Historically the Northwestern Pacific Railroad ran from Eureka south to San Rafael moving freight and people. It's heydays are over. The northern section of the rail has been railbanked from Commercial St in Willits north to Humboldt Bay. That section of the line has historically been expensive to maintain and is no longer financially feasible. 

The section south from Commercial Street in Willits needs repairs but could be cost effective to revive.  Sonoma Marin Rapid Transit (SMART) has been diligently working to restore the southern most section. They are moving people from Larkspur to Sonoma County airport in Santa Rosa with plans to continue service north to Cloverdale. 

The Skunk Train is running tourist rail on a small section of rail between Willits and Ft Bragg but their parent company, Mendocino Railway, would like to revive service between Ft Bragg, Willits and south. The Great Redwood Trail Agency is seeking to have the Surface Transportation Board, the federal agency that regulates rail service, deem adverse abandonment of the stretch of line being used by Mendocino Railway. This would allow the stretch of rail from Willits to Cloverdale to also be deemed as abandoned which would then allow The Great Redwood Trail to be built on top of the rail instead of along the side. 

It has been closed to rail service since 1998 despite many attempts by by the North Coast Rail Authority (NCRA) to revive it. The past attempts were to revive the entire stretch from Eureka to San Rafael but the northern section which runs through the Eel River Canyon is unfeasible. Past attempts did not try to reopen just the southern stretch. Now the GRTA is attempting to abandon the entire line so they can build their trail. 

SMART is having success repairing and reopening service from Larkspur to Santa Rosa. It seems premature to abandon the stretch of rail from Cloverdale to Willits. Considering our state's goals of lowering carbon emissions, it seems like we should be looking at any and all opportunities to alternative modes of transportation for people and freight. 

Let's not be hasty in abandoning the opportunity to reopen rail service that would connect Mendocino county to Sonoma and Marin counties as well as the national rail system. While it may not entirely regain it's historic function, it does hold a lot of possibilities and opportunities to once again serve an important function for the North Coast. 

Please join me in signing this petition that will be presented to the Surface Transportation Board opposing abandonment of the lines owned/operated by Mendocino Railway and the southern section of the North Western Pacific rail line from Willits to Coverdale.