Prototype News

by Gianni Pulone/photos as noted

It was another dark, damp night off a West Eugene industrial spur. Lurking on a trackside access road, I watched and shot long exposures of Union Pacific’s Old Yard Job collecting several boxcars that had been on spot at a warehouse. With the string of boxcars together and aired up, the conductor and brakeman ambled past me, brake sticks and lanterns in hand, on their way back to the head end. “Pretty soon, someone else is gonna be doing all this,” the conductor said to me. It may have been a regular night of pulling and spotting industries, the same work as always, but change was in the air.

On the morning of December 10, 2024, rumors began to fly about Union Pacific planning to contract local jobs in Eugene, Ore., to Genesee & Wyoming’s Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad (CORP). By midday, the full scope of this transfer of operations was revealed, with Omaha posting a press release to the official UP website. Not only would G&W be taking over the local jobs servicing customers, but the switching/classification work and operation of UP’s Eugene Yard itself would be handed over to CORP, contingent on approval from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.

ABOVE: Union Pacific LIW44, known locally as the Weyerhaeuser Job, pulls away after spotting two centerbeams for loading at the Sundance Lumber Co. sawmill in Springfield, Ore., on January 20, 2025. —Gianni Pulone photo

What is now Union Pacific in Eugene was part of the Southern Pacific empire before its 1996 acquisition by UP. The railroad’s modern presence retains a strong legacy from SP, and the heritage hides in plain sight for those who look. A Cotton Belt Stac-Pac container, repurposed as a storage shack, sits grounded along a yard access road. The diesel shop, now occupied by CORP, retains faded lettering reading southern pacific machine shop along its walls.

The most obvious, and perhaps most grim reminder of Eugene’s SP heritage, is the massive scar in the yard where the hump once stood. For decades, the Eugene hump yard was a crucial artery in SP’s western operations, before post-merger rationalization killed it off in 1997. The raised ground of the hump itself, and the empty gravel strip that the bowl tracks once occupied, serve as somber reminders of Eugene’s past importance as a funnel of traffic between the Northwest and elsewhere. Though they may not be as blatantly obvious as something with the SP name left on it, UP’s present-day local jobs operated out of Eugene also carry a strong legacy, with some retaining historic titles, or continuing to operate in much the same way as in the SP era.

ABOVE: As the sun sets on January 28, 2025, the UP Old Yard Job is crossing Van Buren Street in Eugene just south of the Coos Bay Branch wye. —Joey Matsuno photo

Likely the most well-known — and perhaps the most visible — UP local operating out of Eugene is the “Weyerhaeuser.” Most crews, dispatchers, and railfans use the Weyerhaeuser moniker, but this local job also uses the UP symbol LIW44. Serving customers in Springfield, a historically industrial town directly east of Eugene, the Weyerhaeuser spends most of its time out on the Marcola Industrial Lead, branching north off the Brooklyn Subdivision main line. The Marcola Lead was once the beginning of the SP Marcola Branch, a full-fledged branch line reaching 14 miles into the foothills north of Springfield to serve lumber mills. After a gradual decline in the local timber industry, however, and a few decades of Weyerhaeuser itself operating the branch, the branch was abandoned in 1987. The first few miles of the branch now form the Marcola Industrial Lead.

This job’s namesake comes from the sprawling paper mill complex it serves off the Marcola Lead, undoubtedly the largest and most demanding customer served by this job, boasting its own elusive switch engine. Weyerhaeuser was the owner of this mill for decades, and although the mill has been operated by International Paper since 2008, the old name sticks to this day. Between switching the customers off the Lead, and serving several customers directly off the Brooklyn Sub, the Weyerhaeuser’s work typically keeps the crew busy for a full day.

ABOVE: The Old Yard Job switches the Emerald Forest Products plant in Eugene on February 23, 2025. With stacks of lumber everywhere, there’s no question what the primary industry of the region is. —Joey Matsuno photo

Previously, the LIW44/Weyerhaeuser had a night job counterpart, the LIW45 “Vaughn-Dougren” local. In recent years the Vaughn-Dougren would pick up where the Weyerhaeuser left off in Springfield, typically giving the paper mill another switch and handling any other necessary industry work, before bringing the train back to Eugene. This job was cut by Union Pacific in 2022, however, leaving all the Springfield work to be handled by the Weyerhaeuser day job. This job’s name came from SP days, when it alternated between going to Vaughn on the Coos Bay branch and Dougren to the south on the Cascade line. Amid lumber mill closures, the job was merged with the “Night Weyerhaeuser” in 1990, retaining the Vaughn-Dougren title despite no longer reaching either location.

Another intriguing local job displaying SP roots is UP’s YEU62R, the “Old Yard” Job. This job serves an industrial area located off the Coos Bay Branch in west Eugene known as the Old Yard. It additionally handles interchange work with Portland & Western, which connects near the Old Yard, and serves Grain Millers Inc. in downtown Eugene…

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Jaguar Transport Holdings is seeking to acquire two short lines in Washington, the Columbia Basin Railroad and the Central Washington Railroad. The holding company filed a notice of exemption with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board on July 14. Jaguar hopes to complete the transaction in mid-August. 

The Columbia Basin and Central Washington are family-owned short lines operating on former Northern Pacific and Milwaukee Road trackage. The Columbia Basin is particularly popular among railfans thanks to its eclectic fleet of EMD SD9 locomotives. 

Jaguar operates 11 different short lines around the country, including the neighboring Washington Eastern Railroad, another former NP branch line. Jaguar was founded in 2018 by industry veterans Stu Towner (who serves as chief executive officer) and Terrance Towner (executive chairman).

—Justin Franz 

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Washington’s Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad has raised over $200,000 in the two months since a bridge on its line was destroyed by fire. The railroad is raising money to “bridge the gap” and help cover the costs of cleanup and the eventual rebuilding of the 400-foot-long trestle. 

The bridge was located between Mineral and Morton, Wash., and caught fire on the evening of April 30. Although it was not part of the section of the railroad that currently offers excursions, officials said they hope to use the trestle in the future for both freight and passenger service. The cause of the fire is under investigation by local law enforcement, and railroad officials have alleged that it was intentionally set. 

As of July 9, the railroad’s “Bridge Fund” had $207,709. More than $2,400 has been spent on tree clearing and track work around the trestle site. About $7,100 has gone toward legal expenses. Road access was established to the site, which will assist in demolishing the remains of the bridge. A local demolition company has volunteered to help with that effort, saving the railroad thousands of dollars. However, disposing of the creosote-soaked timber is expected to be costly. RailStar Engineering, LLC has donated engineering services to assist with the future rebuild. It is unclear how much the bridge reconstruction will cost. 

“It’s slow, hard, expensive work—but it’s happening,” railroad officials stated on social media. 

—Justin Franz 

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Union Pacific DDA40X “Centennial” 6936 will lead its first public main line excursions in ten years this September. The locomotive’s owner, Railroading Heritage of Midwest America, is operating two excursions over the Iowa Interstate Railroad from the nonprofit’s base in Silvis, Ill., to Winton, Iowa, and Bureau Jct., Ill. 

The Centennial, one of 47 eight-axle units built by EMD for UP in 1969, was once part of UP’s heritage fleet and last led a public excursion in 2015. In 2022, it was donated to RRHMA, which has taken over the former Rock Island shops in Silvis. The engine was restored to service in 2023 and has appeared at events in Silvis, but has not yet run on the main line. 

On Saturday, September 20, the locomotive will lead an 8.5-hour round trip from Silvis to Wilton and back. The next day, Sunday, September 21,, it will operate from Silvis to Bureau Jct. and return. The train is expected to include former UP cars from the RRHMA fleet and some open-air cars from the Iowa Interstate fleet. Funds from the trips will support the Central States Steam Preservation Association, which maintains two Chinese-built 2-10-2 QJ locomotives, and Operation Lifesaver. For more information and tickets, visit rrhma.com.

—Justin Franz

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Otto M. Vondrak/photos by the author

Wearing a smile a mile wide, Doyle McCormack was at the throttle of “Nickle Plate Road 190,” the first Alco PA diesel to operate in the United States since 1978. The restored locomotive made its debut pulling an excursion for invited guests on Genesee Valley Transportation’s Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad from Scranton to Mount Pocono, Pa., and return. These trips hosted on July 11 and 12 represented the culmination of a project that began more than 25 years ago. “Nickel Plate Road 190” began life as Santa Fe 62L in 1948. One of four units sold to Delaware & Hudson in 1967, it powered passenger trains between Albany and Montreal, as well as excursions across the system. In 1977, the Alcos had a brief stint in commuter service in Boston before being shipped to Mexico in 1978.

Since retired, two of the PAs remain south of the border in museums, while two others were wrecked in service. Doyle was instrumental in getting the surviving skeletal bodies returned to the United States in 2000. Doyle retained one unit, while the other was originally destined for the Smithsonian, but was later acquired by the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, Texas, to be restored as Santa Fe 59.

ABOVE: Former owner  and restoration project manager Doyle McCormack took the throttle for the inaugural private excursion on Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad between Scranton and Pocono Summit, Pa., on July 11.

Starting from scratch, Doyle hunted down the necessary components to reconstruct the locomotive. He was able to complete a substantial portion of the rebuilding, not only locating a donor Alco 251 prime mover and electrical cabinet from a retired BC Rail M420B, but also proper six-wheel “A1A” trucks that came from a Fairbanks-Morse “Erie-Built” passenger diesel that ended up powering a welded rail train in Canada. The locomotive began to take shape once again, as a recreation of one of the colorful Nickel Plate “Bluebird” PA units Doyle grew up with in Ohio in the mid-1950s.

While Doyle had made considerable progress with the help of his friends — including a last-minute appearance at the “Streamliners at Spencer” event hosted by the North Carolina Transportation Museum in 2014 — his focus had shifted to other projects. His preservation efforts turned toward helping establish the new Oregon Rail Heritage Center in Portland as the new permanent home for Southern Pacific 4449 (which he helped restore in 1976) and Spokane, Portland & Seattle 700. Restoration work on 190 had progressed to the point where the locomotive was successfully test-fired, but not run under its own power.

ABOVE: Restored Alco PA 190 and Delaware & Hudson RS-3 4068 rest in Scranton, Pa., the night before the debut excursion on Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad.

In March 2023, Genesee Valley Transportation announced their purchase of the historic Alco PA from Doyle, and moved it clear across the country to their new Von Storch Shops in Scranton. At the time, Doyle said, “This is absolutely the best possible home for this locomotive, and I know they’ll get the job done.” At a ceremony held across from Steamtown National Historic Site on the morning of July 11, both GVT president Michael Thomas and board chairman David Monte Verde praised the work of their shop mechanical forces — led by chief mechanical officer Bill Strein — for completing the project over the last two years. Doyle was presented with a replica builders plate as part of the ceremonies to commemorate the day.

Friday’s included the PA DL 190, RS-3 4068 recently restored to Delaware & Hudson “lightning stripe” paint, a generator car, a former Erie Lackawanna Pullman-Standard “Comet” commuter coach, Pullman 10-6 sleeper City of Lima, and heavyweight business car DL 2 (ex-EL). Doyle himself was at the throttle of 190 for the first leg of the trip from Scranton to Pocono Summit, providing a smooth ride for the 70 passengers in attendance. Photo stops were arranged at Tobyhanna, Pocono Summit, and Gouldsboro. An additional private excursion will be operated on July 12, but no announcements have been made yet about possible public trips in the future.

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The State of California has provided Bay Area transit agencies with a $750 million loan to prevent cuts that threatened San Francisco’s historic streetcars and cable cars. 

COVID-era funding from the federal government has helped many transit agencies stay afloat as they adapt to changing commuter patterns. However, that funding is now nearly exhausted, prompting agencies to seek new sources of revenue. Earlier this year, officials from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency announced they would have to cut services along the city’s three cable car routes and the historic F-Line along the waterfront, which operates a fleet of historic PCC streetcars. Civic and business leaders opposed these cuts, emphasizing that both services are vital to commuters and to the city’s unique character. 

But last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom agreed to include a $750 million loan in the state budget to help the agencies until November 2026. By then, SFMTA plans to ask voters to approve a sales tax measure to support transit operations. 

—Justin Franz

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Norfolk & Western Class J 4-8-4 611 will return to the Buckingham Branch Railroad this fall for a series of excursions. It will be the first time the locomotive has operated on the main line since 2023. 

The excursions are scheduled to start on September 26 and will last for five consecutive weekends, departing from Goshen, Va. The trips are organized by the Buckingham Branch’s Virginia Scenic Railroad and the Virginia Museum of Transportation, which owns and maintains the 4-8-4. Organizers are also collaborating with the Steam Railroading Institute to supply coaches for the trips. 

“We are excited to partner with new and old friends to bring back the thrill of mainline steam excursions through the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The return of the N&W 611 is sure to bring joy to all who see and ride it,” said Steve Powell, President of the Buckingham Branch Railroad, which operates the Virginia Scenic Railway.

Tickets are not yet for sale, but will be available at VirginiaScenicRailway.com.

—Justin Franz 

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A General Electric 44-tonner that once worked for the U.S. Army has been restored at Kansas’ Abilene & Smoky Valley and named in honor of Abilene’s most famous resident, former President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The locomotive was dedicated last month during the anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Europe (Eisenhower was the Supreme Commander of Allied forces during World War II). 

The 44-tonner, dubbed “Ike,” was built in 1940 for the Arkansas Valley Interurban Railway. Two years later, that line was shut down, and the locomotive was acquired by the U.S. Army for use on a base in California. It worked there until 1969, when it was put into storage in Utah. Later, it ended up at a cement plant in Nebraska, where it operated into the 1990s. It was then purchased by a private individual and brought to Kansas. It was used on the A&SV for a few years before being placed into storage again. A few years ago, the railroad began looking for a new locomotive and turned to the 44-tonner. Working with the mechanical staff of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, A&SV was able to put the 44-tonner back into service this year.

The engine has been painted in maroon and gold, a color scheme adopted two years ago to represent the A&SV’s Rock Island Railroad heritage. The engine is numbered 34 to honor Dwight Eisenhower’s status as the 34th President, and “I Like Ike” campaign button decals are featured on the cab doors.

“I’m happy to see that after 30 years on the property here, it’s in good running condition with fresh paint. It really looks great. And I think it’s going to be a credit and of great value to the museum and the Abilene and Smoky Valley,” said A&SV Founder Joe Minick.

—Justin Franz 

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