Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society in Medford, Oregon

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Medford, Oregon · Updated October 19, 2026 · 11 min read

Rail preservation groupFreeCollection open 2nd and 4th Sundays, April to October, 11 am to 3 pm

The Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society, known as SO Rail, is the volunteer chapter that started Medford Railroad Park and preserves the Medco logging railroad's locomotives and cars for future generations.

  • Founded in 1976
  • Chapter of the NRHS
  • Medco No. 4, built 1925
  • Started Medford Railroad Park
  • Four cabooses on display

Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society at a glance

Hours
2nd and 4th Sundays, April to October, 11 am to 3 pm
Admission
Not posted; the park is free with donations welcome
Train rides
Miniature steam train rides run at Medford Railroad Park on open Sundays
Plan for
About 1 hour with the rest of the park
Best for
Rail fans and logging railroad history buffs
Best ages
All ages
Parking
Parking area at the east end of Berrydale Ave
Accessibility
The society says it is committed to safe and equitable access to its museum, displays and rides.

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Medford.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

A chapter with a logging railroad dream

SO Rail began in 1976 as the Southern Oregon Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, and it remains a chapter today. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a clear mission: to preserve and interpret Southern Oregon's railroad history and artifacts for current and future generations, through a museum and operating equipment.

The society did the early work that created Medford Railroad Park. It was directly responsible for starting and developing the park and still helps manage it alongside the Southern Oregon Live Steamers, the Rogue Valley Model Railroad Club, Southern Oregon Large Scale Trains and the City of Medford. Its members are proud members of the Jackson County Heritage Association, too.

The long-term goal is ambitious. SO Rail hopes to rebuild and run a segment of the old Medford Corporation, or Medco, logging railroad as a tourist excursion line, using locomotives and cars that once worked in the region, so the result is a living railroad museum in its original forest setting. The Butte Falls Scenic Railway project carries that plan forward.

Toward that goal the society has acquired two of the four remaining Medco locomotives: Medco No. 4, a Willamette built in 1925, and Medco No. 8, a Baldwin S-8 diesel-electric switcher built in 1952. Members have also gathered cabooses and freight cars over the years, and several of the cars are slated to be restored to carry passengers when the excursion railroad opens.

The society's yard at Medford Railroad Park

The collection lives at Medford Railroad Park, at the east end of Berrydale Avenue. On open Sundays you can walk among Medco No. 4 and the cars SO Rail has moved to the park: a box car, a flat car, an ore hopper, four cabooses and a flanger, the kind of car railroads used to clear snow and ice from the rails. Medco No. 8 and other cars are stored on private property elsewhere in the Rogue Valley.

Because the society shares the park with other clubs, the same visit can include live steam train rides and model railroads. According to the Jackson County Heritage Association, when the park itself is not open, part of the collection can still be seen from the parking area or the bike path in daylight, every day of the year.

Don’t miss

  1. Medco No. 4A Willamette locomotive built in 1925 for the Medford Corporation's logging railroad, and the centerpiece of the society's plans.
  2. The four caboosesSome of these cars may one day be restored to carry passengers on the planned excursion line.
  3. The flangerAn unusual work car built to clear snow and ice from between the rails, rarely seen at small museums.
  4. The ore hopper and freight carsA box car, flat car and ore hopper round out a small freight train from the region's working days.

Cabooses to look at and trains to ride

Kids can see a real steam logging locomotive up close and count the cabooses, then head over to the live steam trains the neighboring club runs on the same Sundays. The society says it is committed to safe and equitable access to its museum, displays and rides, so ask a volunteer if you need help getting around the yard.

Plan your visit: tips for Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society

  • Pair the society's yard with a free ride on the park's miniature trains.
  • Out of season, part of the collection can be viewed from the parking area or bike path in daylight.
  • Visitors are welcome at the monthly society meetings; call Mick Smith at 541-941-7424 to confirm the time.
  • Donations and memberships support the Medco locomotive work.

The volunteers of SO Rail

SO Rail is an all-volunteer nonprofit with a board, a chief mechanical officer, a newsletter and project leaders for Medco No. 4 and the Butte Falls Scenic Railway. You can support the work through a membership or a donation, both offered on the society's website, or by attending a monthly meeting at Medford Fabrication on Court Street, where visitors are welcome.

Where to go next in Southern Oregon

The society's collection is part of Medford Railroad Park, so read that page for ride details. The Train Mountain Railroad Museum is about 53 miles away in Chiloquin, and the Coos Bay Rail Link historical exhibits are about 98 miles away. For the full list, see Oregon train museums.

Every train museum in Oregon

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi looking out an arched train window at the ocean and a white bird
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

SO Rail dreams of running a logging train back through the forest it came from, and I love imagining kids at those windows watching the trees go by. In our book, Rally presses his nose to an arched window, sees the ocean, and says hello to a white bird. My mom pictured that view long before there was a book, and you can read about her on our story page.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society: 20 common questions

What is the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society?

The Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society, or SO Rail, is a nonprofit chapter of the National Railway Historical Society founded in 1976. It preserves and interprets Southern Oregon's railroad history through a museum collection and operating equipment at Medford Railroad Park.

Where can I see the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society collection?

The collection is at Medford Railroad Park, at the east end of Berrydale Avenue in Medford, Oregon. The society's locomotive and cars are displayed there alongside the other clubs' trains. Its mailing address is PO Box 622, Medford, OR 97501.

When is the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society open?

As of October 2026, the society is open to the public on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month, April through October, from 11 am to 3 pm, at Medford Railroad Park. Outside those hours, part of the collection can be viewed from the parking area or bike path during daylight.

Is there a fee to see the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society collection?

The society does not post an admission fee. Medford Railroad Park, where the collection is shown, is free, and visitors are welcome to make a donation to the clubs. Donations can also be made through the society's website to support restoration.

What locomotives does the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society own?

SO Rail owns two of the four remaining Medco locomotives: Medco No. 4, a Willamette built in 1925, and Medco No. 8, a Baldwin S-8 diesel-electric switcher built in 1952. Medco No. 4 is displayed at Medford Railroad Park, while No. 8 is stored on private property in the Rogue Valley.

What is Medco No. 4?

Medco No. 4 is a Willamette locomotive built in 1925 that worked on the Medford Corporation logging railroad. The Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society owns it, displays it at Medford Railroad Park and has a dedicated project leader for its care.

What was the Medco logging railroad?

Medco was the Medford Corporation, which ran a logging railroad in the region. SO Rail hopes to rebuild a segment of it as a tourist excursion railroad using locomotives and equipment originally used in the area, creating a living railroad museum in its forested setting.

What is the Butte Falls Scenic Railway project?

The Butte Falls Scenic Railway is the society's project to bring its excursion railroad plan to life, with its own project leader and website linked from the SO Rail site. It ties into the goal of running Medco equipment on a rebuilt segment of logging railroad.

What rail cars are on display at Medford Railroad Park from SO Rail?

Along with Medco No. 4, the society displays a box car, a flat car, an ore hopper, four cabooses and a flanger at the park. Several of these are planned for restoration as passenger cars for the future tourist railroad.

Did the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society start Medford Railroad Park?

Yes. The society says it was directly responsible for starting and developing Medford Railroad Park, and it still helps manage the park with the Southern Oregon Live Steamers, the Rogue Valley Model Railroad Club, Southern Oregon Large Scale Trains and the City of Medford.

Can kids ride a train with the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society?

Not on the society's own full-size equipment yet; that is part of its long-term excursion plan. On the same open Sundays, though, miniature steam train rides run at Medford Railroad Park, so kids can see Medco No. 4 and then take a ride nearby.

Is the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society the same as the Southern Oregon Historical Society?

No. The Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society is the railroad-focused NRHS chapter founded in 1976. The Southern Oregon Historical Society is a separate organization founded in 1946 as a repository of general local history. Contact each one directly for its own programs.

Where can I learn about the history of Southern Oregon railroads?

Start at Medford Railroad Park, where SO Rail's collection shows equipment from the region's logging railroads, including Medco No. 4. The society's website has equipment pages and newsletters, and members at the monthly meetings are glad to talk railroad history.

When does the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society meet?

The society holds combined membership and board meetings monthly in the meeting room at Medford Fabrication, 1109 Court St, Medford, and visitors are welcome. Its website lists both a Saturday afternoon and a Thursday afternoon schedule, so call Mick Smith at 541-941-7424 to confirm.

How do I join the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society?

The society offers memberships through its website, soc-nrhs.org, and welcomes visitors to its monthly meetings. Members can help with restoration, the newsletter and park days. Call 541-941-7424 for details on how to join, or ask a volunteer at the park on an open Sunday. Membership is one of the most direct ways to help the Medco No. 4 project.

How can I donate to the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society?

Donations are accepted through the Donations page on soc-nrhs.org, by mail to PO Box 622, Medford, OR 97501, or in person on open Sundays. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the society puts gifts toward preserving its Medco equipment and its excursion railroad plans.

Is the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society collection accessible?

The society states that it is committed to safe and equitable access to its museum, equipment displays and rides. The collection is outdoors at the park, so if you need specific help, call 541-941-7424 before your visit.

How do I contact the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society?

Call secretary Mick Smith at 541-941-7424, or use the member contact list on the society's website, which includes the webmaster and board officers. Mail goes to PO Box 622, Medford, OR 97501. The society also has a Facebook group for news.

Is the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society part of the NRHS?

Yes. It is the Southern Oregon chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, one of the NRHS chapters in Oregon. It is also a member of the Jackson County Heritage Association, which lists the society among the heritage groups of the county and notes that it is based at Medford Railroad Park.

What train museums are near the Southern Oregon Railway Historical Society?

Medford Railroad Park, where the society is based, has live steam rides and model railroads on the same grounds. The Train Mountain Railroad Museum in Chiloquin is about 53 miles away, and the Coos Bay Rail Link historical exhibits are about 98 miles away.

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