Re: P.C.R.R.- a short history

Of course, the "new" Pacific Coast shares little more than a name with its predecessor. (Those beefy Consols certainly disgrace any of the current motive power!) But before the ranch came into the picture, the original plan was to construct it on part of the original right-of-way out of Avila Beach. The owner, Rob Rossi, is a significant landholder in the area and was instrumental in the town's redevelopment following its 1998 demolition -- necessary to remove contaminated soil from the ruptured Unocal pipeline. But as there stood far fewer obstacles in building the railroad at the private Santa Margarita Ranch, that's where it went. The only vestige of this pipe dream is the "Avila Beach & Pacific Coast" lettering on one of the Disney coaches.

Being new to the area (from *South* Pacific Coast territory), I knew little about the PCRy other than it existed. But the more I found out about it, darn was it one interesting operation. One of the neatest pictures I've come across is a cab forward creeping across the narrow-gauge diamond near the SLO roundhouse. Given the average "lifespan" of a narrow gauge, it's amazing to think it lasted as long as it did.