In 1985, Southern Pacific announced they planned to abandon their spur line to Lakeview. However, the company continued to operate the line until it was purchased by Lake County in January 1986. Lake County contracted operation of the line to Great Western Railway. In 1996, Lake County took over the railroad operation, then re-named it the Lake County Railroad. From 2007, the Modoc Northern Railroad leased the line from the county. In 2009, "Frontier Rail" operated the line under the name "Lake Railroad".