The is a
Short Line Railroad that began in 1904 as the
Oregon And Southeastern Railroad (O&SE). The line ran 18
Miles (29
Kilometers ) between the towns of
Cottage Grove and
Wildwood . The Oregon, Pacific & Eastern Railway Company incorporated in 1912, and purchased the physical assets of the O&SE two years later. The OP&E's operations ran some 16.6 miles (26.7 km) from an interchange with the
Southern Pacific Railroad at Cottage Grove, then east to
Culp Creek .
The company reorganized in 1940 under the same name, and was purchased by the
Booth-Kelly Lumber Company in 1947.
Georgia-Pacific subsequently purchased Booth-Kelly (including the OP&E) in 1959, who in turn sold it in 1970 to Willis Kyle who formed the Row River Investment Company (jointly-owned by Kyle Railways and Bohemia, Inc.). The line operated passenger excursions from 1972 until 1987. At that time the train used was known as "The Goose".
The 1973
Motion Picture ''
Emperor Of The North Pole '', starring
Lee Marvin ,
Ernest Borgnine , and
Keith Carradine was filmed along the railroad's right-of-way and using some of the company's equipment. The film was released on DVD as ''Emperor of the North''. In 1985, ''
Stand By Me '' a Rob Reiner motion picture of a
Steven King novelette, was filmed along the railroad as well. In March 1986, the company owned a total of three
Locomotive s, 31
Boxcar s, and 44
Flatcar s. All of that fleet is gone except for an old GE 44 ton locomotive.
Bohemia Incorporated bought out the railroad in Cottage Grove from Kyle in 1987. Kyle's 2-8-2 Mikado Steam Engine #19 was returned to the of the OP&E. The company also owns all of the film rights and the Blue Goose logo and trademark. Currently Larson owns a GE 44 ton locomotive that will have the original OP&E reporting marks added. Larson worked with
Athearn to produce
HO and
N Scale models of OP&E and Yreka Western boxcars.
In March 2007, the OP&E took over as a concession operator of a narrow gauge railroad operation at
Wildlife Safari in
Winston, Oregon . Larson also owns 100 percent of the
Longview, Portland And Northern Railway . Both OP&E and the LP&N railroads are working with shippers along the West Coast of the United States in getting the proper freight cars on their serving carriers.
Oregon Corporation Division, Oregon Pacific & Eastern Railroad Company, Longview Portland & Northern Railway Company, Wildlife Safari and Robert W. Larson, President OP&E.
