Cowichan Bay - A good number of years ago this Island had a thriving logging industry among other businesses.
The Island railroad was a vital part of this system.Due in part to the machinations of successive governments our lumber business has dwindled down to ship raw logs and rough lumber, these items are now hauled by road transport, fuel arrives by tanker barges, ergo, who needs a railroad? What a waste of money; let the track become derelict then, heh! There are miles of land with rusty iron and rotten ties.It would fetch a pretty penny if it were sold off piece by piece.So what of the original agreement made at the inception of this system? It was so long ago that it is not worth the paper it was written on! Now the monkey on the shoulder can be got rid of, no expenses for right-of-way upkeep, no new bud-cars to buy or paint for the station buildings; we can make a killing! Doug Orr, you and I, like many others will never see rail transport on this Island during our lifetime.As you pointed out, the untotalled cost would be far too great for any purse to handle, not forgetting our previous premier has had a bus placed on this wonderful scenic highway for those who need to get to Victoria or other spots down south.You see he was thinking about B.C. citizens even in those days!George MannersCowichan Bay