The Medford, Talent & Lakecreek Railroad was established in 1918 to serve the communities throughout Oregon’s Rogue Valley, helping move commodities to the Southern Pacific interchanges. The success of the modest shortline revolved around serving various agricultural, timber, and manufacturing industries, as well as some passenger and tourist traffic in the region. Though the wineries and orchards were still highly successful, by the 1970s and 80s, manufacturing and industry continued to increase in scope, constituting an ever-larger percentage of rail traffic in local trains. This necessitated infrastructure upgrades, and new railcars to be built to replace the aging rolling-stock from the 1940s and 50s.