On Friday 04/30/10 Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad tested it’s newest engines in a run from Weed, CA to Medford, OR over the Siskiyou Line, pulling 9 bulkhead flat cars loaded with veneer and 7 Log cars full of logs bound for Riddle and Dillard, Or. mills. The test was to see if it’s new CEFX “GP-20D” engines would make an efficient run over the Hill that boasts some 3% plus grades, testing fuel economy, tractive effort etc… in hopes that service on the south end could economically be restored if the “numbers” looked right.
Service south was halted by CORP around April 15 2008 because it claimed it was loosing money going south of Ashland. Loads originating north of Ashland would be hauled north to Eugene then sent south from there on the Union Pacific. (Instead of originally going south over the Siskiyou Summit to Black Butte to join the UP there.)
A big battle ensued between CORP and shippers, mainly veneer and log mills in Yreka, and by the Yreka Western RR. who services the mills, then exchange them with CORP in Montague, CA.
Originally, CORP would take a train of cars originating in the Rogue Valley to Hornbrook, CA, a midway point on the south end, drop that load off and pick up the loaded Log cars, Veneer and an occasional wood chip car and bring them north to awaiting plywood mills etc… Another set of engines would resume taking the cars from the Rogue Valley south to Black Butte Junction, The shippers felt CORP was asking way too much money to take their loads North, plus reduced shipping days. The logs and veneer have been coming north on trucks ever since.
1 & 2- leaving Weed ~ “old and new” passing old Edgewood Store
Mt Shasta in background ~ passing siding at Gazelle ~ past old tractor Grenada
old tank car ~ fuel tank ~ old tressel
heat waves ~ old Montague station ~ Klamath River bridge
I you like, I have more pictures here