Just out of curiosity, what is the minimum amount of snow clearing the C&TS has done in recent memory in order to open the line for the season? Does it seem to make a difference if it's a winter with less than normal snow or a warm spring?
Also, what sorts of things do they find out on the line on the 1st trip before the season? Do they find a lot of rocks and trees on the tracks? Do they find washouts or evidence of trackbed movement?
What has to happen to take the line from buried under snow in February to running trains across the line at the end of May?
Dave