Medford, Talent & Lakecreek FT Powered A-Unit Locomotive #1972

Medford, Talent & Lakecreek FT Powered A-Unit Locomotive #1972

• Built in September of 1944, this EMD FT locomotive was a 1,350 horsepower diesel-electric locomotive and was purchased by the Medford, Talent & Lakecreek as a replacement for their aging steam locomotives. MT&L’s small fleet of FT’s quickly became their primary road and switching power and were used for decades until being repainted in the early 1970s and eventually retired.
• The freelance 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.