About the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, Inc.

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A recognized leader in the railroad preservation field, the 2100-member Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, Inc. is the official museum arm of  the C&TS, managing the preservation, interpretive, museum and restoration functions of the railroad. In particular, the Friends has assumed the responsibility of preserving all of the railroad’s historic assets that are not used in the regular tourist train operation, and interpreting the railroad to the public.

The Friends got its start in 1981 when founding president, Bill Lock, grew concerned that no one was caring for the railroad’s irreplaceable collection of historic equipment and structures. Bill had recently read "The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad The Historic Preservation Study"  by Spencer Wilson and Vern J. Glover.  That year, he convinced the railroad to let him and a friend paint and refurbish an old refrigerator car body. Lock and a growing number of volunteers returned to the railroad each summer thereafter, primarily concentrating on the stabilization and restoration of rolling stock.

These long weekends evolved into the present work session format. Several times each summer groups of up to 150 volunteers gather along the railroad to pursue specific preservation projects for a week at a time. Over the years, these projects have encompassed virtually all of the railroad’s historic buildings, as well as the restoration of many railroad cars, the renovation of line-side signs, the removal of asbestos from out-of-service locomotives, and landscape and grounds improvements.

In 2009, the Friends conducted six of these sessions, plus two additional sessions in Alder Gulch, Montana.  292 individuals filled 444 work session slots, contributing 23,300 hours of labor.  In addition to the works sessions, the Friends provided 4 docents daily on the trains who provided 4,500 hours of volunteer time.  Our Dorman team has worked tirelessly, over 2,300 hours per year, to scan, identify and catalog our collection of images.  Collectively, our volunteer board has donated in excess of 10,000 hours per year to the Friends' organization in addition to their work session activities.  These numbers do not include the many, many hours that are contributed at our Colorado Springs site.

The Friends’ work sessions are amazingly productive because of pre-planning that clearly defines work, provides leadership, identifies and assigns needed skills, and pre-positions material and tools. Moreover, an exceptional work ethic has developed that keeps people focused on the tasks at hand.

In recognition of its efforts, the Friends has received awards from the New Mexico State Legislature, the Colorado Historical Society, and the New Mexico State Historic Preservation Office. The Friends is an affiliate member of the Association of Railway Museums (ARM), and a member of the Tourist Railway Association (TRAIN) and  American Association for State and Local History AASLH).