Re: The San Juan reborn ...

Like I said, Stewart, a few WILD ideas -

But IMHO not utterly insane. A few years ago the Ventura County Transportation Commission
purchased the former Santa Paula Branch of the S.P., and made tentative arrangements with
Newhall Land & Farming to have a right-of-way set aside for eventual restoration of the original
Coast Line between Montalvo (a suburb of Ventura) and the Valley Line at Saugus. The eastern
end of the branch was severed by floods in the late 1970's, and the tracks east of Piru eventually
removed, but about 25 miles remain - fifteen of which are used by the Fillmore & Western RR for
its current operations.

With Magic Mountain at one end to attract passengers much the same as Knott's Berry Farm does now, and about 30 miles of mostly rural running west to Santa Paula, the line has significant potential for expanding and enhancing the existing weekend tourist service based in Fillmore - if and when the track is relayed to enable weekday MetroLink service from Ventura to Los Angeles via Santa Clarita.  All that is needed is a little imagination ...     And money.   LOTS and LOTS of money!

- Russo Loco