RAILforum: What is important about Klamath Falls?

This is topic What is important about Klamath Falls? in forum Western US at RAILforum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.railforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/7/207.html

Posted by Konstantin (Member # 18) on :

I watched a television documentary about Southern Pacific's Coast Line (It was made a while ago when it was still the Southern Pacific). Several of the freight trains were shown to travel from the Los Angeles area to Klamath Falls, Oregon. These apeared like long through freights, not local way freights.

Why would trains have a final destination of Klamath Falls? It is not a very large city and on a map I do not see any major interchanges with other railroads. I would have guessed that through freights would travel between large cities and not end their trip in a small city.

------------------
Elias Valley Railroad (N-scale)
www.geocities.com/evrr

Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :

It is probably because Klamath Falls routing offers the easiest route over the Cascades. The I-5 corridor is much more rugged with many summits and valleys to cross. But that's just my guess.

------------------
Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy

The Del Monte Club Car

Posted by F40PHR231 (Member # 1350) on :

Agreed here Mr. Toy. The main line from UP's Willamette valley and BNSF's Oregon Trunk all routes through there, and then splits in Northern California.

In other words, how come is Cajon Pass, or Barstow such a well known area? To me, it's not a big city or really popular, it's just one of those great passages for the railroad.

~Chris

Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :

Folks here seem to keep thinking in terms of post-merger roads and current operating practices.

Go back 50 years and look at "SOUTHERN PACIFIC" (!!!) steam operations in the Cascades.

Funny ... Klamath Falls was a division point ...

hmmmmmmmmmm....

John
who still remembers that Salina and Ellis were Division points for UP Kansas Division (and thus trains 9 and 10) in the 60s.

quote:
Originally posted by Konstantin:
I watched a television documentary about Southern Pacific's Coast Line (It was made a while ago when it was still the Southern Pacific). Several of the freight trains were shown to travel from the Los Angeles area to Klamath Falls, Oregon. These apeared like long through freights, not local way freights.
Why would trains have a final destination of Klamath Falls? It is not a very large city and on a map I do not see any major interchanges with other railroads. I would have guessed that through freights would travel between large cities and not end their trip in a small city.

------------------
The City of Saint Louis (UP, 1967) is still my standard for passenger operations

Posted by milwaukee222 (Member # 1761) on :

It is a junction point of the UP (formerly SP) and BNSF (formerly SP&S). Also, it's a division point on both railroads. Hope this helps!