ross: that is a pretty heavy rant against watco. many have termed it "scrapco", but they took over lines that UP and BN were very happy to divest after years of neglect. they did not want to invest in the upgrading of these lines so how can you expect the second string to assume that onus? i think the purchase of these lines by the state of WA may be a godsend to the area and although you and many others percieve it as watco getting the productive line (thornton-hooper) and being able to get out from under the P&L and C&W lines, i think the overall fact that the state now owns the lines will make a huge difference on how these lines are operated in the future.

without that purchase all of these lines probably would have been filed for abandonment. the C&W was a heartbeat away from that. watco would have made scrap money from that abandonment. they would not have made money with the continuating of that line such as it was. you can not run too many trains at 10mph, on rail that is old, and a crew that dies in 12 hours and expect to make much! but hopefully the state will up grade the line, deal with any bn back biting, and turn that line, and the P&L, into a viable rail line again. watco made its money by selling this line. they could have scrapped it. but it is still there and i am glad for that. i think many silos along both lines will end up being greatful as well.

your distrust of watco may be deep seated and personal? but i think like many other second operators (shortlines), they are truly trying to save what they make money at and divesting and scrapping what they do not. unfortunatley, what is handed them when they buy branches is not often salvagable in the sense of investment in materiel -vs- amount of return for that investment.
regards,
rolland (p.s. i have not been, nor ever will be in the employ of watco).<;>)