The commission that owns the C&TS is about to look for its next operator/savior for the RR. Their 30 year experience has shown that the approach they have had(here's the railroad, go get some money and come run it for us) can no longer be seen as a realistic option for the future.

There is somewhat of a model(albeit maybe not the best one) for how the C&TS could have a future.

In the eary 70's the State of Texas found itself the proud owner of a 25 mile standard guage RR out in the middle of nowhere. It had been built years earlier to serve some stateprison operated iron concerns(that never panned out).

what did they do? Transferred custody to the Parks and Wildlife guys, told them to find some steam engines and cars, FUNDED them, and built atourist RR from scratch.

The hard truth kicker? The Texas State RR is completely subsidized by the taxpayers. Back in the late '80s a goodfrind of mine served on the State Association of County Judges, and fund out that the TSR recieved about $20 of state subsidy for every ticket sold. This was at a time of higher ridership than now (then almost 80k, now less than half that).

The TSR has been weaned somewhat off of the Texas Teat, but has become skillful at getting federal grants to keep going. Examples: Recently they have been awarded 8 million dollers to reboiler three steam locomotives, all of which are in service, and have no discernable defects, and I don't know how many millions of federal rehab money to rebuild the entire line to the new AAR freight car standards, even though it will neversee a freight car. At a recent TRAIN gathering, they announced that they were going to receive 25million in grants over the next few years in addition to the regular operating budget the state funds.

Why do they get the money and no body else does? Because it is a state government asking the federal government for funding, not a private group of preservationists begging for handouts. If Colorado and New Mexico give a rats rear end about the continued operation of the C&TS they need to fund it like they would any other state park or state owned historic attraction. If federal money is needed the states need to run that ball.

The Commission keeps hoping Ross Perot or some other rich guy will step up to play trains and it aint happening. If the single state of Texas can fund a first rate steam RR thru fifth rate scenery in a tenth rate tourist area,why can't the western states do the same with much better raw material?