The County needs an operator to run the freight service. Whoever takes this on will be operating the freight service at a loss and will need additional sources of revenue that are profitable to offset the freight service operating loss until the recreational rail service becomes profitable. I don’t think there are any short line operators that are willing to step up to the plate except Sierra Northern, but they will only do this if given the lease for the West Sacramento operation from Union Pacific to balance out the operational loss on the Santa Cruz Branch Line. I say there is a 50/50 chance Sierra Northern will be back as the common carrier on the Santa Cruz Branch Line.

Today I watched SERA #50 unload the ballast hopper at the wye and then followed them South to interchange at Watsonville for delivery back to Oakdale. Below is a picture I took this afternoon as they crossed the trestle at La Silva Beach.