TB Diamond wrote:tss:
Thanks for putting an end to a long-held bit of misinformation. If I recall correctly, I received it via the old TSL magazine.
You're welcome, TB. You might be interested in my album of photos of the last train between Murdo and Vivian in 2003. A state highway was being widened west Vivian, and since the state owned the tracks, it decided not to re-install the grade crossing, given there was no traffic on that part of the line.
http://rides.webshots.com/album/7898645 ... host=rides
There is still hope grain traffic may return to DSRC, and if it does, the state will replace the crossing. Nevertheless, the status of "last train" stands for the moment. It was a bittersweet but fascinating train to watch. It was Dakota Southern at the top of its slow-speed railroading game. Walking speed movement, a couple low spots where the track was 10" out of crosslevel (12" being the amount needed to tip a stationary car), walking across a broken rail, and cleaning out the locomotive sanders with a straightened coathanger kept in the cab for that purpose.