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The collection consists of research material on Oregon, northern California, and northwestern Nevada logging and freight railroads, logging companies and mills in the area, correspondence, drafted maps, images, DVDs and maps. Jack Bowden (John Curtis Bowden) translated a life-long love of railroads into a career with the Southern Pacific Railroad, two books and a research collection created over 60 years.

The Modoc Lumber Company was formed in 1918 by J. O. Goldthwaite. It operated in a company town called Pine Ridge, located on the Klamath Indian Reservation about 2 miles from Chiloquin. It was eventually renamed the Forest Lumber Company. Collection contains a sepia photograph from Harry Mesner collection: a Forest Lumber Company train carrying logs.

The Oregon-California railroad was formed from the Oregon Central Railroad in 1869. Throughout its construction, the land surrounding the railroads was sold to encourage settlement and growth. Collection contains a book of maps of the Oregon-California railroad (Klamath and Siskiyou counties).

Rail transportation in Oregon has existed since 1855. The first railway in Oregon was proposed in 1864, while Oregon Portage Railroad, which operated from 1858 to 1896, was the first railroad in Oregon. Collection contains 34 black and white photographs and copies of photographs of trains.

Speckle Butte is located in the Crook County, Oregon. Collection contains a hand-drawn map of Central and Southern Oregon with railroad, ranches, rivers, roads and mountains.