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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 4:03 pm 

Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:45 am
Posts: 1010
In a June 30, 2018 column, Tim Walsworth, the executive director of the Durango Business Improvement District, calculates what the D&SNG means to the local economy. An excerpt:
Quote:
Doing the math, this produces a conservative total spend of nearly $32 million. Furthermore, the sales tax on this conservative total spend figure is just under $830,000. That sales tax pays for police, roads and other city services we all need.

When looking at economic impact, typically, you would add to the figure above the jobs created by the railroad, as their employees buy goods from local businesses. You would also add the impact of the railroad buying services and goods it needs from local businesses, which creates more jobs. In turn, those employees spend money on their own needs.

You would also add the charitable donations by the railroad, which is about $350,000 annually. The $32 million is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the railroad’s impact to our local economy. I have seen studies that show a total economic impact from the railroad of nearly $200 million.
Link to full article - Add it up: Durango train crucial to city


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 9:57 am 

Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:45 am
Posts: 1010
Some news from the Durango Herald:
Quote:
A vandal targeting the home of Al Harper, owner of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, hit the wrong house last week, writing graffiti on a neighbor’s house and damaging outdoor furniture.

The La Plata County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a suspect or suspects in the incident that occurred late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Sheriff’s Office spokesman Chris Burke said someone wrote graffiti in black marker “F– (expletive) the Train” on Harper’s neighbor’s house. The suspect or suspects also knocked over the patio table, chairs and plants outside the home.
and
Quote:
Burke said it’s speculation but “makes sense” that the attempted vandalism on Harper’s house is related to suspicions that the D&SNG started the 416 Fire, which broke out June 1 next to the railroad’s tracks north of Durango.
Full article:
Vandals target owner of Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, but hit wrong house - Sheriff’s Office says 416 Fire a likely motivation


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 12:12 pm 

Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2010 2:41 pm
Posts: 165
Seriously, is ANYONE surprised by this? I certainly am not nor would I expect anything less from the entitled local brats who think this sort of behavior is justified.

I wonder if they'd reconsider this act if they took the time to recognize the railroad is directly responsible for supplying patrons to their vape shop?

DC

Chris Webster wrote:
Some news from the Durango Herald:
Quote:
A vandal targeting the home of Al Harper, owner of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, hit the wrong house last week, writing graffiti on a neighbor’s house and damaging outdoor furniture.

The La Plata County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a suspect or suspects in the incident that occurred late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Sheriff’s Office spokesman Chris Burke said someone wrote graffiti in black marker “F– (expletive) the Train” on Harper’s neighbor’s house. The suspect or suspects also knocked over the patio table, chairs and plants outside the home.
and
Quote:
Burke said it’s speculation but “makes sense” that the attempted vandalism on Harper’s house is related to suspicions that the D&SNG started the 416 Fire, which broke out June 1 next to the railroad’s tracks north of Durango.
Full article:
Vandals target owner of Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, but hit wrong house - Sheriff’s Office says 416 Fire a likely motivation


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 10:07 pm 

Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:45 am
Posts: 1010
From the Durango Herald:
Quote:
The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad plans to resume coal-fired steam engine service to Silverton on Thursday, after more than 40 days stuck in the depot.

“We are preparing to run on that day,” General Manager John Harper said Tuesday.

Harper said the train will work with local agencies and fire districts in the next couple of days to make sure they agree it is safe to run coal-fired engines, which are known for sending off cinders and starting small fires.

Link: Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad eyes Thursday reopening


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 2018 11:07 am 

Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:24 am
Posts: 544
Location: Canada
Only a week after resuming operations, the D&S has had to suspend operations due to mudslides in the Hermosa area. It stands to reason that after devastating fires, the loss of vegetation coupled with heavy rains would cause this.
http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/20 ... -silverton


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 2018 12:36 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 8:51 pm
Posts: 2041
Location: Southern California
Service to Silverton resumed on Friday the 20th.
Post on the NG Discussion Forum

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Brian Norden


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 12:30 am 

Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:24 am
Posts: 544
Location: Canada
And once again, flooding has stranded the trains at Rockwood with passengers being bussed under highway patrol escort. Water is flowing over the tracks near the 550 crossing at Hermosa. Currently there are two K-36, two K-28 and two diesels at Rockwood...more power at Rockwood than in Durango. They aren't catching a break!


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 11:47 pm 

Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:24 am
Posts: 544
Location: Canada
This looks particularly bad this time, there is no quick fix for this...
http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,353881,353956#msg-353956


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 9:11 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 5:19 pm
Posts: 2557
Location: Sackets Harbor, NY
Some of the washouts are huge and will take a great deal of time and money to fix.

Let's all hope that Al Harper & team can find/justify the resources to put the railroad back in business.

Ross Rowland


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 11:41 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 11:12 am
Posts: 569
Location: Somewhere off the coast of New England
Restoring the railroad will be a large nut to crack. However, if one were to look carefully at the numbers generated by the Durango Business Improvement District, there are a few things which jump out. 1. The economy of the area is highly dependent on the tourist industry; 2, to add the number of tourists transported to Silverton by train to the highway will require significant (meaning expensive) improvements to the highway; and, 3, without the train the tourist numbers will drop precipitously.

GME


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 3:33 pm 

Joined: Sun Dec 28, 2014 11:12 pm
Posts: 204
Trainlawyer wrote:
without the train the tourist numbers will drop precipitously.

GME

That didn't stop the folks in Indiana from ousting their own tourist line and museum, and you know that the rather vocal anti-train portion of the population will come out of the woodwork to say this is the perfect chance to shut down the pollution spewing, fire starting train.


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:25 pm 

Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm
Posts: 1477
Comparing this with the situation in Indianna doesn't make any sense. I don't think there is any danger of the railroad being shut down. Long-term could we see more diesels? Yes that's a possibility (still alot of unknowns regarding that). Since coal is probably gonna cheaper, that's on our side for the future.


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:57 pm 

Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm
Posts: 1477
Service is resuming with a bus bridge.


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2018 10:05 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 11:12 am
Posts: 569
Location: Somewhere off the coast of New England
hullmat991 wrote:
Trainlawyer wrote:
without the train the tourist numbers will drop precipitously.

GME

That didn't stop the folks in Indiana from ousting their own tourist line and museum, and you know that the rather vocal anti-train portion of the population will come out of the woodwork to say this is the perfect chance to shut down the pollution spewing, fire starting train.

The overall situations are very, very different. First, the D&SNGRR is a privately owned, for-profit enterprise providing full time and seasonal employment to significant proportion of the area's population. Second, they own their own track, it is not used on a comparatively short term lease or a revocable easement. Third, the same interests which own and operate the railroad own and operate several other businesses in the area also catering to tourists, including the Grand Imperial Hotel in Silverton. Fourth, they own the bus line. Fifth, the D&SNGRR and its owners personally, make significant charitable contributions in the area. Sixth, The railroad provides, apparently pro-bono, significant support to the emergency services in the area above and beyond its internal wildfire protection efforts, including the use of their helicopter and a brush tanker, to respond to non-railroad incidents.

I should also point out that Al Harper was on the Board of Directors of Florida East Coast for 12 years and spent many years as the chair of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority and its predecessor, the Tri-County Rail Authority, which runs Tri-Rail commuter service in Miami.

While I may well be stretching a point calling Durango and Silverton 'cities', the D&SNGRR is a privately-owned intercity (OK - intertown) passenger railroad which provides real transportation to where paying customers want to go, not just a train ride. Think BrightLine meets the Wild West and you have the idea. Coincidence? You have to go to Colorado, spend some money, and ask Al.

GME


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 Post subject: Re: Fire in Colorado D&S RR affected
PostPosted: Sat Sep 01, 2018 6:40 pm 

Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:45 am
Posts: 1010
Here are some Durango Herald articles about the D&SNG after the fire.

July 24, 2018: Heavy rain brings down mud, debris from 416 Fire burn area - Roads closed Tuesday afternoon; flash-flood watch in effect Wednesday

July 26, 2018: Durango train to reopen Saturday with modified service - Damage to tracks by mudslides could take four to six weeks to repair

August 23, 2018: Railroad ridership down about 27% after fire, debris flows - Local officials, business owners discuss state of community

August 31, 2018: Durango & Silverton railroad repairing damage from mudslides - Work expected to be completed by Sept. 15


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