Board adopts 2015 excursion train schedule

Published 4:54 am Saturday, January 17, 2015

Garrett Lowe

Meetings of the Wallowa Union Railroad Authority board are normally well attended, but its gathering on Tuesday, Jan. 13, proved an exception.

With all eight board members being present either in person or by phone – including new board member Garrett Lowe of Wallowa, who was attending his first meeting – their efforts were monitored by an audience of five.

Possibly most significant of a handful of items addressed on the short agenda was the board’s decision to accept an Eagle Cap Excursion Train schedule for the 2015 season.

Although details still remain to be tweaked, Peggy Weishaar, owner of Allegra Travel, the La Grande firm that books rides for the train, says that the endorsed schedule will include 14 regular runs, typically lasting about four hours each. What routinely is the most popular annual run for an excursion train that began operating yearly in 2004, the Mother’s Day Run, again will launch the season, on May 10. Runs will continue periodically throughout the year with the final run for the season scheduled on Halloween, Oct. 31.

Janet Dodson, involved with the excursion train in varying capacities from the launch of that train service, says the overriding philosophy for the excursion train has not wavered through the years. “Our goals have remained the same,” she said in a telephone interview. “We want to provide an opportunity for anyone who wants to see the beautiful scenery along the track.”

From an economic standpoint, Dodson said, “The train brings a lot of people as tourists to Union and Wallowa counties who might not otherwise come.”

Attempts to fill train runs next year, as endorsed Jan. 13 by the WURA board, include a new Wine & Cheese Train Run set for Sept. 12 and five Saturday runs in October when fall colors regularly enhance the scenery.

A resolution was introduced into WURA minutes commending Marc Stauffer, a longtime member of the WURA board who stepped down from his post Jan. 1. The resolution noted that Stauffer had served on the WURA board effectively both as a representative from Union County, having previously lived in Elgin, and later from Wallow County, where he lives in Enterprise.

Lowe was selected to replace Stauffer on the board.

An attempt to draft a right-of-way easement policy for the 63 miles of track WURA owns between Joseph and Elgin was tabled until the next meeting. The purpose behind such a policy is to better clarify issues facing a feasibility study currently underway regarding the possible addition of a recreational trail alongside the existing rails.

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