The operators of the Skunk Train, a popular Mendocino County tourist excursion that runs between Fort Bragg and Willits, have won a court reversal that could pave the way for a major expansion of the railway’s operations. The decision, reported by the Santa Rosa Press Democrat will allow the Mendocino railway to use eminent domain to acquire a 20-acre undeveloped parcel from a Willits landowner who does not want to sell at the offer price, and has contested the move in a years long legal fight. The railroad company, which also has waged recent legal battles against the City of Fort Bragg and the California Coastal Commission, seeks to develop the Willits property into a hub that can support increased traffic along its line between the coast and Highway 101 corridor, potentially including freight and passenger travel. A June 2023 lower court ruling in favor of the property owner, John Meyer, blocked use of eminent domain, finding that the train was primarily a tourist enterprise that didn’t serve the public good. A three-judge panel in the state’s First Appellate District reversed that ruling in a unanimous decision published on January 7th.