I can't see why anyone would sell the Antonito Branch separately from the rest of the RR. Antonito is where at least 80% of the carloadings are generated.

The SLRG offered passenger service to Antonito for a while. We had the worlds only Domeliner Mixed train. It left ALA early enough make the connection with the C&TS, then laid over until the C&TS returned. They even served breakfast on the dome in the morning and had the bar open for the return. The problem was it added another 2 hours to an already too long trip.

The average patronage was about 2 people a day......

At one time you could park your car in La Veta, ride to Alamosa, overnight there, ride to Antonito then on to Chama and overnight there. The third day ride from Chama back to Antonito, and on to Alamosa for the night. If you were completely nuts, on the fourth day you could ride the mixed train to Monte Vista, and enjoy a concert on the park (without EEE) while we switched the Coors barley elevator, then return to Alamosa for the night, then on the fifth day, head back over the hill to La Veta, where hopefully the local cop hadn't towed your supposedly-abandoned vehicle. I think about 5 people tried that exercise.