The old line had/still has many businesses, providing much income for SP, in spite of all the difficulties. The curves, tunnels, length, steepness, helper districts, etc. were mostly offset by the tons and tons of lumber shipped, either north or south. After the early 1980's, when a lot of the sawmills shut down, the traffic really tapered off, though. That's when some major changes were made. Today, CORP, using UP power into the Eugene Yard, runs a long train again, a sight I like to see, again. Even if trains never go across the summit, going south into California, there is a whole lot of lumber coming north into Eugene, to be run back south again over the Cascade line. That means many jobs and money put back into the area's economy. Too bad they took out the semaphore and ding-dong, wigwag signals, though! Miss that!