Silicon Valley Lines: Layout Tour - Paso

Ferrum Mining Inc. is a major customer of the SVL. Unlike other ore companies, FMI has been blocked from using traditional ore mining techniques due to government intervention. To prevent damaging the sparse habitat of the rare spotted gopher, ore in Proctor is mined by deep underground tunnels, not by digging a large pit. As a result, of these regulations, this mine sure looks like it belongs back in coal country, but rest assured that those little ore cars don't haul anthracite. Proctor Hill is a company town.The ore miners depend on railroad alone for their connection to the outside world, as the town is unteachable by highway. SVL and the mineral rights holder keep things that way by a special arrangement. A sporadic mixed train sometimes brings supplies, mail, and visitors from the outside world, but most of the time, these folks are stuck in the 1940s and 50s. The mining company is still upset with an old coot who hauled his mobile home up a hill nearby. Recently, the squatter has worked out a deal with the government to conduct a biannual census of the spotted gopher population in order to prevent being himself from being evicted.

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