Very sad news indeed. I spent 14 years at NWSSB working on the railroad, first couple in the track department and the rest in operations, brakeman for a year and then as an enginner. Got hired "just at the right time" (1980) as the grey hairs were all ready to retire, so moved up fast. We stabled (mostly) GE 80 ton center cabs which were re-engined with turbo charged truck engines. I did enjoy a very brief time with the old large block prime movers before the rebuilds. Also rebuilt during my tenure there was 80% of the railroad. When I started, we had 64, 78, and 90# rail, but most active rail was replaced with 112 in bits and pieces by several contractors (some used rail coming from CMSTP&P's pulled up pacific extension) through the 80's. I had many exciting times there, but the most fun was an SP derailment of our recently loaded boxcars (not navy boxcars) filled with 16 inch shells that were heading to Crane, IN. Got a call to return to base about 7pm one night on account of a rail accident and I raced along the 405 at speeds nearing 90 (actully hoping to get stopped as I was carrying and wanted to flash a navy supplied "get out of jail free" card) ... turns out that I got to run our engine onto SP tracks (well, I thought it was a BIG deal!!) and to participate in the rerailing of a couple cars that didn't bite the dust too badly.

There were several "studies" while I was there concerning "truck verses train", none ever got rid of the railroad ... until now.
-bill