::shakes Magic 8-ball:: Outlook not so good. A nearly identical situation has been unfolding over the past 10 years for a certain Taiwanese tea train.[1] Cons

::shakes Magic 8-ball:: Outlook not so good. A nearly identical situation has been unfolding over the past 10 years for a certain Taiwanese tea train.[1] Constructed in 1906, the Alishan Forest Railway has so many similarities it looks like a joke. Narrow ~2 ft gauge, ~87km in length, 2,000+ meters in vertical elevation gain serving high mountain tea farms, 6%+ grades, ~5 Z switchbacks, Class B Steam for special occasions, Diesels for regular days, in the running for World Heritage sites, and in terrible financial straights after a long fight to make it go private[2]. The line was government run for most of it's life, privatized in 2008, and returned to government control in 2011. It makes $2 million USD in revenue each year but costs $6.5 million to run and needs another $30 million in repairs to keep it going[3] (due to a landslide as well). That said, if you get a chance, go on a Wednesday. Shay's are fantastic and we're down to 5 of these kinds of lines throughout the world. I am really routing for Mr. Banerjee here but the odds seem stacked against him. Ultimately it was the installation of a two-lane highway with a plethora of shuttle services that made the Taiwan high mountain rail obsolete. If he can command a monopoly on the road as well, of course he will come out ahead. But from the sound of the taxi business in Ghum it looks like that battle is already lost. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alishan_Forest_Railway http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alishan_Forest_Railway [2] http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/05/01/2003502140 http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/05/01/2... [3] http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/05/01/2003502140 http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/05/01/2...