Oregon Public Broadcasting

The state delivered good news Thursday to people in Coos Bay and the southern Oregon coast.

The state department of Economic and Community Development loaned $12.6 million to the Port of Coos Bay.

With it, the port will buy a short line railroad between Coos Bay and Eugene.

Ethan Lindsey reports.

Most of us think of the board game Monopoly when we think of a short line railroad.

And for good reason.

Short line railroads are critical connectors for local industries.

The Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad, while not a monopoly property, is a key connection between the Oregon Coast and the rest of the state.

A Florida business shut down that railroad in 2007.

The company bought the line, abandoned it, and threatened to sell it off in parts.

Democrat Arnie Roblan is the state representative from Coos Bay.

Arnie Roblan: “It is a bittersweet understanding of how difficult it is to work with industries who have one corporate mission, and that is to make a profit. And there are a lot of values that are bigger than that for these short line rails.”

The Port of Coos Bay says the railroad will be good for business, when it reopens, possibly later this year.

Timber companies and other regional employers will be able to ship products by rail for far less than it costs to truck them.