Central Oregon & Pacific to Get Repairs

After closing a Central Oregon & Pacific branch line suddenly last year - to the dismay and shock of the region that used it - RailAmerica has agreed to repair potentially dangerous tunnels along the line running from Eugene to Coquille. This came after a financial standoff between RailAmerica, the State of Oregon, and cities along the line that use it to keep trucks off the roads. RailAmerica has spent a lot of money keeping the line open, and some financial agreements between them and the State seem to have broken down. This may have played a part in the sudden and politically-charged line closure that put shippers - in particular the Port of Coos Bay - back in trucks.

There is the possibility that the line could become publicly owned, since the State seems to see more benefits in having it than RailAmerica does.