Former Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay Railroad

[Jeff Smith]

Looks like Progressive is taking over:

http://goodtimes.sc/santa-cruz-news/rtc ... -operator/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RTC on Verge of Approving Next Freight Operator
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For several minutes, Johnson, a member of the RTC, has been pressing the leaders of the freight company Progressive Rail about their intentions for rail car storage on Santa Cruz County’s rail line. Andy Schiffrin, an alternate for Commissioner Ryan Coonerty, did the same just before him.

Things are touchy because Iowa Pacific, the financially strained current operator of the rail line, has made a habit of parking cars on the line indefinitely. Both men want to make sure that the blight doesn’t continue under the next partner.

“I can appreciate what you’ve gone through, and it’s not the way we do business,” Progressive Chair Craig McKenzie assures Johnson at the April 19 Scotts Valley meeting.
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After a contract gets signed, the rail line would need repairs before opening up north of Watsonville because of storm damage, and the RTC recently approved $500,000 for inspections and recommendations of work for bridges and other infrastructure.

Progressive Rail’s plan for Santa Cruz County is divided into a few phases. The first would be freight service, followed by an occasional excursion train to Davenport, which would ultimately be followed by passenger service. Passenger service would hypothetically be a new venture for Progressive, but Dondero says the RTC could instead jointly run passenger service itself, perhaps via a partnership with METRO.

Josh Stevens, a 21-year-old Santa Cruz resident, thinks a commuter train would be a great fit for Santa Cruz County one day. After the meeting, he says that until a commuter train does come, freight by railroad would take a few trucks off the road. He likes them both for their carbon-reducing benefits and for safety reasons. “If we’re able to alleviate that in any way, shape or form, we should,” says Stevens, who’s wearing two layers of black jackets over a black T-shirt from the show Rick and Morty.
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[Jeff Smith]

Earlier discussion on rail trail conversion, and history: http://goodtimes.sc/cover-stories/rail- ... ive-issue/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Jeff Smith]

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/genera ... lic-review" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Progressive Rail contract ready for public review

ANTA CRUZ >> The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission has posted for public review a proposed 10-year contract with Progressive Rail of Lakeville, Minnesota to operate the 32-mile Santa Cruz branch line — a plan that includes building facilities on Santa Cruz’s Westside.

The 36-page agreement is expected to go to the RTC for a vote at 9 a.m. June 14 at the Watsonville City Council Chambers, 275 Main St.

To store and maintain equipment for freight operations including a concrete pit where the locomotive can be inspected daily, Progressive plans to build at facilities at a site the contract refers to as “Wrigley’s,” located at mile post 21.5 between Swift Street and Natural Bridges Drive on the Santa Cruz Westside.

Under the agreement, RTC may build, repair or change public projects such as a segment of the planned Monterey Bay Sanctuary scenic trail but the RTC is barred from interfering with Progressive Rail’s freight operations due to its rights under federal law.
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