Ask local residents what they think of the Wallowa Union Railroad and you’ll hear mixed responses ranging from bright-eyed excitement to head shaking over what some call “a pipe dream.”

Ask a railroad representative about the train’s prospects and the responses are hopeful, but sobered by the lean winter months after the railroad’s first season in operation.

“I think we’re doing as well as can be expected,” said excursion coordinator Mary Ann Keyser. “It’s the dead of winter. (The railroad)’s going through the same winter slump that everyone goes through.”

Railroad representatives expect to release the new schedule and rates in mid-January. Dinner trains are planned, as well as additional runs. According to the minutes of record from the Nov. 22 Wallowa Union Railroad Authority meeting, a price increase – possibly $5 a ticket – is also planned.

Keyser is encouraged by the fact that three charters have already been booked, including a New Year’s Eve charter at a cost of $5,000, and three additional charters are being considered. She says the railroad also fielded many calls from people who wanted to buy trip gift certificates as Christmas presents.

The enthusiasm for excursions is critical to the railroad’s bottom line. In fact, the railroad is banking on it.

The railroad’s financial status, as discussed at the November WURA meeting, looks grim. The notes of record state, “We are down to about $60,000. We won’t be able to continue operating as we are currently for long. …Nobody will help us finance a railroad that isn’t operational.”

Railroad officials are looking at various sources of additional grant money, including Oregon Department of Transportation and U.S. Housing and Urban Development funds for building depots, acquiring new equipment and replacing track portions. Congressional funds were not appropriated this year.

Recognizing the need to stay operational in order to access grant money, WURA has entered into negotiations with Idaho Northern Pacific – the business that purchased the Joseph Branch Line from Union Pacific in 1993 and terminated service in 1997 – to take back freight service so that WURA can continue excursions.

Board officials hope that INP will hire on the WURA crew and run the locomotive to pull excursions, using WURA engines and equipment.

Wallowa Forest Products remains the primary freight customer, with some service also currently being provided to Liquid Gas Company in Enterprise. Service has also been provided to a construction company, a dust abatement company and a client shipping grain. Freight revenue is estimated at about $9,000 a month, said WURA board member Mike Hayward.

During the last calendar year the railroad brought in about $98,600 in excursion revenue, with nearly 3,000 passengers, primarily from out of town. According to Hayward the train costs $200 an hour in fuel and labor to run.

One ongoing challenge for the railroad has been its inability to access the last three-quarters of a mile of track into Elgin. The track, owned by Union Pacific, is necessary in order to pick up and drop off passengers in Union County.

The railroad has also experienced equipment problems due to the fact that turbo engines were being used at 10 to 15 mile per hour speeds. The railroad has negotiated a trade of three non-turbo engines for its two turbo engines. It is now operating with one of the engines designed for travel at slower speeds, but is still waiting on the other two engines.

Despite the difficulties, the railroad has a strong and vocal cadre of cheerleaders pulling for it. The nonprofit Friends of the Joseph Branch recently fronted the railroad $1,000 for advertisements in three train-enthusiast publications, and the group engages in ongoing fundraising and railroad improvement efforts.

Equipment manager Dale Shumway’s wife, Ava, has taken it upon herself to raise funds to purchase an open-air car. A $3,000 flat bed car has been located in Idaho, on which passenger seating could be built.

Minam Motel owner Chuck Fleser would like the railroad to provide access to the river for the winter steelhead season and for fly-fishing. Hayward said the railroad would like to try the venture out and evaluate it, and then perhaps apply for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife grant funds that are available for projects that enhance fishing opportunities.

Meanwhile, the first payment of $440,000 on WURA’s $5.3 million Oregon Economic and Community Development Department loan will be due in just under two years.