Idaho Northern Railroad

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This page was last updated on April 8, 2012.

Overview

OWRR&N's Enaville Branch, Oregon Division

Enaville to Paragon, Idaho, 32.8 miles

The following comes from Smoke Down The Canyons, by Ehernberger and Gschwind, page 84:

ENAVILLE BRANCH
Enaville, Idaho to Paragon, Idaho
The longest of several branches radiating from the Wallace Branch was the 32.8-mile Enaville Branch, which extended northeastward from Enaville, 62.5 miles east of Manito, Washington, to Paragon, Idaho. Constructed in 1908-09 by the Idaho Northern Railroad, the branch served mining and timber operations in this portion of the Idaho panhandle. In 1918 the 11.3-mile segment between Prichard and Paragon was abandoned. In 1934 the line sustained heavy flood damage but was not rebuilt because of the depletion of timber and reduction of mining in the area and was abandoned in 1935. At Beaver, 19.3 miles east of Enaville, on the Enaville Branch, still another line, the 8.7-mile Beaver Branch, diverged southeastward to Jefferson, Idaho. Constructed by the Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Company in 1917, the line served lead and silver mines until the depletion of mineral resources brought about its abandonment in 1932.

Idaho Northern Railroad was organized in February 1906, constructed 32 miles of line from Enaville, Idaho to Paragon, Idaho between November 1907 and July 1909, sold to UP and included as part of newly organized OWRR&N in December 1910.

The Idaho Northern Railroad became OWRR&N's Enaville Branch (32.8 miles), located at the far north end of Idaho's panhandle.

(Read more about a different Idaho Northern -- the Idaho Northern Railway which became OSL's Idaho Northern Branch in 1912.)

Timeline

January 10, 1906
Idaho Northern Railroad was incorporated in Idaho

November 1907
Construction started at Enaville, Washington

August 1, 1909
Idaho Northern Railroad completed between Enaville, Washington and Paragon, Idaho, and formal operations began.

December 23, 1910
Idaho Northern Railroad was included in the consolidation that formed the Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Company.

October 11, 1913
Idaho Northern Railroad was disincorporated; all property and interests previous deeded to OWRR&N on December 23, 1910.

Passenger and Caboose

Idaho Northern Railroad owned a wooden Coach passenger car, numbered as INRR 102; renumbered to OWRR&N 213 in 1911; renumbered to OWRR&N 808 in 1915.

Locomotives

INRR 4-4-0 -- 1 locomotive

INRR Number	First Number	Second Number	Third Number	Builder	Builder Number	Date Built	1910 OWRR&N Number	1915 OWRR&N Number	Notes
INRR 1	ORy&N 710	ORy&N 87	ORR&N 87	Rhode Island	2451	Oct 1890	OWRR&N 87	OWRR&N 1121	1

Description:

Drive Wheel Diameter: 64 inches (later 62 inches)
Cylinders: 18x26 inches

Notes:

Idaho Northern Railroad 1 was built as UPRy 829 (1st) in 1890; diverted to ORy&N 710 in 1890; to ORy&N 87 in 1894; to ORR&N 87 in 1896; to Idaho Northern 1 in 1909; to OWRR&N 87 in 1911; to OWRR&N 1121 in 1915; retired in 1925

INRR 2-8-0 -- 1 locomotive

INRR Number	First Number	Second Number	Third Number	Fourth Number	Builder	Builder Number	Date Built	1910 OWRR&N Number	1915 OWRR&N Number	Notes
INRR 2	ORyE 83	ORy&N 1291	ORy&N 161	ORR&N 161	New York	430	Oct 1888	OWRR&N 161	OWRR&N 701	1

Description:

Drive Wheel Diameter: 51 inches
Cylinders: 20x24 inches

Notes:

Idaho Northern Railroad 2 was built as Oregon Railway Extension Company 83 in 1888; to ORy&N 1291 in 1890; to ORy&N 161 in 1894; to ORR&N 161 in 1896; sold in 1907 to Idaho Northern Railroad number 2; renumbered back to ORR&N 161 upon Idaho Northern Railroad's being sold to UP and becoming part of OWRR&N when it was organized in December 1910; to OWRR&N 161 in 1911; to OWRR&N 701 in 1915; vacated in 1929.

Sources

Ehernberger, James L. and Francis G. Gschwind. Union Pacific Steam, Northwestern District (E&G Publications, 1975)

Robertson, Donald B. Encyclopedia of Western Railroad History, Volume II, pages 201 and 212

Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Company. Report to the Interstate Commerce Commission, Corporate History, As Required By Valuation Order No. 20, June 30, 1916

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