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The old Dillard railroad could become the site of a model train display. The depot is on the grounds of the Douglas County Museum of Natural & Cultural History in Roseburg.
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ENLARGE
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An undated photograph shows the original location of the old Dillard railroad depot, the last remaining depot of the Oregon & California Railroad.
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ENLARGE
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Photographs of past train wrecks and cutouts of some of Douglas County’s most prominent citizens decorate a room of the old Dillard railroad depot on the grounds of the Douglas County Museum of Natural & Cultural History.
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Douglas County officials are looking to establish a model train display at the old Dillard railroad depot located on the grounds of the county museum.
They say such a display could attract hundreds of year-round visitors to the museum and would give the county the opportunity to educate people on the importance of the railroad to the growth of Douglas County.
They said it could also provide a place for the Umpqua Model Railroaders group to set up its display after being asked to vacate space at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
“A lot of people want to see that model railroad resurrected,” County Commissioner Joe Laurance said. “There seems to be a way to have a win-win situation.”
Laurance has held discussions with Museum Director Gardner Chappell and Fairgrounds Director Harold Phillips to see if such a plan was feasible.
Laurance, who grew up in Dillard and still resides there, spent many childhood days playing at the Dillard depot. His grandmother, Vivian Laurance, worked there as a telegraph operator for Southern Pacific Railroad and he liked to hang around the depot.
Laurance received an American Flyer train set as a boy and he has fond memories of playing with the set, which he still owns. He said a large number of Douglas County residents share his passion for trains.
They say such a display could attract hundreds of year-round visitors to the museum and would give the county the opportunity to educate people on the importance of the railroad to the growth of Douglas County.
They said it could also provide a place for the Umpqua Model Railroaders group to set up its display after being asked to vacate space at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
“A lot of people want to see that model railroad resurrected,” County Commissioner Joe Laurance said. “There seems to be a way to have a win-win situation.”
Laurance has held discussions with Museum Director Gardner Chappell and Fairgrounds Director Harold Phillips to see if such a plan was feasible.
Laurance, who grew up in Dillard and still resides there, spent many childhood days playing at the Dillard depot. His grandmother, Vivian Laurance, worked there as a telegraph operator for Southern Pacific Railroad and he liked to hang around the depot.
Laurance received an American Flyer train set as a boy and he has fond memories of playing with the set, which he still owns. He said a large number of Douglas County residents share his passion for trains.
One day, while driving along Interstate 5 to his office in the Douglas County Courthouse in Roseburg, Laurance looked over at the old depot and thought about all the fun times he had playing there. He said he wanted to create the same feeling for new generations of children and their parents.
Chappell came up with the same idea after he was hired as the museum director in early 2006. Like Laurance, Chappell owned a train set growing up and has always been fascinated by trains. He believed a working train set, along with a historical display about the O&C Railroad, would fit perfectly with the museum’s mission.
“This would be a great place for a railroad,” Chappell said, walking through the wooden structure earlier this week.
Chappell and other museum officials aren’t sure about the age of the Dillard depot — the last remaining depot of the Oregon & California Railroad. The railroad began construction in 1868 and in the next four years built the rail line between Portland and Roseburg.
Chappell came up with the same idea after he was hired as the museum director in early 2006. Like Laurance, Chappell owned a train set growing up and has always been fascinated by trains. He believed a working train set, along with a historical display about the O&C Railroad, would fit perfectly with the museum’s mission.
“This would be a great place for a railroad,” Chappell said, walking through the wooden structure earlier this week.
Chappell and other museum officials aren’t sure about the age of the Dillard depot — the last remaining depot of the Oregon & California Railroad. The railroad began construction in 1868 and in the next four years built the rail line between Portland and Roseburg.
A national financial panic brought a 10-year halt, and it wasn’t until 1884 that the tracks reached Ashland. Three years later, the company ran out of money and was acquired by the Southern Pacific Railroad. In 1887, the line over the Siskiyou Mountains was completed with the driving of a golden spike in Ashland, joining Oregon and California with the rest of the Southern Pacific system.
Keith Van Atta, president of the Umpqua Model Railroaders club, which has had its train set on display at the Douglas County Fair for more than 43 years, said the depot’s 200 square feet wouldn’t provide nearly the amount of space needed for the display. The club’s train set takes up 1,400 square feet at the fairgrounds.
“We’re really not interested in resettling there,” Van Atta said.
The club, which has received free use of the Exhibit Building at the Fairgrounds, has been asked to move the display. Phillips said the fairgrounds needs the space to store portable walls and other items used during the fair and for other events.
Many of the newspaper letters to the editor criticizing the Fair Board for its decision to ask the club to move mentioned the impact the train display had on children and how it provided them with lifetime memories. Phillips said he and other officials wanted the club to be able to continue to provide that experience, but without the need to store it in the Exhibit Building year-round.
“We have been trying to come up with a solution,” he said.
Chappell and Laurance said there’s room outside the Dillard depot, located on the northwest portion of the museum property, for expansion of a train display. With community support, Laurance envisions constructing a separate building.
Chappell said he began developing his plan before he learned the railroaders club had been asked to move. He said he wanted to create a display that could involve all area model railroad enthusiasts.
“We’re inviting all railroaders to work with us to develop a railroad in the depot,” Chappell said. “We want to start small but there’s room to expand if it becomes a hit.”
He said the museum will recruit volunteers interested in railroads that could then host school groups and explain to schoolchildren how a model railroad works.
Chappell is also organizing a holiday train exhibit in the museum itself. It’s scheduled to open in mid-December.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@newsreview.info.
Keith Van Atta, president of the Umpqua Model Railroaders club, which has had its train set on display at the Douglas County Fair for more than 43 years, said the depot’s 200 square feet wouldn’t provide nearly the amount of space needed for the display. The club’s train set takes up 1,400 square feet at the fairgrounds.
“We’re really not interested in resettling there,” Van Atta said.
The club, which has received free use of the Exhibit Building at the Fairgrounds, has been asked to move the display. Phillips said the fairgrounds needs the space to store portable walls and other items used during the fair and for other events.
Many of the newspaper letters to the editor criticizing the Fair Board for its decision to ask the club to move mentioned the impact the train display had on children and how it provided them with lifetime memories. Phillips said he and other officials wanted the club to be able to continue to provide that experience, but without the need to store it in the Exhibit Building year-round.
“We have been trying to come up with a solution,” he said.
Chappell and Laurance said there’s room outside the Dillard depot, located on the northwest portion of the museum property, for expansion of a train display. With community support, Laurance envisions constructing a separate building.
Chappell said he began developing his plan before he learned the railroaders club had been asked to move. He said he wanted to create a display that could involve all area model railroad enthusiasts.
“We’re inviting all railroaders to work with us to develop a railroad in the depot,” Chappell said. “We want to start small but there’s room to expand if it becomes a hit.”
He said the museum will recruit volunteers interested in railroads that could then host school groups and explain to schoolchildren how a model railroad works.
Chappell is also organizing a holiday train exhibit in the museum itself. It’s scheduled to open in mid-December.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@newsreview.info.
