Reporting mark LRC Dates of operation 1997–Present Headquarters Lakeview, Oregon | Locale Central Oregon Length 54-mile (87 km) | |
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Predecessor Nevada–California–Oregon Railway and Southern Pacific | ||
The Lake County Railroad (reporting mark LCR), based in Lakeview, Oregon, United States, is owned by the Lake County government and operated by the Modoc Northern Railroad. It runs south from Lakeview to Alturas, California, and then back every Thursday. The LCR hauls products for both the perlite mine and lumber from the Collins Fremont Sawmill.
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History
The line was originally part of the narrow gauge Nevada–California–Oregon Railway (NCO) and was constructed around 1908. In 1926 the NCO became an operating subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP). By 1929 the NCO was entirely operated by the SP.
In March 1985 the SP filed to abandon the line and the abandonment was approved 5 months later. The county stepped in to save the route, vital to local businesses and the state legislature enacted a law permitting local governments to own railroads outside of the state, and then the Oregon State Lottery agreed to fund up to 85% of the purchase price if the county could find an operator. The county went to work, and the Great Western Railway, an established shortline based out of Colorado, agreed to operate the line on a contract basis. Lake County purchased the line from SP on January 18, 1986, to keep the line open. The county contracted with the Great Western Railway to operate the line.
The LCR began operations on November 1, 1997, when it took over the 54.45 miles (87.63 km) formerly operated by the Great Western Railway of Colorado under contract. The county operated the rail line on precarious financial footing with frequent derailments and grants needed for maintenance funding.
The line was leased in 2005 to the Modoc Northern Railroad