Re: SVRR roadbed hike

Stephen: While you were hiking the grade down in the low country, a couple of us were hiking part of the grade between Tipton and Carol. The old water tower site at Carol is a must see if you haven't been there. Most of the upright tank support structure is still there, including the frost box and supply pipe. The tank was presumably salvaged decades ago. I couldn't help but imagine a SVRy pass. train stopped at the tank. The view out the car windows is of a large mountain meadow, with a rustic log barn in one corner, a large aspen grove in the other, and the peaks of the Elkhorns in the background. This area of the grade is just as Casey says about the grade near larch, all the ties are still in place just like they pulled the rails 20 years ago, yet it must be more like 50. It's easy to stand along the grade in the forest silence and imagine that silence suddenly broken by the clatter of 17 headed down grade with flats loaded with lumber!
The more of these sites I visit along the old ROW, the more I'm intrigued by the history of the SVRy.