# Santa Cruz Branch



## johnny.menhennet (May 3, 2012)

I read the Trains News Wire article about the future of the ex-Southern Pacific Santa Cruz branch. I found it nice that there were 5 operators interested in the operation of the 32 mile branch. All in all, I was wondering who you guys think will be the next operator of this. Personally, my two favorites are the Santa Cruz, Big Trees, and Pacific, because of the fact that they already have a nice presence in the Santa Cruz community and would better know the community needs and so forth. I also like Iowa Pacific just for the fact that they have found success elsewhere and I would like to see it replicated in California. Even though it is VERY roundabout I like their idea of running trains all the way from San Jose. The one thing I like about the railroad museum's proposal is their open willingness to accommodate a trail within the right-of-way, but I don't feel that they have the serious management capability to run a functioning short line, just given lack of experience. I also think that Patriot's carload estimation is a little high.

Here is the article:

article


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## WhoozOn1st (May 4, 2012)

johnny.menhennet said:


> Here is the article:article


Your link works, johnny.menhennet, but the article doesn't because it's subscriber-only content. I'm a Trains subscriber, but not everybody here is, and even those who are aren't likely to wanna go through the log-in riggamarole to read such an item in the middle of perusing posts at AU. It's a good story about an interesting topic, so what to do?

Trains News Wire often cites a local source for stories like this, and in this case it's the Santa Cruz Sentinel, apparently a local newspaper, or news website. So I Googled for it, and voila, the story! I've used the tactic often in posting stories found in the Trains News Wire. It gets around the subscriber-only obstacle and you don't run into any copyright problems by linking the original article and including a brief direct quote if you like. I usually like to include a photo or other graphic if a relevant one is present or can be found somewhere online. In addition to all that, of course, you can include whatever you'd like to say on your own, as you did in your original post, with the advantage of readers now knowing what you're talking about. BTW, Trains News Wire doesn't embargo items about high speed rail, which are open to anybody, subscriber or not, and can be linked accordingly without hassle. Even then, though, it's not a bad idea to go back and check any original source cited if you can, because they often include additional information of interest that perhaps didn't fit into the New Wire's brief format.

So for example.....

Five bidders show strong interest in operating branch line

"When Woodland-based Sierra Northern backed out of a deal to run a planned passenger train along the county's 32-mile Branch Rail Line, naysayers saw it as a sign that state and local transportation officials' planned $14.2 million purchase of the railroad rested on a weak foundation.

"But a new round of bidding seems to demonstrate the loss of the line's primary custumer, former Davenport cement manufacturer Cemex, isn't necessarily a death knell for the line's future viability. Five contenders are interested in running freight and passenger service throughout the county, and in some cases even beyond."

EDIT: Didn't even think of this earlier, but this topic belongs in the General Rail Discussion forum. People really need to pay attention and be more aware (like I wasn't in this case) of appropriate placement when it comes to starting a new topic.







The railroad tracks between Seabright Avenue and the San Lorenzo River trestle are used as a pedestrian path. The state on Wednesday approved funding for the county s purchase of 32 miles of rail line from Davenport to Watsonville. Photo by Shmuel Thaler, Santa Cruz Sentinel.
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