Unfortunately, as the 60s rolled in, a storm of change began to loom over Oasis Palms. Santa Fe, citing diminishing revenues from passenger traffic, decided to halt its daily passenger service stops in the town then a few years later, Santa Fe dealt a devastating blow that sent shockwaves through the town of Oasis Palms. Santa Fe made the inexplicable choice to tear out the very spur line that had once connected Oasis Palms to the bustling main line in Cadiz.
Lefty, ever the vigilant guardian of his beloved town, harbored suspicions of sinister forces at play, driven by a covert agenda aimed at controlling the precious water of the Fenner aquifer that sustained life in Oasis Palms.
The stark reality was that Oasis Palms was left with dwindling options for attracting visitors. With the demise of the railway, the town’s lifeline now rested solely on the shoulders of the passing automobile traffic along Route 66. The late 1960s marked a period of deepening economic despair for Oasis Palms, casting a shadow over its future.