Modoc Line was built on one premise, specifically to expedite eastbound lumber traffic SP was required to interchange to the UP at the Ogden Gateway as a result the settlements stemming from the undoing of UP's control of the SP under Harriman and then UP's subsequent efforts to force apart the SP-Central Pacific combination. A lot of the rebirth after the DRGW-SP merger was predicated on further development of the Port of Coos Bay; however, after the UP-SP merger, the line simply did not make a whole lot of sense in the post-merger railroad world. Too slow, too far to get to anything, and quite honestly, I don't exactly see the Modoc Line as one that would really fit into the way business and traffic patterns are now moving.

The north end, Klamath Falls-Alturas, is still in place and in use, but only because the Lake Railway develops enough lumber and perlite traffic out of Lakeview to make the line viable. Only a little less than two miles of the line running northwest from Flanigan are still in place, and then only for the tie cut up plant located there...the rest of the trackage up to Wendel is now gone.

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV