Prototype News

A pair of Pullman-built railcars that helped the Illinois Central electrify its commuter operations out of Chicago a century ago have come “home” for the annual Pullman Railroad Days, being held this weekend at the Pullman National Historic Park. The historic rail cars are on loan from the Illinois Railway Museum and were moved to the park last month. 

The event is expected to draw rail enthusiasts, historians, families, and visitors from across the nation. The presenting sponsor of the event is Alstom, the successor to Pullman’s rail manufacturing legacy. 

“Alstom is a natural partner in the stewardship of Pullman National Historical Park,” said Peggy Parfenoff, Executive Director of the Friends of Pullman National Historical Park. “This partnership connects Pullman’s historic legacy with the future of rail innovation and helps us continue building a world-class destination that celebrates transportation history and community.”

The event will feature walking tours of the Pullman park, exhibitors, rides on CPKC’s Puffer Belly Express, and more. The IC electric cars will be open for ticketed tours from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. each day.

Additionally, the South Shore Line announced that it had restored one of its Nippon Sharyo cars to its 1982 as-built appearance. The car was expected to make its debut during the event as well. 

For more information, visit friendsofpullman.com/special-events/

—Railfan & Railroad Staff

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The Rockhill Trolley Museum is teaming up with local animal shelters on July 25 and 26 to “stuff the trolley” and help local cats and dogs awaiting adoption. 

Throughout the weekend, visitors are encouraged to bring much-needed supplies for the Huntingdon County Humane Society. As a thank-you for supporting the shelter, every visitor who donates will be eligible to purchase an unlimited-ride trolley ticket at half price. Discounted fares are $6.00 for adults, $5.00 for children ages 2 and older, and free for children under 2.

Requested items include cat litter, Purina-brand dog and cat food, toys, collars and more. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. For additional information about the event, visit www.rockhilltrolley.org or follow Rockhill Trolley Museum on social media. 

—Justin Franz 

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by Eric Cortinas and Parker Gibson/photos as noted

How do you say goodbye to a historic route that has shaped its region for more than 150 years? The former Southern Pacific Siskiyou Line, connecting southern Oregon with northern California, has drawn railfans for generations with its rugged scenery and fascinating operations. With a major freight customer closing its doors, operator Central Oregon & Pacific had no choice but to shut down the south end of this storied line. There are more than 150 years of history to unpack, which are essential to understanding the significance and resilience of the Siskiyou Line.

Beginning in the mid-1800s, Oregon & California Railroad’s desire to connect the upper Sacramento Valley in California to the lower Columbia River Valley in Oregon resulted in a survey effort to establish the optimal route between the two regions. Two potential routes were outlined, one of which became the Siskiyou Line. The other route, built later, became the Natron Cutoff, which took the place of the Siskiyou Line as SP’s preferred north-south route. The latter survives today as Union Pacific’s Black Butte and Cascade subdivisions. At the time of the Siskiyou Line’s initial construction, O&C determined that this route was the preferred choice despite traversing drastically more rugged terrain.

ABOVE: One of the last chores performed by the Weed crew was gathering empty bulkhead flats from the 3,500-foot siding at Hornbrook. Later, two GP38-3s and an SD40-2 from Medford, Ore., would tie onto the head end. —Parker Gibson

Work began in 1868, and over the next four years, the right-of-way was built as far south as Roseburg, Ore. In 1872, efforts halted and wouldn’t restart until the early 1880s. The eventual renewal of construction would be short-lived, though, lasting only from 1881 to 1884, and this proved to be O&C’s final stand. Plagued with issues from the start, O&C declared bankruptcy, with the topography of the region and financial struggles both playing substantial roles in the decision.

Seeing opportunity in the unfinished route, Southern Pacific moved to expand its growing system by assuming control of the faltering O&C and the Siskiyou Line. When construction resumed, SP took a different approach, choosing a steeper route through the Siskiyous that resulted in a rigorous climb and sharp descent over the mountain range. Near the summit, trains faced grades greater than 3 percent, among the steepest on the Southern Pacific system. Construction crews battled the elements until 1887, when the line was finally completed.

ABOVE: Style B semaphores were synonymous with railfanning along the Siskiyou Line during the 1980s and 1990s. Although none remain in service, one still stands beside the Medford yard office. After receiving clearance on December 11, 2025, the final train rolls into the yard, where the Medford Switcher will break up the consist and sort the cars. —Parker Gibson

According to SP’s timetable, the Siskiyou Line spanned nearly 93 miles between Weed, Calif., at mile 348.4, and Medford, Ore., at mile 441.8. Each mile reflects the distance from the company’s headquarters in downtown San Francisco.

The line became a vital source of freight and passenger revenue throughout the end of the 19th century as the only direct route between California and Oregon. As profitable as the route was, it was difficult and expensive to operate due to the steep grades paired with numerous sharp curves that put a strain on equipment and infrastructure. Despite these challenges, the route remained an asset to the SP into the 20th century, ultimately leading to the company’s outright purchase of the defunct O&C and transferring ownership of the Siskiyou Line fully into the hands of SP in 1926.

ABOVE: Nearly 50 cars trail behind CORP SD40-2 No. 3497 as the train begins climbing out of the sag on December 11, 2025. In the background stands the new high-wide detector near the former location of one of California’s last Style B semaphores. —Parker Gibson

After 1927, traffic began to decline as most passenger service shifted to the newly constructed Natron Cutoff, leaving the Siskiyou Line primarily to freight. In 1955, SP discontinued passenger service over the route. The lumber industry, however, kept trains moving for nearly 40 years after passenger trains disappeared. As SP neared its own end (purchased by Union Pacific in 1996), the line over the pass was embargoed in 1992. Traffic from Weed continued by way of Black Butte, Calif., handled by a local operating over the southernmost segment of the line.

In December 1994, SP leased the entire route to Central Oregon & Pacific, which lifted the embargo and resumed traffic over the pass in 1995. Over the next two decades, the Siskiyou Line and CORP faced repeated changes and periods of uncertainty. Between 1995 and 2012, CORP moved between parent companies RailTex and RailAmerica before becoming part of Genesee & Wyoming. During this period, traffic on the southern end of the Siskiyou Line came to a halt for nearly seven years beginning in 2008, as deteriorating track conditions required extensive rehabilitation. The future of the line became a subject of debate, though a multimillion-dollar project ultimately replaced rail and ties and repaired numerous bridges. When the work was completed in 2015, Roseburg Forest Products’ shipments out of Weed became the primary source of revenue on the southernmost portion of the route, remaining so until December 11, 2025.

ABOVE: A galaxy of stars watches overhead on December 10, 2025, as CORP 2068 sits silently in the heart of Weed, Calif., awaiting its final trip across the Siskiyou Line the following morning. —Eric Cortinas

Through Eric’s Lens
It was the night of December 10, 2025, and the winds of change were especially fierce in the Northern California town of Weed. A sharp winter chill swept across my face as I photographed a pair of EMD GP38-3 locomotives silently basking in the glow of the streetlights. Owned by Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad, these locomotives had become a familiar part of life in Weed, serving one of the last pieces of heavy industry supporting the town’s economy. As I captured images of the engines resting beneath a blanket of stars, a surreal feeling came over me. This would be the final night the CORP name would grace Weed.

A few short weeks earlier, Roseburg Forest Products, the railroad’s last customer in town, announced the closure of its veneer production facility. The shutdown would mean the loss of roughly 150 jobs at RFP, employment changes at CORP, and collateral economic damage throughout the town. With no other viable freight customers in Weed, the RFP closure would spell the end for the southernmost portion of CORP…

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by Kevin Gilliam/photos as noted

Southern Railway marked the official end of steam with a ceremonial run of 2-8-2 6630 from Oakdale to Chattanooga, Tenn., on June 17, 1953. Upon the locomotive’s arrival, Southern became the largest railroad in the U.S. to complete dieselization. President Harry DeButts marked the occasion by declaring, “It has taken us 123 years to put out that fire.” For anyone present in Chattanooga that day, it would have been hard to imagine that just 10 years later, another Southern 2-8-2 would roll over that same busy main line and help launch a 28-year program of steam excursions.

To understand the importance of that program, and how it came to be, we need to turn back to the early 1960s. Southern Railway was then a thoroughly modern railroad that neither wanted nor welcomed steam on its tracks. The catalyst for change was Chattanooga businessman Paul Merriman. Seeing the end of steam approaching rapidly, Merriman purchased ex-Southern 2-8-2 4501 from the coal-hauling Kentucky & Tennessee Railway at Stearns, Ky., located near Southern’s busy Cincinnati–Chattanooga main line. Against the odds, Southern agreed to move 4501 to Chattanooga under steam as a one-time exception. Huge crowds lined the route to see the locomotive, resplendent in authentic Southern freight livery, roll down the main line.

ABOVE: Rolling through Rural Retreat, Va., a location made famous by O. Winston Link’s recordings in the steam era, Southern 4501 is bound for Radford in June 1985 with an excursion from Bristol. —Ron Flanary

Three months later, on August 29, 1964, the first Southern Railway steam excursion departed Atlanta, Ga., when Savannah & Atlanta 4-6-2 750 powered the first of three successful round trips over the Central of Georgia main to Jonesboro. It was a closely guarded secret, but the company’s official policy toward steam had begun to change. A few excursions followed in 1965, and soon the big show was ready to begin.

4501 and Friends
On August 18, 1966, the rebuilt Southern 4501 left Chattanooga for a three-month tour of the Southern system. Now resplendent in Southern’s passenger green livery, it made a pretty sight as it headed north. Its main point of call was in Richmond, Va., for the annual convention of the National Railroad Historical Society. At the banquet, Graham Claytor, the vice president of law for Southern Railway, made the proclamation that steam was “here to stay.” In 1967, Graham Claytor became president of Southern Railway, and the new Steam Program kicked into full swing.

ABOVE: The Southern Berkshire — Southern never purchased a Super Power steam locomotive, so Bill Purdie had work to do making Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 2716 look right. It’s drawing a crowd at Yuma, Va., in May 1982. —Ron Flanary

In June 1967, something unexpected showed up in Roanoke, Va. To celebrate the opening of the Roanoke Transportation Museum, East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad sent one of its engines for several days of trips around the Roanoke Belt Line. No. 207 must have looked awfully familiar to a Southern man like Graham Claytor; before going to ET&WNC, it had been Southern 630.

It did not take long for Southern to offer a pair of Alco RS-3 diesels in exchange for the Tweetsie’s two steam locomotives, and the growing steam program gained two new additions — Southern 630 and 722. The 630 remained in Southern black freight livery, while 722 received green paint to match 4501. With the two 2-8-0s, S&A 750, 4501, and a new steam shop outside Birmingham, Ala., the steam program was becoming a more serious endeavor.

ABOVE: Southern 2-8-0 630 may not have received much notice during the original program, but it was a familiar face in the Norfolk Southern 21st Century Steam program, operating trips from 2011-14. The Consolidation is heading west near Atkins, Va., on July 12, 2012. —Ron Flanary

As the late 1960s gave way to the 1970s, the program found its footing. Mikado 4501 became the primary road engine, operating a season that stretched from April through November, while the other locomotives filled in as needed. A quick look at the schedules shows 4501 racked up plenty of miles during this period, traveling as far as Milwaukee, Wis., to pull the Circus World Museum train in 1973.

The year 1976 was a banner one for the Southern Steam Program. With the country celebrating its 200th birthday, an ambitious slate of trips was announced, including regular excursions from the Washington, D.C., area into northern Virginia. All three Southern locomotives — 630, 722, and 4501 — were scheduled for operation.

ABOVE: Texas & Pacific 610 rolls east towards Asheville, N.C., in July 1977. —Ron Flanary

It did not take long for problems with the original the plan to become evident. In one particularly rough month, April, all three failed. Southern’s Master Mechanic of Steam Bill Purdie and his crew worked their usual miracles, and soon 630 and 4501 were back on the road as a doubleheader around the system. In the meantime, the program was becoming more popular, and the demands were taxing the aging motive power. Consolidations 630 and 722 were good for 10 or 11 cars. The 4501 was pushed about as far as it could go — 16 cars unassisted was not uncommon. On one trip out of Chattanooga, it had 24 cars behind the drawbar. Southern needed bigger power…

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