In response to Jessica Cox’s letter in the Friday edition of the Herald, I find that I must once again defend the train. I love the train! I get chills when I hear her bells and whistles. The sound of the wheels on the rails! It is a part of Durango’s history and that of our nation. It brings tons of tourist dollars to the town.
I always have to respond to people that want the train to go away that the train was most likely here before you and when you looked for real estate here; maybe you should have considered that the train might be in your neighborhood. As far as speeding cars, they are everywhere.
My personal opinion is that people from larger cities came here and brought their driving habits with them. The drive from Bayfield to Durango is horrifying! The owners of the train aren’t only in it for the business. They, too, love the history of trains, the working of the big engines, the jobs these trains have done. Mentioning jobs ... the train employs several people who love the train. Do you have any idea what it costs to maintain the rails and the train itself?
I know that Cox’s beef is about the train running out of Rockwood, but it was a wise decision for the owners of the train. didn’t you notice all of those train-related things when you bought your property? Long live the D&SNG railroad!
Melissa Strand Bayfield
