Gateway Subdivision
Encyclopedia
The Gateway Subdivsion is a railroad line in the U.S. states of Oregon
and California
owned by the BNSF Railway
.
. Historically, the Great Northern laid track from Klamath Falls, Oregon
to Bieber, California
and the Western Pacific laid track from the famed Keddie Wye
near Keddie, California
to Bieber (Actual town is known as Nubieber, today. Bieber is the RR name for the location). In March 1931, both railroads met in the town of Bieber. Within no time, trains began to travel the newly completed railroad line. The railroads offered interchange service, where Great Northern trains handed over their trains to the Western Pacific and the Western Pacific transferred their trains to the Great Northern.
This trend, continued until 1970, when the Great Northern Railway merged with the Northern Pacific Railway
, Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
and the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway
to form the Burlington Northern Railroad
. Western Pacific operations however, remained until 1983 when the Union Pacific Railroad
took over the Western Pacific and it became under the control of the Burlington Northern and the Union Pacific Railroads. In the nineteen nineties, the Burlington Northern Railroad
merged with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
to form the BNSF Railway
. And the trackage became wholly owned by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.
intercity service on the Gateway Subdivision. The closest Amtrak train is the Coast Starlight
which serves Klamath Falls, at the Klamath Falls (Amtrak station)
.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
owned by the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
.
History
The earliest traces of railroad activity on the Gateway Subdivision traces to two major (now fallen flag) railroads, the Great Northern Railway (U.S.) and the Western Pacific RailroadWestern Pacific Railroad
The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California...
. Historically, the Great Northern laid track from Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sat, although no falls currently exist; the name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892...
to Bieber, California
Bieber, California
Bieber is a census-designated place in Lassen County, California. It is located on the Pit River north-northwest of Susanville, at an elevation of 4124 feet . Its population was 312 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 96009. The community is inside area code 530.-History:The settlement sprang up...
and the Western Pacific laid track from the famed Keddie Wye
Keddie Wye
The Keddie Wye is a favorite railfan spot at a wye along the Feather River Route, located at Keddie, California, named after Arthur Keddie. Mr. Keddie purchased the survey rights and the right to build a railroad through the Feather River Canyon from George Jay Gould I, the son of Jay Gould...
near Keddie, California
Keddie, California
Keddie is a census-designated place in Plumas County, California, United States. The population was 66 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Keddie is located at ....
to Bieber (Actual town is known as Nubieber, today. Bieber is the RR name for the location). In March 1931, both railroads met in the town of Bieber. Within no time, trains began to travel the newly completed railroad line. The railroads offered interchange service, where Great Northern trains handed over their trains to the Western Pacific and the Western Pacific transferred their trains to the Great Northern.
This trend, continued until 1970, when the Great Northern Railway merged with the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
, Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
and the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway
Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway
The Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway was a United States-based railroad incorporated in 1905. It was a joint venture by the Great Northern Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway to build a railroad along the north bank of the Columbia River....
to form the Burlington Northern Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....
. Western Pacific operations however, remained until 1983 when the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
took over the Western Pacific and it became under the control of the Burlington Northern and the Union Pacific Railroads. In the nineteen nineties, the Burlington Northern Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....
merged with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
to form the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
. And the trackage became wholly owned by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.
Traffic
The traffic on the Gateway Subdivision are general merchandise freights. There is one local(as of Oct 13,2011), that runs out of Klamath Falls, that uses the Gateway Subdivsion, there are two trains a week usually. (south to Crescent Mills on Monday and north to Klamath Falls on Tuesday and south on Thursday and back north on Friday.) Bare-table (empty well car) trains uses the Gateway Subdivison in a somewhat regular manner(as many as 3 per day). There is no AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
intercity service on the Gateway Subdivision. The closest Amtrak train is the Coast Starlight
Coast Starlight
The Coast Starlight is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States. It runs from King Street Station in Seattle, Washington, to Union Station in Los Angeles, California. The train's name was formed as a merging of two of Southern Pacific's train names, the Coast...
which serves Klamath Falls, at the Klamath Falls (Amtrak station)
Klamath Falls (Amtrak station)
Klamath Falls is a station on Amtrak's Coast Starlight service in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The station is located at 1600 Oak Avenue. The station building, which was built in 1916, has a waiting room with a ticket agent...
.