Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad

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Wallowa Union Railroad Overview

The Joseph Branch is a 63-mile long railroad that links the communities of Elgin, Wallowa, Enterprise and Joseph in Northeast Oregon with the Union Pacific railroad in La Grande. In 1993, Union Pacific sold the Joseph Branch to Idaho Northern & Pacific as part of a package of rail lines in the area. Passenger service was prevented because the UP maintained the ownership of the right-of-way between La Grande and Elgin. By 1996, freight service to Joseph stopped. Abandonment of the line above Elgin was approved by the Surface Transportaiton Board in April, 1997.

After several years of debate on how and whether to rescue the line before it was to be dismantled, an intergovernmental partnership between Union and Wallowa Counties was formed and the Oregon Legislature contributed $2 million for to purchase the line and limited rolling stock, to start its rehabilitation. The two counties secured a loan from the Oregon Economic & Community Development Department for the balance of the purchase price. On March 31, 2002, the purchase of the line between Elgin and Joseph was achieved. The Wallowa Union Railroad Authority was formed to operate the line and their crews started doing the work in December 2003. Freight service and an excursion train shared the track and crew in the first few years. From 2009 to 2011, a portion of the line not in use by the excursion train was leased to Union Pacific Railroad for the storage of excess lumber cars during the recession. This produced enough revenue for the WURA to retire their loan.

The scenic train business was established as the Eagle Cap Excursion Train. The first full season of operation for the excursion train was 2004. The excursion train continues to provide scenic train rides on Mother’s Day and selected Saturdays, from late June through October on the roadless section of track between Elgin and Minam. The train operates from the Elgin Depot in Elgin, Oregon.

Any return of freight business appears dubious at best at the moment and would likely require a substantial increase is raw log supplies for any sawmills to reopen or development of new industry. The Wallowa Union Railroad continues providing one of the more scenic railroad operations in Oregon along the Grande Ronde and Wallowa rivers.

The railroad interchanges with Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad in Elgin, Oregon.

Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad Locomotives

Number Model Built History Notes
INPR 10 RDC1 1956 Ex-WURR 10/ORRX 10/BCOL 10/PGE BC-10. Stored in Emmett, ID.
INPR 11 RDC1 1956 Ex-WURR 11/ORRX 11/BCOL 11/PGE BC-11. Stored in Emmett, ID.
INPR 31 RDC3 1956 Ex-WURR 31/ORRX 31/BCOL 31/BCOL BC-31/GN 2350. Stored in Emmett, ID. Parts source.
INPR 1106 FP10 1946 Ex-NOGC 1106/MBTA 1106/GMO 803A. Stored in Emmett, ID.
INPR 1108 FP10 1946 Ex-NOGC 1108/MBTA 1108/GMO 806B. Stored in Emmett, ID. Parts source.
INPR 1112 FP10 1947 Ex-NOGC 1112/MBTA 1112/GMO 808B. Stored in Emmett, ID.
INPR 1707 GP16 1950 Ex-MNNR 1707/CSX 1707/SBD 4607/CRR 4607/SCL 887/SAL 1707. Assigned to the Oregon Division.
INPR 2074 GP7u 1953 Ex-ATSF 2074/ATSF 2876. Assigned to the Oregon Division.
INPR 2094 GP7u 1952 Ex-ATSF 2094/ATSF 2773. Assigned to the Oregon Division.
INPR 4600 GP9R 1956 Ex-NCRC 4600/GTW 4600/GTW 4443/GTW 1769. Assigned to the Idaho Division.
INPR 4603 GP9R 1954 Ex-NCRC 4603/GTW 4603/GTW 4431/GTW 1755. Assigned to the Idaho Division.
INPR 4606 GP9R 1957 Ex-NCRC 4606/GTW 4606/GTW 4914. Assigned to the Oregon Division.
INPR 4608 GP9R 1957 Ex-NCRC 4608/GTW 4608/GTW 4556/CV 4556. Assigned to the Oregon Division.

Wallowa Union Railroad Rolling Stock

Number Type of Railcar Built History Notes
WURR 001 Caboose 1907 Ex-YW 001/MCR 025/GN X378.
WURR 1120 Passenger Car 1947 Ex-INPR/NJT 5309/CNJ 122/GN 1120.
WURR 2636 Passenger Car 1947 Ex-INPR/IC 2636.
WURR 3241 Passenger Car 1938 Ex-INPR/NJT 2408/PC/ATSF 2957/ATSF 3241.
WURR 6741 Baggage Car 1962 Ex-INPR 6741/SP 6741.
WURR 25674 Caboose 1967 Ex-UP 25674.

Former Wallowa Union Railroad Locomotives

Number Model Built History Notes
INPR 4500 GP40 1966 Ex-CSX 6663/SBD 6663/SBD 1506/SCL 1506/ACL 921. Now STBX 4500. Stored in Coyote Wells, CA.
INPR 4501 GP40 1966 Ex-CSX 6668/SBD 6668/SBD 1511/SCL 1511/ACL 926. Now STBX 4501. Stored in Coyote Wells, CA.
INPR 4502 GP40 1967 Ex-CSX 6700/SBD 6700/SBD 1545/SCL 1545/SAL 630. Now ATL 4502.
INPR 4503 GP40 1969 Ex-CSX 6727/SBD 6727/SBD 1572/SCL 1572. Disposition unknown.
INPR 4504 GP40 1969 Ex-CSX 6735/SBD 6735/SBD 1580/SCL 1580. Now STBX 4504. Stored in Coyote Wells, CA.
INPR 4505 GP40 1970 Ex-CSX 6767/SBD 6767/SBD 1613/SCL 1613. Now WAMX 3532.
INPR 4506 GP40 1967 Ex-CSX 6808/SBD 6808/LN 3012. Now CBRY 302.
INPR 4507 GP35 1965 Ex-NS 2656/SOU 2656. Now [WRIX].
INPR 4508 GP35 1965 Ex-WE 2657/NS 2657/SOU 2657. Now CBRL 2020.
INPR 4509 GP35 1965 Ex-NS 2672/SOU 2672. Used for parts. Scrapped.
INPR 4510 GP35 1965 Ex-WE 2675/NS 2675/SOU 2675. Now AOK 4510.

Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad Oregon Division Customers

  • Runs for 5.5 miles from Portland to Milwaukie.

Interchanges

  • Interchanges with Union Pacific in Portland.
Customer Location Company Description Type of Railcar Notes
Ross Island Sand & Gravel Portland Aggregate Supplier Hoppers Infrequent shipper.
Unity Foods Milwaukie Food Distributor Refrigerator Cars Active shipper?
AmeriCold Logistics Milwaukie Food Distributor Refrigerator Cars Main customer.

Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad Idaho Division Customers

  • Runs for 7.5 miles from Canby to Liberal (Molalla).

Interchanges

Interchanges with Union Pacific in Canby.

Customer Location Company Description Type of Railcar Notes
American Steel Canby Steel Manufacturer Steel Coil Cars
RSG Forest Products Liberal Lumber Mill Centerbeam Flatcars
Satrun-Dybvad Milling Liberal Animal Feed Mill Covered Hoppers




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