I really cannot follow this post - or any on the NWP or the Santa Cruz branch. It feels like too many "railfans" hate the actual trains. I don't get it. If the NWP is able to make money through additional efforts, such as real estate transactions and leases using its assets, then the number of car loads is only one piece to the puzzle. So, as Mr. Pechner pointed out, the NWP is profitable. Yes, they pay fees to SMART for various operational expenses. So what? All railroads have operational costs. If they make more money than they spend, then they are - by definition - profitable.

The fact is, nearly ALL railroads depend on non-rail income to sustain themselves. Hence why the govt gave the railroads alternating parcels along the row when building the original lines, such as the Transcontinental Railroad. They could then use that to sustain the railroad - since it was unlikely they could support themselves under rail operations alone. Let's just be happy the NWP is operating at all. Let's just be happy any railroad is operating and enjoy those operations and not squabble and complain that they aren't doing it the way we would. There is only one railroad which operates the way railfans think it should (and its limited to their basements).