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Sumpter Valley Railway
The
Sumpter Valley Railway was a logging and mining railroad with a long
history. It began in 1890, and the original freight line shut down in
1961, with only a short length of track in Baker City at the end. During
it's 'heyday', it ran 80 miles between Baker City and Prairie City,
Oregon. It served several sawmills and connected with the Union Pacific
in Baker City.
SVRy was a narrow-gauge railroad to accommodate the
sharper curves to get higher into the valleys being logged. Many logging
lines used this idea, and the SVRy was one to go so far as to include a
switchback to get over one of the steeper passes in a shorter length of
travel, without tunneling.
The Sumpter Valley Railroad Restoration,
Inc. began in 1971, and is a non-profit corporation. It has an operating
museum, showcasing two steam engines and several original cars. Rides
on the train are pulled by the steam locomotives and begin on Memorial
Day Weekend and continue every weekend through September. An all day
Photographer's Special is open to the public, October 14, 2007, when the
fall colors are at their best.
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