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Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway | |
|---|---|
| Reporting marks | OPE |
| Locale | Oregon |
| Dates of operation | 1904 – present |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| Headquarters | Roseburg, Oregon |
The Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway (AAR reporting marks OPE) is a short line railroad that began in 1904 as the Oregon and Southeastern Railroad (O&SE). The line ran 18 miles (29 kilometers) 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.
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The company reorganized in 1940 under the same name, and was purchased by the Booth-Kelly Lumber Company in 1947. Georgia-Pacific subsequently purchased Booth-Kelly (including the OP&E) in 1959, who 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 was known as "The Goose".[citation needed]
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 Steven King novelette, was filmed along the railroad as well. In March 1986, the company owned a total of three locomotives, 31 boxcars, and 44 flatcars. 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.[1] The OP&E remained as a small business and was made a whole Oregon corporation again in 2001. Robert W. Larson, a long time consultant to Mr. Kyle and an employee of the OP&E from Roseburg, Oregon, is now the President and CEO of the OP&E. The company also owns all of the film rights and the Blue Goose logo and trademark. Currently Larson owns a GE 44 ton locomotive that will have the original OP&E reporting marks added. Larson worked with Athearn to produce HO and N scale models of OP&E and Yreka Western boxcars. Oregon, Pacific & Eastern also owns the Longview, Portland and Northern Railway. Both companies are working with West Coast shippers in getting the proper freight cars on their serving carriers.