Train mystery at Balloon Tract! NCRA welcomes Willits City Councilperson Holly Madrigal.

 

First off, the North Coast Rail Authority (NCRA) welcomed new Director Holly Madrigal. She is a long time Willits City Councilperson and lifetime resident of  the Willits area. She actually received mail from the Skunk train as a child living between Willits and Fort Bragg!

Now for the train mystery. Seems that the environmental issue with one of the locomotives leaking diesel is way more strange than originally thought! First of all, the NCRA has written records of the removal of all fluids from the locomotives years ago. And the new "leak" is actually new red diesel! That means someone actually put new fuel in the tanks and popped the tank to cause the spill! That is not cool and now slows the project for removal from Eureka's old town.

Former Congressman Doug Bosco gave a report for North Western Pacific, the company running freight in the southern area of the rail. Doug wanted the NCRA to know that the relationship with Sonoma Marin Train or SMART if you will is improving. Doug also said that the freight service is "doing well" and expanding. The spur extension to Lagunitas brewery in Petaluma will allow an increase of 50% in service capacity. An additional spur to Sonoma's Mountain Village was another positive project eyed for soon. Watch the attached clip for Doug's entire report.

(Above is a picture of rails with trails, just to give perspective.)