Release Date: 2008-05-07

Media Contact: Tim Tennant
505-880-1311
ttennant@cumbrestoltec.org

Press Release

May 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friends of Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Celebrate 20th Anniversary of Incorporation

Contact: Tim Tennant, President & CEO at: Tel 505-880-1311, Fax 505-856-7543 or e-mail: timtennant@cumbrestoltec.org

The Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad celebrates the 20th anniversary of its incorporation in 2008. The Friends of the C&TS Railroad, with over 2,300 members worldwide is the museum arm of the 64-mile Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, which operates through the San Juan Mountain Range in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. The railroad is jointly owned and operated by the states of Colorado and New Mexico.

The principal activities of the Friends are restoration of rolling stock, structures, and right-of-way equipment of this segment of the former Denver and Rio Grande Western narrow gauge railroad and interpretation of the railroad equipment and the lives of the railroad workers. Friends volunteers work as docents on each train and also build and interpret displays of various facets of railroad life and work. At various times the Friends has also been called upon to provide operational support to the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad.

The anniversary celebrations will feature the return of the D&RGW Pile Driver OB to the railroad. Over the past ten years this unique machine has been fully restored to operational condition by a dedicated group of Friends volunteers. Other major events will include special charter and excursion trains, in addition to the regularly scheduled daily Chama, NM to Antonito, CO and Antonito to Chama trains. On Saturday June 21, 2008 the Friends will offer a freight train charter pulled by DRG Locomotive 315, a Class C-18 2-8-0 built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1895. This train will depart Antonito, CO at 8:30am operating to Osier and return. The trip will include numerous photo run-bys during the day.

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