Western Railroad Discussion > Santa Cruz Branch Line: Whistle Stop Tour

Running about an hour late... Arrived Aptos, CA @ 11 AM

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Great photos, thanks. Back on schedule at Live Oak....

e63 Wrote:
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> Running about an hour late... Arrived Aptos, CA @
> 11 AM

Thanks for posting!

I hope the rain doesn't wash off the fresh paint--boy they sure did that quick, I'm guessing they had to paint the 82 outside in Watsonville.

This is just sooooooo excellent. And for all the nay-sayers....eee got this all together...
2 F units and one painted no less, passenger cars, and track authorized for pax service...in minimum time.

It is so refreshing to see someone who can step up the the plate, and do what they say they are going to do.
Not the usual 3 years later, and we are still waiting.

Of course this does not guarantee the long term success of the operation, but this is a GREAT start.

Say what you want about the county politicos, at least they were smart enough to pick ed and IPH for the DO.

So when they get operations up and running, how far will they run? Mention is made as far north as Davenport and as far south as Aptos. Will they attempt to go to the end of track in Monterey? How far northfor a final destination?

Larry Dodgion
Wilsonville, OR

truxtrax Wrote:
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> So when they get operations up and running, how
> far will they run? Mention is made as far north as
> Davenport and as far south as Aptos. Will they
> attempt to go to the end of track in Monterey? How
> far northfor a final destination?

There is no connection between this branch and the Monterey branch----the end of the branch is at Watsonville Junction (which is actually in Pajaro in Monterey County) They would have to go on the main UP line to Castroville where they would find the Monterey branch cut off completely from the main line, no switch, no access. And if there were access to the Monterey branch, it needs to be totally rebuilt including retrofitting the bridge over the Salinas river, and then the branch ends in the parking lot at Costco at Sand City because the rest of the branch to Pacific Grove has long since been a recreational trail.
I think they would like to run a sunset dinner train to Davenport and back which would be really cool. As to activities south of Santa Cruz to Watsonville, there are some issues with trestles etc. There were no px in the train between Watsonville and Santa Cruz today because of those problems.
C.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

You may have things a little confused. The Santa Cruz branch runs from a connection with the UP/SP coast line at Watsonville Jct to Davenport. Aptos is between WJ and Santa Cruz.

Monterrey is on the long OOS SP monterrey branch, which ran from Castroville (south of WJ) to Monterrey. Some of the track is still there, some is gone. Have not heard of any attempts to get this line back running, although there is idle chat about it from time to time. It would be a much larger effort to get the Monterrey line back in service...and I have no idea who owns the ROW anymore.

pdt Wrote:
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> You may have things a little confused. The Santa
> Cruz branch runs from a connection with the UP/SP
> coast line at Watsonville Jct to Davenport. Aptos
> is between WJ and Santa Cruz.
>
> Monterrey is on the long OOS SP monterrey branch,
> which ran from Castroville (south of WJ) to
> Monterrey. Some of the track is still there, some
> is gone. Have not heard of any attempts to get
> this line back running, although there is idle
> chat about it from time to time. It would be a
> much larger effort to get the Monterrey line back
> in service...and I have no idea who owns the ROW
> anymore.


See my post above yours. TAMC,Transportation Agency of Monterey County, made up of some of the biggest dope smokers south of Santa Cruz, bought this branch from a gleeful UP for $9 million IIRC. They wanted to run excursions from San Francisco, commuter trains from I don't know where to where, and other assorted pie in the sky ideas which would involve cooperation with the UP to get any such trains to the branch in the first place. The entire ROW needs to be rebuilt and the trestle over the Salinas river retrofitted due to major torquing in the Loma Prieta earthquake. THe price tag some years back was $38 million or thereabouts.
Santa Cruz dinner trains to Davenport are a much more attainable goal.
C.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

truxtrax Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So when they get operations up and running, how
> far will they run? Mention is made as far north as
> Davenport and as far south as Aptos. Will they
> attempt to go to the end of track in Monterey? How
> far northfor a final destination?


The end of track is Davenport. This line is no where near the City of Monterey, although, it is on the shores of Monterey Bay. North of Davenport is the trackless ROW of the Ocean Shore Railroad.

Nit-pick foamer comment: Something about both of the F-units doesn't look right, maybe it's the modified headlight or the squared off pilot.

nit pick is right. You'd rather have more UP yellow, or a bike path?

Thanks for the support.

While there is no guarantee of long term success, the support along the route today was sure nice to see....

And the street running just past the Boardwalk will be an interesting challenge...

pdt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is just sooooooo excellent. And for all the
> nay-sayers....eee got this all together...
> 2 F units and one painted no less, passenger cars,
> and track authorized for pax service...in minimum
> time.
>
> It is so refreshing to see someone who can step up
> the the plate, and do what they say they are going
> to do.
> Not the usual 3 years later, and we are still
> waiting.
>
> Of course this does not guarantee the long term
> success of the operation, but this is a GREAT
> start.
>
> Say what you want about the county politicos, at
> least they were smart enough to pick ed and IPH
> for the DO.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/12 17:17 by eee.

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So what was the train for if they didn't have any passengers on board? I was teaching around the bay in Monterey today, so I wasn't able to see this train.

Dave

eee wrote:

And the street running just past the Boardwalk will be an interesting challenge...

To which I reply, my favorite part is when the skateboarders hitch a ride on the back of the train as it runs past the Boardwalk!!! :-) Part of the "culture"-----------:-)
I really hope this all works out as a major tourist attraction---the ingredients are there. I look forward to adding a new magnet to my collection and putting it next to the Spirit of Washington one I bought when we rode the dinner train in the dome back inn '06. Best of luck to eee and the Iowa Pacific!
C.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

Whistle stop from Watsonville Jct to Santa Cruz, and then free rides north of Santa Cruz, AFAIK

That will be quite an accomplishment--passenger service to Davenport. Did that branch ever have a passenger train? I remember hitching a ride to Davenport with some authentic "hippies" back in 1968 so I could visit and ride the narrow gauge electric railway from the cement plant to the limestone mine. I think of that trip when I see Brussels sprouts on a stalk at Trader Joe's--apparently the land near Davenport is an ideal growing area for them.

DNRY122 Wrote:
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> That will be quite an accomplishment--passenger
> service to Davenport. Did that branch ever have a
> passenger train? I remember hitching a ride to
> Davenport with some authentic "hippies" back in
> 1968 so I could visit and ride the narrow gauge
> electric railway from the cement plant to the
> limestone mine. I think of that trip when I see
> Brussels sprouts on a stalk at Trader
> Joe's--apparently the land near Davenport is an
> ideal growing area for them.


I believe that they are talking about an excursion sunset dinner train from Santa Cruz to Davenport, not "passenger service" in terms of commutes etc. And yes, lots and lots of brussels sprouts growing along the way. Hope that the idea works for the IP and the local tourist industry.
C.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA