Re: So What If?

Dan Robirds Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> UP still owns the land, so that was not even considered.

I don't know about that particular section of trackage, but at least in California it was not uncommon for deals to have been written at the time tracks were laid that in case of abandonment the ownership reverts to the original land owners, or whoever currently owns the property the land was origionally a part of.

That was the case in the SP's Stockton to Oakdale line. Once abandond and scrapped then land went back to the local property owners.

Unfortunatly some people along the ROW were unaware of the old land agreement and spent thoudands purchasing their own land from the railroad.

Mr. Frank Cottle (2nd owner of the West Side & Cherry Valley Ry) owned the portion of land where the steel trestle came into Oakdale from the North. I can't remember what all happened but I believe the SP tried to give the land and trestle to the town, but Cottle had copies of all the old land agreements and got his families property back. Then I believe there was some hurt feeling and back stabbing and the trestle was scrapped.

I'd have to talk with Frank's son to get the story straight in my head again.

There may be a similar land agreement on the Porterville branch, which means once the rails are gone the ROW is gone.


$0.02

Curtis F.