A.R. Bowman Museum

Prineville Junction is a railroad spur junction located about two miles north of Redmond. The site at one time had a railroad station and water tower. It is along the original Oregon Trunk Railway Line (Now BNSF). It is the junction used by the City of Prineville Railroad to connect from the main rail line to Prineville.

Prior to 1910 Prineville was the main community in Central Oregon. When the Oregon Trunk Railroad arrived in Central Oregon in 1911 it bypassed Prineville and went to the developing communities of Madras, Redmond and Bend. The residents of Prineville realized that if they did not have a link with the new railroad that the community would likely become a ghost town. In 1916 it was decided that the city would build its own railroad to the main Oregon Trunk line. Bond measures were voted on and approved and construction was begun in 1917. The railroad was completed late in 1918. The railroad experienced difficulties for nearly twenty years as most of the traffic was agricultural products and passengers.

When major lumber mills became established in Prineville in the late 1930's and early 1940's the railroad became extremely profitable. From 1950 to 1975 the railroad produced enough revenue to replace city taxes within Prineville, but in recent years the railroad has met with hard times once again. For a short period of time the Crooked River Dinner Train boosted the railroad finances but that eventually ceased.

It is the oldest continuously operated city owned railroad freight business in the United States. There are 19 miles of track and two locomotives with freight cars. The Railway is also the home of a rebuilt Shay steam engine owned by the Oregon Historical Society. It is used on special occasions. Prineville Junction was one of several station sites along the Oregon Trunk Railroad. Although the buildings and water tower are now gone it still is the connecting point of the railroad with the main line.