WCTU Railway

WCTU Railway
Reporting mark WCTR
Locale Southern Oregon
Track gauge 4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge)
Headquarters White City, Oregon

The WCTU Railway (reporting mark WCTR) is a 13-mile (21 km) shortline railroad that connects White City, Oregon, United States to a junction north of Medford with the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad, which hauls its cars to the Union Pacific Railroad at Eugene or Weed.[1] The line began operations in November 1954 on an abandoned Southern Pacific Transportation Company right-of-way as the White City Terminal and Utility Company, and was renamed after the Union Tank Car Company bought it in 1974.[2] Railserve, Inc., a subdiary of the Union Tank Car Company,[3] now owns the WCTU Railway.[1]

Around 2000, WCTU acquired the engine RSS SW1200 #82 (formerly RF&P 82). After waiting for about a year before it was ready for service, it became the No. 1 power, with #5119 as back-up, while the 5117 was basically out of service. About 2004 they got another SW1200 engine, the 1503. Now WCTU uses one unit for a month, then swaps units. The 5119 is still operable, but the 5117 needs work.

References

  1. ^ a b Union Pacific Railroad, Short Line Railroad Directory: WCTU Railway Company, accessed February 2009
  2. ^ Edward A. Lewis, American Shortline Railway Guide, 5th Edition, Kalmbach Publishing, 1996, pp. 329-330, 361
  3. ^ Securities and Exchange Commission, Form 10-K: Union Tank Car Company, December 31, 2007