The former SP "Rumsey Branch" could have survived today, but only in the hands of a RA or GWI shortline. Had the SP maintained at least the Elmira-Vacaville portion for a additional 5 years, the line would be alive with green and cream GP15's plying the rails today.

The Granite Rock quarry north of Capay-proper COULD keep the line alive. For the past 35 years, the only thing between the quarry site and the mainline was 3/4-mile of stick rail, a trestle across the brook, and a pair of property sales to obtain the right-of-way. However, the maintenance of 32 miles of track, sidings, and yards between Capay and Elmira would require revenue over and above the rock trains.

Additionally, the Vaca Valley Business Park (in northern Vacaville) would host several large businesses that would require daily switching: Albertsons, Simpson Dura-Vent, a small plastics manufacturer, multiple truck-transload warehouses and a large food-product company (whose name escapes me at the moment). Any traffic in the Winters-Esparto district would be very seasonal and it would be hard to convince those shippers to switch from trucks back to rail service. During harvest season(s), however, carloads would be through the roof and could keep a switch crew busy for 8+ hours on the branch's 10-15mph trackage.

It takes a little imagination, but from 1989 to 2007, the Vaca Valley Business Park could have grown WITH the railroad and sustained the line from Elmira to just shy of Hartley (at the end of the old American Home Foods siding). However, maintaining the line from Hartley all the way to Capay on seasonal agriculture products and semi-frequent rock trains would be a financial challege. The Sierra Railroad seems to be accomplishing a similar feat at the current time, so I wouldn't call it impossible.