Restored 1883 O&C Rail Car to Be Unveiled at Douglas County Museum

ROSEBURG, Ore. - A piece of Douglas County railroad history will return to public view next month as the Douglas County Museum celebrates the completion of a major restoration project involving an 1883 Oregon & California Railroad rail car.

Douglas County Commissioners Tom Kress, Chris Boice and Tim Freeman, along with museum staff, volunteers and members of the Douglas County Museum Foundation, will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, September 26, at the Douglas County Museum, 123 Museum Drive in Roseburg.

Following the ceremony, the museum will hold a free open house from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., allowing visitors to step aboard the restored rail car and learn about its history. Admission to the museum will be free throughout the day.

County officials describe the restoration as a 16-year effort involving volunteers, local businesses, the Museum Foundation and private donors.

“This 1883 O&C railcar is more than an historic artifact - it is a piece of Douglas County’s story,” Commissioner Tom Kress said. “It carried passengers through our communities, including stops at the Dillard Depot, and represents an important time when the railroad and timber industry were helping connect Southern Oregon to the rest of the state and beyond.”

Kress, who serves as the county’s museum liaison, encouraged residents to visit the museum and see the restored car firsthand.

A Rail Car With Deep Oregon Roots

Built in 1883, the rail car operated along the Oregon & California Railroad route between San Francisco and Portland, carrying passengers through communities across the region.

Its service included stops in Douglas County, including at the Dillard Depot.

In 1914, the car was converted into what was known as a combine car. About half of the car continued to accommodate passengers, while the other half was used for mail service.

Passenger and mail operations ended in 1925, but the railroad continued using the car for another 12 years as a maintenance away car.

By the 1940s, the rail car had been donated to the City of Glendale, where it remained for decades.

Restoration Brings the Car Back to Life

The City of Glendale, through its Community Action Group, donated the historic car to the Douglas County Museum in 2012. It was moved to the museum grounds on June 21, 2013.

The restoration was led by Dale Greenley, Dave Van Slyke, James Aune and Gary Peske, with support from other volunteers and community partners.

Local businesses recognized by the county for helping with the project include:

• Lone Rock Timber
• Addcox Heating Center
• Star Fire Lumber

The restoration represented an investment of approximately $100,000, funded through the Douglas County Museum Foundation and private donors.

“This project is a wonderful example of what can happen when a community comes together to preserve its history,” Douglas County Museum Director James Davis said.

Davis credited the restoration team, local businesses, the foundation, county commissioners and donors with helping preserve the rail car for future generations.

Greenley, a local historian, museum volunteer and Museum Foundation member, described the project as a labor of love.

“I had no idea what I was getting into when I agreed to work on this project 16 years ago,” Greenley said. “As a woodworker, the railcar restoration presented a unique challenge and a wonderful opportunity to help restore a piece of our local history.”

Ribbon-Cutting and Free Open House

The September 26 event will officially open the restored rail car exhibit to the public.

Event details:

• What: Ribbon-cutting for the restored 1883 O&C Railroad rail car
• When: Saturday, September 26, 2026
• Ribbon cutting: 10 a.m.
• Free open house: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Where: Douglas County Museum of Natural & Cultural History, 123 Museum Drive, Roseburg
• Admission: Free for the day

Visitors will be able to board the rail car, see the completed restoration and learn more about the role railroads played in the development of Douglas County and Southern Oregon.

The Douglas County Museum is located near Interstate 5 Exit 123 next to the Douglas County Fairgrounds. More information about the museum is available at umpquavalleymuseums.org.