More on the Pioneer Park Train

I got a very interesting comment today on an old post about the Pioneer Park train. The person felt so moved by what I wrote that they actually took the time to get a blogger account so they could refute me. Here is what they said:

"How more wrong can you be? First off, NO taxpayer monies have been or will be used in the Pioneer Park train restoration. Secondly, the cost of moving and restoring it is much closer to $100K, not $400K. Next, there are not any organizations currently in the US willing to give us a dime for the train. Moving it is just too costly. There are people willing to take it like the AZ railway Museum in Chandler. But, like all the others, they want Mesa to pay the moving and area restoration costs. Finally, the train has no real salvage value as, again, it's size and material content make it unprofitable for salvagers.

It is people like you with short-sided vision and no real concept of what's important that have put Mesa in the mess it is currently in. Thank God the ones who built this wonderful city were true pioneers who weren't afraid to TRY! Naysayers have never accomplished anything!"

Allow me to retort:

1. I am glad to hear that no taxpayer money would be used to restore the train. However, as long as it sits there unrestored, taxpayers are paying to keep people away and make sure that no one is getting hurt by a train that is chock full of asbestos.

2. If the cost is only $100k, congratulations, you are now 18% of your way to making your goal of saving the train! I am not against saving the train, my observation was merely that the support appeared to be luke warm at best.

3. I am not going to advocate for any taxpayer funds to save this project. If the city decides to get rid of it, it should go to the first people who willing to move it.

Finally, I am glad you were able to make such a snap judgement about me and my vision for Mesa from this single post. In fact, we have advocated for more vision and exciting ideas to help improve this city. I am not against people trying, I encourage people to make the efforts to improve our city. What I am against, is the wasteful spending that doesn't help our ultimate goals.

The train has a lot of fond memories for me, but its function at this point is almost nil. Its too dangerous for kids to play on and it seems weird to have a train sitting there surrounded by a fence. I am for preserving the tradition of Mesa that deserves to be preserved or can help our long term quality of life. I do not begrudge those who want to save the train, I simply think that there must be a timeline for resolution on this issue.