Re: Some thoughts on CSRM
Author: William Boyd
Date: 04-25-2009 - 10:15
CSRM is "now part of the State Parks system"? When was it ever not? The Santa Fe collection came to CSRM through an underhanded effort by AT&SF to get it out of New Mexico because they wanted to renege on their promise to give it to that state. They left New Mexico in such a hurry that the two big steamers made the trip with main rods attached, and the Baldwin switcher's cracked journal box had to be manually lubricated by a Mechanical Dept. guy via a hose from the cab. If you want to see it, check out the Pentrex video that included a segment on the move. As part of CSRM's holier-than-thou effort to suck up every rail artifact in sight, they stepped on a lot of toes--two that come to mind are Placerville and Rio Vista(fortunately unsuccessful). Then there's the sad case of ST&E #3, another case of leaving a "priceless artifact" out to rot. (The fact it's now going to THA may not be much of a better fate, although I wish them well.) So now, they find that the conglomeration resulting from their meglomania cannot be maintained, and much of it must be scattered, like the no-longer-intact Santa Fe Collection. It's poetic justice that the AT&SF M-190 has gone back to New Mexico--of all places. Hopefully, the new owners of these castoffs will be able to preserve and interpret them better than the mighty and god-like CSRM. As for the fact that "Dennis is no longer around"; that's got to be a plus.