Scenic Excursion Train Ride in NE Oregon

On May 8, 2024 Scott and seasonal helpers at Mountain View Motel & RV Park took a picturesque ride on Northeast Oregon's Eagle Cap Excursion Train. The complimentary trip was arranged by Friends of the Joseph Branch for people in the local hospitality industry to experience this fun attraction and be better able to describe it to visitors. The historic Joseph Branch began passenger rail service between Elgin and Joseph in 1908.

Conductor Max

We boarded the train at Wallowa Union Railroad Depot in Elgin and met Friends of the Joseph Branch volunteer Conductor Max, a retired Union Pacific railroad worker who keeps an eye on everything and tells stories with an entertaining sense of humor. 

After introductions and comments by the excursion train’s marketing and outreach director, Janet Dodson, we chugged northeast along the Grande Ronde River at a leisurely pace, through lush evergreen forests and verdant pastures, and by an old homestead with hundred of stories ensconced in its old walls.

The Grande Ronde starts 7,460 feet in the Blue Mountains near Anthony Lakes recreation area and flows into the Snake River south of Asotin, Washington. Then a few miles southeast of the Tri Cities, the Snake empties into the Columbia River, which spills into the Pacific Ocean at Astoria, Oregon.

Bob and Dave stood at the ready to provide snacks and drinks, to answer questions, and generally make everyone feel welcome. 

There were plenty of opportunities for picture taking. You can wander around the train from the dining car and snack bar to another car with a little historical display, comfy chairs and a big open window to view the scenery and take photos or videos. Picture taking is also allowed from the area between the rail cars. 

In some places the train goes so close to the rock outcroppings that you can almost reach out and touch them (not recommended!) 

2024 Eagle Cap Train Excursions

Themed Eagle Cap train rides occur on selected days throughout the summer and early fall. The excursions feature historical events, train robbery re-enactments, Mothers’ and Fathers’ Day trips, Oregon’s Alpenfest, Bigfoot storytelling, and End of Season Bounty rides where a meal of locally sourced beef, vegetables and fruit is served. Dates, descriptions, ticket sales, etc. can all be found at eaglecaptrainrides.com.

The trips cost between $65 and $100 per person, depending on the itinerary, with discounts for seniors and kids. There is a free offering on July 3^rd for US veterans, active duty military, and first responders along with reduced fares for their accompanying family and friends.

Between scheduled trips, entire cars can be reserved for groups, or the whole train can be chartered for an unforgettable special event. 

Our Trip to a Place Called Looking Glass

This particular trip went from Elgin to a place called Looking Glass, and I tried to find some historical details about it online but came up with nothing. This was part of the Chief Joseph band homeland and accounts about him and his father, the elder Joseph, are readily available. Looking Glass was a Nez Perce warrior who became incensed when tribal leaders signed away the rights to much of the nations’ vast territory during the 1855 Treaty Council at Walla Walla. There are some references to the role Looking Glass played in the so-called Chief Joseph War, which was essentially a running battle by Nez Perce dissidents fleeing from the pursuing US Cavalry, as far as I can tell. 

I’ve been curious about whether Looking Glass spent time at that particular spot on the Grande Ronde and if there are any stories about encounters with white settlers. Such gems might be tucked into a locally-written history book or perhaps among the archives at the Alvin M. and Betty Josephy Library of Western History and Culture at the Josephy Center in Joseph.  

The Depot at Elgin

The Wallowa Union Railroad Depot at 300 Depot Street in Elgin is worth a stop on your way to the Mountain View Motel & RV Park, whether or not you intend to ride the train. 

It was built in 2012 to resemble a traditional depot and contains restrooms, a gift shop, historical railroad artifacts and a ticket office. The open hours are a bit sporadic though, and the website suggests calling 541.437.3652 to speak with an attendant.

Joseph Branch Railroad History

The Joseph Branch is an extension of the original Oregon Railway & Navigation Company Railroad and the first section from La Grande to Elgin was completed in 1890. The line finally reached far-flung Joseph in 1908 and mixed service – passengers and freight – was available until 1960. Freight shipments that served the logging and agricultural industries stopped in 1996. Nowadays, the Wallowa Union Railroad Authority (WURA) owns, operates, and maintains the branch line.