Crew

Rob's job is primarily making parts and rebuilding our old locomotives---It is this exact challenge that Rob enjoys most about his job--"when the parts break or wear out--there are three options, he explains. We can make a new old part, same as the one that broke or two, we can design one as Baldwin did or our third option is to engineer one that is better than the old part and still works well like the ones made by Baldwin made back in 1925." "Every day is different, no part repairs or rebuilds are the same even if I have made that part before. The next one may be completely different, but we try to get as close to the original as possible." Rob enjoys the people who come through the shop. Rob particularly enjoys visiting with the kids. He is quick to point out to them, that in his shop you need to be good with numbers. Why you may ask? The response, he uses trigonometry daily, not many jobs can say that!

Marvin oversees all the equipment, the crew and the operations of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. He enjoys working with everybody, and being a part of the multi-facited levels of the train operation. Marvin is a third generation employee of our rail - his grandfather, Max and his father Jasper preceding his employment with us. Marvin is also proud of his son, Max who started working for us four year ago.

As a fireman, Max shovels the 5 tons of coal per trip, keeps the engine full of water, and assists the engineer in checking on track conditions. Max enjoys the people he gets to meet and he especially enjoys making the train ride special for kids. Max is a fourth generation C&TSRR employee. His father Marvin Casias is our Chief Mechanical Officer. His grandfather, Jasper Casias and his great grandfather, Max Casias also worked for the railroad in the early days. Max and his family exemplify the long standing history the C&T has in Northern NM and Southern CO.

‘Soni’ has been a part of the Cumbres & Toltec Team since 1999. His extensive background in the railroad industry includes serving with Eureka Springs & North Arkansas RR, Arkansas & Missouri RR in addition to the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. ‘Soni’ has served as Steam Locomotive Mechanic in the C&T shop and is Engineer certified. Soni prides himself as an entrepreneur, which includes strong financial planning and budget analysis skills along with great interpersonal skills.

“I look to build upon the good work that has already taken place, I was looking for an opportunity to lend my skills and talents to something I believe in and have a passion for.”

Otherwise known as 'Gorilla', Anthony makes sure the brakes are functioning properly on the train. The brakes & hand brakes are checked before every departure to make sure they set and release properly. You are sure to find 'Gorrilla' on the back of the train checking for fires. Overall, he assures your safety on the trip.

Main duty as Charter Specialist is to organize, plan, and run all freight specials. Main duties as Conductor are to be in charge of all motion of the train and to insure the safety of all passangers.
Favorite thing about the job is "location of the office" - loves to be outside, communicate with the passangers, and the adrenaline rush of taking the train up the mountain!

Ronnica is responsible for making sure the trains are literally "on track". She assures through her communication with the engineers, that each train is at it's ordained location at the time scheduled. Communication between her and the engineer is ongoing for the duration of your trip. You are likley to speak with Ronnica on the phone or meet her at the Antonito depot where she can assist you with your tickets.

Ronnie is in charge of the train crew, overseeing fire patrol and all firemen. This involves the training of firemen who are looking to become engineers. Ronnie is responsible for the scheduling of all train crew. In particular, Ronnie enjoys working with all the shop crew, rolling up his sleeves and working on an engine. His favorite part of working for the C&T is to 'fire' the coal box. He takes joy in hearing the passengers talk about how great the trip was and thanking him for a great ride!

Michelle orders supplies for the shop and does regular shop maintenance on locomotives, cars, etc. Michelle worked as a brakeman during the 2008 season. You can find her doing any aspect of work on the railroad. Michelle loves being a part of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad.

Gayle serves as the C&T Marketing Director and is responsible for public relations, development of collateral material along with implementing our marketing plan. She handles media requests, familiarization tours and group sales. For more information on our marketing efforts go to our press room on this web site.

Main duties as Conductor are to be in charge of all motion of the train and to insure the safety of all passengers.
His favorite thing about the job is meeting all the wonderful people and working outdoors.

Teresa is responsible for the care and maintenance of the train cars and the overall maintenance of the Antonito depot. Her duties involve the re-upholsterying of the coach seats, cleaning of the cars and the depot facility. Teresa is also responsible for painting the letters on our train cars. Teresa loves to hear about the great time people have aboard the C&T.

Max has seen a lot in his 36 years of working on the railroad. Max is the one who makes sure we have a safe railroad. He and his crew lay close to 12,000 ties annually. Max also tends to the rail itself, mending any twists or kinks that may develop along the 64 miles of track. Any questions about the track, just ask Max, he's our expert!

Responsible for the movement of the train and it's passengers, Sam directs stops and starts along your train excursion. You are likely to see him at the depot, with his conductor hat on, speaking on his radio and smiling at the riders. When asked what he enjoys most about working for the C&T, Sam's response sounds something like this, "I enjoy meeting people from all different parts of the world and knowing I was a part of creating a great train ride for them."

Teresa's primary objective is to ensure that our passenger's expectations are met. She enjoys working with people and working with people is what she does best. She coordinates with staff, management, contractors, as well as passengers-- with one goal-- to create a positive experience aboard the C&T. In addtion to facilitating the details of the office, she also oversees the logisitics of our special trains and our parlor cars.

Fireman Jose also doubles as part of our shop crew. He multi-tasks from shoveling coal to rebuilding engines and performing locomotive repairs.

Orlando, 'Orly' as he is known among the crew, rebuilds our single locomotives. Orly is quick to point out that his job is endless and ongoing, which makes sense when you consider that these locomotives are over 100 years old. Current projects for Orlando include, replacing 21 tubes on the 484 along with rebuilding the engineers seat. 'Orly' and crew are also working on Engine 489, which consists of plumbing repairs and completing the refurbishing of the running gear.

Working on engines, oiling and greasing and replacing gaskets are just a few of the maintenance tasks that Jacob performs. Jacob's primary job is to know our engines. He enjoys learning about each of our locomotives. As a Fireman, Jacob also makes sure the engine stays hot - this in turn provides enough heat to make steam and move the train.

Elmer Salazar joined the C&TSMC at its inception in January of 2006. Elmer was drawn to the railroad because his grandfather was the Roadmaster during the early to late 1930's and his gandmother worked as a rail cook providing meals to working track crew across the railroad from Chama to Antonito. Elmer's father grew up at Osier as a very young boy living in the Section House along with his parents and siblings. All his life he heard the stories about the D&RGW, what is now the C&TSRR, but never had a real opportunity to hear the "whistle blow" until the need to create the C&TSMC came along.

His passion for the railroad has really developed in having had the privilege of being involved with the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad through the C&TSMC. As a member of the Board of Directors, he is the "non-railroader" but brings business, community, and political savvy to the cause of running the railroad.

Elmer is a native New Mexican and has lived in northern New Mexico his entire life. He is a strong advocate of the railroads historical and economic missions in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado and looks forward to seeing the railroad become a self-sustaining business that will offer its treasures for generations to come.

Tim Tennant is a Board Member & Secretary for the C&TS Management Corp. Tim was General Manager for the Cumbres & Toltec during the 2006 and 2007 operating seasons. Tim has been associated with the C&TSR since January 2005 when he was hired as President & CEO of the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, Inc. Tim has over 18 years of management experience in the freight railroad, tourist railroad and railroad museum community. Before joining the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad as Chief Executive Officer, Tim spent eight years at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin, as General Manager and later as Director of Development. Tim and his wife Judy reside in Rio Rancho.

Richard Tower helped put the CTSMC together starting in Dec 2005 and came on the board when it was formally created in March 2006. Richard spent 30 years in the railroad business, including at Amtrak, Southern Pacific, and at the consulting firm Wilbur Smith Associates. He first rode the Cumbres & Toltec in 1972 and has been a Friends member since 2000. Richard and his wife, Caroline, ran the Candelaria Fund, a charitable grantmaking foundation, and live in San Francisco when he is not working at the railroad.

Frank was born the son of an SP Railroad conductor. After graduating from Tucumcari High School, he attended New Mexico Military Institute and graduated from Texas A&M Commerce in 1961. That same year, Frank received his commission in the United States Marine Corps where he served for eight years, including a tour in Vietnam.

In 1969, Frank joined the Norfolk & Western Railway where for the next 18 years he served in various operating positions. In 1988, Frank became Chief Operating Officer of Midsouth Railroad, a regional railroad headquarted in Jackson, Mississippi. Frank was later promoted to President and CEO until the sale of the railroad to the KCS. After Midsouth, Frank became Vice President of Field Operations and Intermodal for CSX Railroad. In 1998, Frank became President of the American Shortline & Regional Railroad Association in Texas.

Frank and Rosalie reside in Angel Fire, New Mexico and Birmingham, Alabama where they have five grandchildren. This third generation railroader is proud to serve his native state of New Mexico.

Lon lives in Grand Junction, Colorado and is employed at American National Bank as a Regional Operations Officer and includes budget management, project cost accounting, risk analysis and strategic planning. He is a Colorado history buff and a 20+ year member of the Colorado Railroad Historical Foundation. He is also working with a group of volunteers in conjunction with the Museum of the West on an operating scale display representing historic Denver and Rio Grande operations in the Grand Junction to Minturn corridor. Lon was appointed a commissioner in 2006.

Peter Foster was appointed a commissioner in 2006. Pete is from Grand Junction, Colorado. He is married to Nancy Foster and has two children, Liam and Nathan.

Peter Foster is a Vice President of Wright Water Engineers, Inc (WWE) and Manager of WWE’s Durango office. He is a Senior Project Engineer licensed in the states of Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. Pete specializes in water resources, including water rights, for municipalities, special districts, and private industry. This work includes design and construction of water and wastewater facilities, storm drainage facilities and water supply feasibility studies. Another area of expertise is environmental permitting, including Aquifer Protection Permits, NPDES Permits, permits for construction of water and wastewater facilities, air permits, and air inventories.

Pete has a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from The Colorado College. He currently serves two gubernatorial appointments: 1) Southern Ute – State of Colorado Air Quality Control Commission and 2) the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad Commission.

Stephanie's job - while simple to describe - is one of the most important to the Commission. She makes sure all our vendors are paid. She is the one that dots the i's and crosses the t's. She keeps us all on our toes! What Stephanie enjoys most about working for the Commission is meeting and greeting the visitors that come to ride the longest & highest scenic railroad in North America. "It's great! I get to meet people from all over the world!"

Lenny Martinez joined Sandia National Laboratories in January 1995, where he currently holds the position of Vice President of the Enterprise Transformation Division. Prior to his employment at Sandia National Laboratories, Lenny worked for Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC) for 19 years in a variety of functions, primarily in manufacturing.

In 1998, he was selected for the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award in Executive Excellence. In 2003, he was awarded the Defense Manufacturers Excellence Award and selected in 2004, 2005 and 2006 as one of the top 50 Hispanics in Information and Technology. He is a board member for the National Council for Advanced Manufacturing, the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Hall of Fame Advisory Board, the Next Generation Economy Initiative Advisory Board, where he chaired the Microsystems Initiative Committee, is a member of the Hispano Chamber of Commerce E:Mercado Board, and a past member of the ASU College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Board. He has co-chaired the United Way/ECP Campaign at Sandia, raising over $18.7 million in nine years. He and his wife foster children from third-world countries in the Heal the Children program.

He was selected as a Sloan Fellow and attended the Business School at Stanford University, where he received a Masters of Science Degree in Management. He completed the Digital International Management Education Program offered by the Institute Prive de Enseignement Superieur (INSEAD) in Fountainbleu, France in 1993. After completing coursework at night and on weekends, he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Lenny is also a graduate of the DeVry Institute of Technology and has completed a Graduate level certificate in Management of Technology from the Anderson School of Business at the University of New Mexico.

Randy is a retired executive in the tourism and hospitality field. From 1994 to 2004 he was general manager of Eldorado Hotel, a four-star hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Prior to this, he served as Senior Vice President of Operations at Richfield Hospitality Management based in Denver, Colorado; Director of Operations for Palmas Del Mar Resort in Humaco, Puerto Rico; manager of the Hilton Head Inn; and a variety of other management positions at the Sea Press Resort in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Within the tourism industry Randy serves on the boards of directors of the American Hotel and Motel Association, the AHMA Resort Committee, the New Mexico Lodging Association, the New Mexico Restaurant Association, and the advisory board for the Hospitality and Tourism Department at New Mexico State University. He was appointed to the New Mexico Tourism Commission in 1996 by Governor Gary Johnson, and continues to serve on this commission under Governor Bill Richardson. Randy is also active in community affairs, currently serving on the boards of the Santa Fe Opera, the Santa Fe Fiesta Foundation, and the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta.

Randy is a 1968 graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. He lives with his wife Suegy in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and was appointed a commissioner in 2006.

Leo Schmitz, his wife Maria, and their son Christopher, are residents of Antonito, Colorado. In December 2005, Leo Schmitz was re-hired as the Executive Director; leaving a convenience store chain and oil and fuel distribution company, where he was Chief Financial Officer.

Leo was first hired by the C&TS RR Commission in March of 1977 to be their accountant. In 1981, he was promoted to Executive Director, in which capacity he served until 2001. As Executive Director, Leo has been involved in obtaining funding and grants for several capital projects and managing them from the ground floor to completion. Some of the projects Leo found monies for were the Osier Dining Facility’ the restoration of the 463; several track projects; the rebuilding of Mud Tunnel; and many other projects.

Also, Leo, Spencer Wilson, Dan Ranger and Bill Lock were the four collaborators who were instrumental in the formation of the Friends’ organization.