VALE – Rail cars loaded with lumber will be rumbling into Vale after Oregon Eastern Railroad finished expansion of its operations in Vale and is anticipating more rail business.
Meantime, the railroad is in line for a $1 million state grant to upgrade track and one bridge.
“We want to grow traffic on the Oregon Eastern. We think there’s a market demand,” said Bruce Carswell, senior vice president of Jaguar Transport Holdings, based in Joplin, Missouri.
The company bought three acres next to its Vale railyard and built two new rail spurs. That provides for bringing in rail cars to transfer goods to trucks.
The first customer of the new operation is bringing in lumber to put on trucks for shipment throughout the Treasure Valley, Carswell said. He said Oregon Eastern is readying to handle propane shipments as well.
Oregon Eastern is a short line, tracing its history to 1906 . . .
