My son recently moved to Independence. From his house along Ash Creek you can see where the old Valley & Siletz Railroad had crossed the creek via a wooden trestle, although only the wooden piers remain. This got me even more interested in this old Railroad.
The Valley & Siletz Railroad was a logging railroad that ran from Independence up into the coast range to the town of Valsetz. The town was actually named after the railroad. Construction started in 1912. Unlike many other branch lines in the Valley, this railroad was never owned by the Southern Pacific. Boise-Cascade was the lines last full operator until the mill at Valsetz, and the rest of the town was shuddered in 1978. 2 miles of trackage survived in Independence until the Mountain Fir lumber company closed in 1992. At the northern end of town there is still some track left of the old V&S last run by the Willamette Valley Railway. Now it just services a old RR shop, not much happens on this line today.
The cache location is actually on the old Railroad right-of-way. After crossing the one leg o Ash Creek north of here is ran on the west side of 9th Street, then after crossing Monmouth Street, the line winds up on the east side of 9th Street to the entrance of the old Mountain Fir Lumber Company. This is why there is a grassy or gravel area on the side 9th Street, and is now public Right-of-Way.