Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway
Encyclopedia
The Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway is a short line railroad that began in 1904 as the Oregon and Southeastern Railroad (O&SE). The line ran 18 miles (29 km) between the towns of Cottage Grove
and Wildwood. The Oregon, Pacific & Eastern Railway Company incorporated in 1912, and purchased the physical assets of the O&SE two years later. The OP&E's operations ran some 16.6 miles (26.7 km) from an interchange with the Southern Pacific Railroad
at Cottage Grove, then east to Culp Creek
. The last of the track was closed and scrapped in 1994. A successor corporation now operates a narrow-gauge line at Wildlife Safari
.
subsequently purchased Booth-Kelly (including the OP&E) in 1959, and in turn sold it in 1970 to Willis Kyle, who formed the Row River Investment Company (jointly owned by Kyle Railways and Bohemia, Inc.). The line operated passenger excursions from 1972 until 1987. At that time the train used a self-propelled Budd Rail Diesel Car originally built for Southern Pacific, which had spent most of its life on the Southern Pacific subsidiary Northwestern Pacific. On OP&E it was known as "The Goose".
The 1973 motion picture Emperor of the North Pole
, starring Lee Marvin
, Ernest Borgnine
, and Keith Carradine
was filmed along the railroad's right-of-way and using some of the company's equipment. The film was released on DVD as Emperor of the North. In 1985, Stand By Me
, a Rob Reiner motion picture of a Stephen King
novelette, was filmed along the railroad as well.{
In March 1986, the company owned a total of three locomotive
s, 31 boxcar
s, and 44 flatcar
s. All of that fleet is gone except for an old GE 44 ton locomotive.
Bohemia Incorporated bought out the railroad in Cottage Grove from Kyle in 1987. Kyle's 2-8-2 Mikado Steam Engine #19 was returned to the Yreka Western Railway Company (another Kyle railroad) that same year. In 1994, Bohemia discontinued service along the entire 17 mile OP&E line. The line was then abandoned and taken up as scrap and made into a hiking and bike trail, the Row River National Recreation Trail
. The Oregon Pacific & Eastern Railway was dissolved as a corporation on December 19, 1994.
to produce HO
and N scale
models of OP&E and Yreka Western boxcars. Bowser/Stewart Hobbies also made an unauthorized version of a 50' 2 & 4 door tapered-roof HO scale model auto-boxcars.
In March 2007, the OP&E took over as a concession operator of a narrow gauge railroad operation at Wildlife Safari
in Winston, Oregon
. Larson also owns the LP&N (Longview, Portland & Northern Railway) in Gardiner, Oregon.
Cottage Grove, Oregon
Cottage Grove is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It received its name from its first postmaster, G. C. Pierce, in September 1861. Pierce's home at the time was in an oak grove. The population was 9,686 at the 2010 census.-History:...
and Wildwood. The Oregon, Pacific & Eastern Railway Company incorporated in 1912, and purchased the physical assets of the O&SE two years later. The OP&E's operations ran some 16.6 miles (26.7 km) from an interchange with the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
at Cottage Grove, then east to Culp Creek
Culp Creek, Oregon
Culp Creek is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States, southeast of Cottage Grove on the Row River. It lies on Row River Road between Dorena and Disston.-Geography:...
. The last of the track was closed and scrapped in 1994. A successor corporation now operates a narrow-gauge line at Wildlife Safari
Wildlife Safari
Wildlife Safari is a safari park in Winston, Oregon, United States. It is home to more than 500 animals that wander freely over the park, which guests can drive through. The park also includes a walk through Safari Village that is home to some of the park's smaller animals...
.
Overview
The company reorganized in 1940 under the same name, and was purchased by the Booth-Kelly Lumber Company in 1947. Georgia-PacificGeorgia-Pacific
Georgia-Pacific LLC is an American pulp and paper company based in Atlanta, Georgia, and is one of the world's leading manufacturers and distributors of tissue, pulp, paper, packaging, building products and related chemicals. As of Fall 2010, the company employed more than 40,000 people at more...
subsequently purchased Booth-Kelly (including the OP&E) in 1959, and in turn sold it in 1970 to Willis Kyle, who formed the Row River Investment Company (jointly owned by Kyle Railways and Bohemia, Inc.). The line operated passenger excursions from 1972 until 1987. At that time the train used a self-propelled Budd Rail Diesel Car originally built for Southern Pacific, which had spent most of its life on the Southern Pacific subsidiary Northwestern Pacific. On OP&E it was known as "The Goose".
The 1973 motion picture Emperor of the North Pole
Emperor of the North Pole
Emperor of the North Pole is a 1973 American film starring Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, and Keith Carradine. It was re-released under the shorter title Emperor of the North, and is better known under the latter name....
, starring Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin was an American film actor. Known for his gravelly voice, white hair and 6' 2" stature, Marvin at first did supporting roles, mostly villains, soldiers and other hardboiled characters, but after winning an Academy Award for Best Actor for his dual roles in Cat Ballou , he landed more...
, Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine is an American actor of television and film. His career has spanned more than six decades. He was an unconventional lead in many films of the 1950s, including his Academy Award-winning turn in the 1955 film Marty...
, and Keith Carradine
Keith Carradine
Keith Ian Carradine is an American actor who has had success on stage, film and television. In addition, he is a Golden Globe and Oscar winning songwriter. As a member of the Carradine family, he is part of an acting "dynasty" that began with his father, John Carradine.-Early life:Keith...
was filmed along the railroad's right-of-way and using some of the company's equipment. The film was released on DVD as Emperor of the North. In 1985, Stand By Me
Stand by Me (film)
Stand by Me is a 1986 American drama film directed by Rob Reiner. Based on the novella The Body by Stephen King, the film takes its title from the Ben E. King song of the same name, which plays over the end credits.-Plot:...
, a Rob Reiner motion picture of a Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
novelette, was filmed along the railroad as well.{
In March 1986, the company owned a total of three locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s, 31 boxcar
Boxcar
A boxcar is a railroad car that is enclosed and generally used to carry general freight. The boxcar, while not the simplest freight car design, is probably the most versatile, since it can carry most loads...
s, and 44 flatcar
Flatcar
A flatcar is a piece of railroad or railway rolling stock that consists of an open, flat deck on four or six wheels or a pair of trucks or bogies . The deck of the car can be wood or steel, and the sides of the deck can include pockets for stakes or tie-down points to secure loads...
s. All of that fleet is gone except for an old GE 44 ton locomotive.
Bohemia Incorporated bought out the railroad in Cottage Grove from Kyle in 1987. Kyle's 2-8-2 Mikado Steam Engine #19 was returned to the Yreka Western Railway Company (another Kyle railroad) that same year. In 1994, Bohemia discontinued service along the entire 17 mile OP&E line. The line was then abandoned and taken up as scrap and made into a hiking and bike trail, the Row River National Recreation Trail
Row River National Recreation Trail
Row River National Recreation Trail is a rails to trails conversion in the U.S. state of Oregon. It follows the Row River for between Cottage Grove and Dorena Lake, and provides access to many forest trails of Umpqua National Forest....
. The Oregon Pacific & Eastern Railway was dissolved as a corporation on December 19, 1994.
"New" OP&E Railway
The Oregon Pacific & Eastern came back to life and was incorporated as an Oregon corporation in 2001 by Robert W. Larson. Larson is a long time consultant to Mr. Kyle and a former employee of the OP&E from Roseburg, Oregon. Larson is now the President and CEO of the new OP&E. Currently Larson owns a GE 44 ton locomotive that will have the original OP&E reporting marks added. Larson worked with AthearnAthearn
Athearn is a United States manufacturer of model railroad equipment, produced and distributed by American hobby manufacturer Horizon Hobby, Inc. of Champaign, Illinois, USA.-History:...
to produce HO
HO scale
HO or H0 is the most popular scale of model railway in the world.According to the NMRA standard S-1.2 predominantly used in North America, in HO scale, represents 1 real foot ; this ratio works out to about 1:87.1. According to the MOROP standard NEM 010 predominantly used in Europe, the scale is...
and N scale
N scale
N scale is a popular model railway scale/track gauge. Depending upon the manufacturer , the scale ranges from 1:148 to 1:160. In all cases, the gauge is . The term N gauge refers to the track dimensions, but in the UK in particular N gauge refers to a 1:148 scale with track gauge modelling...
models of OP&E and Yreka Western boxcars. Bowser/Stewart Hobbies also made an unauthorized version of a 50' 2 & 4 door tapered-roof HO scale model auto-boxcars.
In March 2007, the OP&E took over as a concession operator of a narrow gauge railroad operation at Wildlife Safari
Wildlife Safari
Wildlife Safari is a safari park in Winston, Oregon, United States. It is home to more than 500 animals that wander freely over the park, which guests can drive through. The park also includes a walk through Safari Village that is home to some of the park's smaller animals...
in Winston, Oregon
Winston, Oregon
Winston is a city in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 4,613 at the 2000 census. It is home to Wildlife Safari.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
. Larson also owns the LP&N (Longview, Portland & Northern Railway) in Gardiner, Oregon.