Malheur Valley Railway
Encyclopedia
The Malheur Valley Railway built a 23.74 miles (38.2 km) branch line
of the Oregon Short Line Railroad
(OSL), beginning at that company's main line south of Ontario, Oregon
, U.S., and extending west through the valley of the Malheur River
to Vale, then northwest to Brogan
. The company was incorporated on January 26, 1906, and opened its first section of road on January 15, 1907, under lease to the OSL, then an operating subsidiary
of the Union Pacific Railroad
. Construction between Vale and Brogan was aided by the Willow River Land and Irrigation Company. On December 23, 1910, new UP subsidiary Oregon–Washington Railroad and Navigation Company (OWR&N) acquired the property of the Malheur Valley Railway, but the line continued to be operated under lease by the OSL. The OWR&N subsequently built a line west from Vale, eventually reaching Burns, and also leased this Ontario–Burns Branch to the OSL. (This became moot in 1936, when the UP leased the OSL and OWR&N.)
The UP eventually abandoned the line between Vale and Brogan. In November 1989, the Wyoming Colorado Railroad
bought the entire Ontario–Burns Branch, including the old Malheur Valley Railway east of Vale, and abandoned the portion east of Celatom in June 1992. The remainder is still operated by the Wyoming Colorado Railroad as the Oregon Eastern Railroad.
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
of the Oregon Short Line Railroad
Oregon Short Line Railroad
The Oregon Short Line Railroad was a railroad in the U.S. states of Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Montana and Oregon. The line was as organized the Oregon Short Line Railway in 1881 as a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railway. Union Pacific intended the line to be the shortest route from Wyoming to Oregon...
(OSL), beginning at that company's main line south of Ontario, Oregon
Ontario, Oregon
Ontario is the largest city in Malheur County, Oregon, United States. It lies along the Snake River at the Idaho border. The population was 10,985 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 11,245 in 2006...
, U.S., and extending west through the valley of the Malheur River
Malheur River
The Malheur River is a tributary of the Snake River in eastern Oregon in the United States. It drains a high desert area, between the Harney Basin and the Blue Mountains and the Snake....
to Vale, then northwest to Brogan
Brogan, Oregon
Brogan is an unincorporated community in Malheur County, Oregon, United States, on U.S. Route 26. Brogan was founded by D. M. Brogan in 1909, and when a post office was established in the locality on April 23 of that year, it was named for him...
. The company was incorporated on January 26, 1906, and opened its first section of road on January 15, 1907, under lease to the OSL, then an operating subsidiary
Operating subsidiary
An operating subsidiary is a business term frequently used within the United States in corporate profile descriptions. In the railroad industry, for example, it refers to a company that is a subsidiary but operates with its own identity and rolling stock...
of the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
. Construction between Vale and Brogan was aided by the Willow River Land and Irrigation Company. On December 23, 1910, new UP subsidiary Oregon–Washington Railroad and Navigation Company (OWR&N) acquired the property of the Malheur Valley Railway, but the line continued to be operated under lease by the OSL. The OWR&N subsequently built a line west from Vale, eventually reaching Burns, and also leased this Ontario–Burns Branch to the OSL. (This became moot in 1936, when the UP leased the OSL and OWR&N.)
The UP eventually abandoned the line between Vale and Brogan. In November 1989, the Wyoming Colorado Railroad
Wyoming Colorado Railroad
The Wyoming Colorado Railroad was a shortline railroad formerly operating three separate divisions in Colorado, Wyoming, and Oregon. Of the original system, only the Oregon division is still in operation as the Oregon Eastern Railroad....
bought the entire Ontario–Burns Branch, including the old Malheur Valley Railway east of Vale, and abandoned the portion east of Celatom in June 1992. The remainder is still operated by the Wyoming Colorado Railroad as the Oregon Eastern Railroad.