Jeff Moore Wrote:
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> I think you're right Alf, if those four SDs ever
> got north of Willits it didn't happen often,
> though it can't be ruled out that some of them
> weren't used on the rock trains that used to go a
> few miles north of Willits after Ma Nature and
> taking shortcuts with disaster relief monies
> closed the north end. One or two of the geeps
> would go to Eureka on occasion, mostly in
> connection with special events. My memory is
> those eight units had numerous mechanical issues
> and didn't last long, not counting of course the
> two involved in the wreck in Willits that are
> still there.
>
> Jeff Moore
> Elko, NV


If I recall, the New NWP black widows would not go past Willits unless used on an excursion. Typically the Chopped Nose GP9's made the excursions north to Eureka/Arcata. The SD9s did one excursion to eureka, and that was when they were first acquired.

You are also correct, the NWP could not keep those black widow units running for long, but I feel, as many of the units are still operating, that it was more of an NWP issue and not an issue with the actual units.

The EUKA/NCRA/New NWP was really a mickey mouse operation at best.