Ron,
I agree that it sounds like a better idea to go to Whitney. I've always wanted to see the line rebuilt to Austin, and it probably could be as most of the right-of-way is still intact. The train could leave Sumpter in the morning, turn up Larch grade at the S-wye, have a stopover at Whitney with some tours and stuff, head over Tipton to Austin, turn around and head back down to McEwen and Union Creek, cross Phillips Resrvoir on the dam, head up the Curry Branch, and then drop down into McEwen again. And while it was doing this the Heisler could be handling valley traffic. Simple huh? If we ever got this far we'd have a railroad longer than the C&TS. I think we'd need to hire some employees though, don't you? Just an idea.
Thanks Again, Taylor