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Railroad to nowhere
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WCTU (White City TransPortation and Utility Co.),White CitY (Medford), Or., is a railroad that doesn't go anywhere.
In the short-haul or switching business, the railroad provides service in White City Industrial Park, shuttling boxcars from loading docks to the Southern Pacific Transportation Co. tracks or picking up boxcars brought by SP and dropping them off at their destination on the 14 miles of track winding through the complex.
Story at a Glance
Short haul railroad oPerates with 2000 box cars . hard hit by wood products recession. cars stack up waiting lor bus' iness to improve.
A subsidiary of the Union Tank Car Co. whichis atinysegmentof the Marion Group, a Chicago, Il., conglomerate, WCTU operates with two diesel engines, 2,000 boxcars, ll employees and 26 customers including Boise Cascade and Cascade Wood Products.
Hard hit by the wood Products recession, the railroad has emPtY boxcars crowding its short line. Business is about 4090 of what it was in 1980, according to Jack Ball, mgr.
Andersonia Mill Burns
The brand new Andersonia Forest Products remanufacturing plant in Arcata, Ca., set to begin production July l, burned to the ground June 29, in an early morning fire. The fire also burned the compost plant of Humboldt Loaders, Inc. to the ground, causing approximately $500,000 damage according to Humboldt president Gary Blanks. Damage to the Andersonia operation was estimated to be approximately $500,000.
A final determination as to the cause and origin of the fire had not been made at presstime, but arson was not expected to be involved. Both companies indicated that they intend to begin rebuilding immediately.
The Andersonia timber facility was set up to surface, sawsize, precision end trim and drill to customer specifications. While the mill was virtually a total loss, the company's saw sizer, situated in an adjacent building, was expected to be back in operation shortly after repair of some electrical damage. The lumber inventory and a 20,000 sq. ft. climate controlled warehouse were not damaged . Both firms were fully insured.
