Logging operation? Common carrier at one time? One thing we need to keep in mind here- Too often people see disused tracks and use the word "abandoned." Many times such tracks are not abandoned, but classified much differently- As "out of service". And they can be reactivated if desired by the owner.
I documented the rehabilitation of the old "abandoned" SP Victoria Sub not far from where I live. The tracks were gone from parts of it for many years. Now KCS runs around 10 trains a day over it. http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/1784
Myself I don't like the idea of abandonned railroad lines nor wandering along. But among different railroad status, I do love one thing: Railroads that look like abandonned, But which aren't! Dom
I am an abandoned line nut as well. I have followed abandoned or removed lines in MT, CO, ND and places in Germany as well. Here's an abandoned tunnel on the former GN line from Great Falls-Helena, MT, severed by a washout years ago: Another MT location is MILW Red Coulee Tunnel 6, on the North Montana division east of Great Falls, MT: Replicating a photo from a Steinheimer book, this is Soudan, MT, overlooking the former MILW Rocky Mtn Div mainline: Here's the a MILW remnant in Washington state, Beverly Bridge:
Former NP Homestake Pass, high above and east of Butte, MT: More MT GN railfanning, this time, north of Ft. Benton, ont he old Great Falls-Havre, MT line: Many rail line in Germany have since become trails, and here's one I frequently hiked: As you can guess, I spent considerable time researching and chasing the ghosts of the Milwaukee Road through MT. Here's a bit of the very few miles of the entire Pacific Coast Extension that still sees rail traffic; Butte Yard:
The highest point of the Belt Mountains was at Loweth, MT. The former grade is evident at Loweth Substation #2: Henderson, MT, west of Alberton, near Drexel, MT: Some of the only trolley poles in existence over the entire Rocky Mountain Division, I found these west of Nimrod Tunnel 15 (background): Tunnel 11 was nearly the highest point of the Pacific Extension of the MILW. This is Donald, MT, looking east of Pipestone Pass Tunnel 11: I have a soft spot for abandoned rails. I grew very fond of the MILW by seeking its remnants, but never experienced it in operation. It's bittersweet to visit the places I have seen in books, knowing it's almost all but gone. The forest and urban sprawl slowly reclaims bits of the MILW every day; if you see it, record it--for tomorrow it may be gone forever.
Which member of the gwi is this? There's too many Ch... roads to chose from to deduce it from their list of family members. Sent from the magical mystery box
I believe it was their company in Mexico, which they withdrew from operating: Ferrocarriles Chiapas-Mayab
I do confirm: this is indeed FCCM, that has been sold to Mexican federal gov't by G&W in 2006, after an hurricane torn out that railroad's one line out of two. But of course motive power kept its paintscheme after the new company (FIT) took over. Dom
Dom, This reminds me of a line that ran from Needam MA, through Dover and into Medfield... As a kid it was used a lot by Conrail then bought by Bay Colony railroad and it hardly got used.... Not quite as over grown as this but close... In the 90's they had to stop at every crossing and have a flag man jump off the locomotive as all the crossing signals no longer worked... I dont think its officially abandon but nothing has run on that line for at least 10+ years if not more....
Thus that railroad's status seems not to be easily established. Maybe with local shippers? On the opposite, "my" railroad's status is rather straightforward: only two shippers on a 90-mile branch, giving way to 1 to 2 trains a week every way, in an equatorial environment where you can hear weed and vegetation growing... Dom
