Sunday, April 29, 2018

Eastern Oregon Shortline Railroads (America Through Time) Paperback – October 3, 2016 by Jeff Moore (America THrough Time)



Excellent coverage of rail operations in Oregon. The author hits just the right amount of history and descriptions of operations to make the reader feel a connection to each of the short lines featured. The photos are very supportive of the text and helps the reader visualize each of the operations. I model the West and found the photos and text working well together to help me improve the interest and accuracy of my modeling. Very pleasant experience to read. Highly recommend.

Most of Oregon east of the Cascade Mountains is a raw and inhospitable land, largely the product of recent volcanic activity. Railroad builders constructed a couple mainlines skirting the edges of the region and some branch lines into agricultural communities, but found very little else to attract their interest. Over time, however, a small collection of interesting shortline railroads built or bought rail lines, either in conjunction with the developing timber industry in the Blue, Ochoco, and Wallowa mountains or to connect a few existing communities with the mainline that bypassed the town. This book tells the stories of these small railroads and the roles they played in the development and economies of the region; covered railroads includes the Big Creek & Telocaset; City of Prineville; Condon, Kinzua & Southern; Idaho, Northern & Pacific; Klamath Northern; Oregon & Northwestern; Oregon, California & Eastern; Oregon Eastern Division of the Wyoming/Colorado; Sumpter Valley; Union Railroad of Oregon; Wallowa Union; and others.

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