2000 Most Endangered

Most Endangered Places in New Mexico 2000

• The Bridge of the Hidalgos, Santa Fe County
  
• El Morro National Monument, Ramah
  
• The Cumbres-Toltec Railroad, Rio Arriba County
  
• Fort Stanton
  
• Hispanic Heritage of Northern New Mexico, now the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area
  

The Cumbres-Toltec Railroad, Rio Arriba County

UPDATE: In 2000, the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Railroad formed the Rio Grande Railway Preservation Corp. to take on the operational responsibilities of the 1880s narrow gauge railroad that connects Antonito, Colorado with Chama, New Mexico. The governing bi-state commission had removed the previous holder of the operating lease and had not found success in attracting another for-profit company. Without an operational train, the economy of the region would be severely impacted and the historic qualities of the site might not be preserved. Since then the Friends has done its best to inform the public about the value of the railroad as a unique historic site and as one of the largest employers in the region. The Friends published several brochures to tell the history of the railroad and explain the collection of over 150 freight and maintenance cars. This past year they published one of these brochures in Spanish and launched a capital fund drive with a colorful and informative brochure about the railroad's history and needs. The Cumbres & Toltec has been an important tourist attraction, which has helped to preserve it, but it is once more endangered. The Forest Service closed the Railroad for six weeks last year because of the fire danger and operating revenues plummeted. As a result, the Friends' operating company gave the commission notice that it could not continue under the historic contractual model. While the governing commission was conducting a process to devise a different contractual model and choose a company to operate under it, the Friends have continued their support by making some of the capital funds available as a matching grant and helped to obtain a federal grant for the winter work program to bring three of the six operational steam locomotives into compliance with new federal boiler regulations. Optimism still is evident as the Friends of Cumbres & Toltec continue to fight that uphill battle to preserve our history. In February Brian Shoup, a new executive director will take the reins from retiring director Terri Shaw. Terri says, "Brian is an experienced non-profit executive and long-time enthusiast of the Cumbres & Toltec. He has been a help to me over the past three years in brainstorming strategies. When we started conversing by email and phone, neither of us dreamed he would replace me. I can't think of a better person to lead us now."