Thanks to the track crew, Ronnie Lopez and the train crews, and Marvin and John for their efforts in bringing this capability to the railroad. 

- Trestle Update - The design engineering for the most part is done and John and Leo continue to work the process of getting bids in for the girders and wood ties. The goal is to place the orders next week. Very tight and perhaps a bit of an optimistic schedule on the Lobato Trestle Project on all fronts, but the John and Leo team, along with Marvin, are very intent on hitting their targets. Thank you gentlemen. 

Here's wishing you all, along with your families, a very Happy Thanksgiving Holiday. 

Thanks, 

Elmer

No where in this notice do I see ANYTHING that the Feds OR the States of New Mexico and Colorado have funded the complete rstoration and repair of the bridge. If the Feds had come through, don't you think there would be more there than a single, small paragraph from the president of the railroad?


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

How Sad snif









I had hopes that they would help


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

That's what I was trying to say JJ. I'll just wait until I actually read in a government document AND hear from the president of the Cumbres and Toltec, that the funds are in the bank, ready for funding.









I have donated quite a bit to the "Repair Fund" in the past few months, but it is a drop-in-the-bucket to what they really need!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

It seems that the "January" issue, which is made up about 2 months ago, indeed has the optimistic information from - guess when - 2 months ago... we all gotta remember that magazines are not current as of the day you receive them! 

First reports were rosy, but the reality is as recently reported apparently, and I agree, if there was news, it sure would have been in that report of the 24th. 

Well, all we can do is hope. 

Greg


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

OK..my theory...which incorporates my beliefs in bureaucracy.

I believe...or once upon a time...there was a state guvnor dat said...you can have da money to fix da bridge. And many said "from where"...and he said "from the big govment...it's to stimulate ya". And everyone was happy.

Then big guvment said "why do you need all this money?". The state govnor said "cause that is what was estimated"...as he turned to the little RR and said "why do you need all this money?". 

And da little RR looked around and asked "Who said we needed all dis money?"...and one bloke said, "....cause dats da estimate I heard". 

Well, dat's not good nuf for da state guvnor...and it ain't good nuff for da big govment...so da President of the little RR begins a process to get to DOCUMENTED COSTS...meaning costs established through a bid process.


And he sets his minions off to get bids on replacing da trestle...in other words to do da work reported ("The design engineering for the most part is done and John and Leo continue to work the process of getting bids in for the girders and wood ties.") 

And all dis is done...to provide da bureaucracies with da information they need to release the funds...meaning, writing da check to help satisfy da goal...which is "to place the orders next week."

And der ya go...and dey live happily ever after.... 


(And now, you understand the bureaucrats meaning of budgeted (you can have da money), allocated (answers to why you need da money), and expensed (da check) money....)


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