Quote:

OldPoleBurner
"Perfectly good resources (owned by hapless stockholders), just left to rust and decay and wash away; when they could have been sold to a willing buyer for cash (the stockholders cash)."

That's a huge assumption. The UP just might be protecting its interest and financial position by not "giving" away business and adding new competition(that just might COST stockholders). Now if they had turned down an offer from a tourist railroad or something that would not take away from their(the UP's) primary business you might have a point.

The UP has continued to protect the right-a-way with regards to crossings, requiring grade separation and improvement for any development along the way. They did abandon the signal system knowing that it would require full replacement if the line is re-activated. So even they are not worried about all the parts that have been broken or stolen.