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{{Short description|Former interurban railroad}}
The '''Oregon Electric Railway''' (OER) was an ] ] line in the U.S. state of ] that linked ] to ]. Service from Portland to ], began in 1907. The ] purchased the system in 1910, and extended service to Eugene in 1912. Regular passenger service in the ] ended in May 1933. Freight operations continued and the railway survived into the 1990s, ultimately as a ] feeder. Operation as an electric railroad ended July 10, 1945.
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
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| caption = Oregon Electric train passing through Albany, Oregon
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| end_year = {{End date|1970}}
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| successor_line = ]
| gauge = {{Track gauge|Standard gauge}}
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* {{600 V DC}} (1906–1912)
* {{1200 V DC}} (1912–1945)
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The '''Oregon Electric Railway''' (OE) was an ] ] line in the U.S. state of ] that linked ] to ].
The tracks run parallel to the main modern ] line between Portland and Eugene, used for freight and passenger service. The OER line is to the west, closely following the ].<ref name=highspeed>{{cite news |title= Oregon bids big for faster trains |first= Harry |last= Esteve |newspaper= ] |date= July 25, 2009}}</ref> In the 2000s, the line has been under consideration as an alternative for Amtrak's ] and ] passenger lines. Removing passenger service from the clogged Union Pacific track would improve the timeliness of the trains, permit higher capacity, and allow higher-speed travel, peaking at 110 MPH.<ref name=highspeed/>


==History==
Burlington Northern operated the last freight train on the Portland-Beaverton segment of this mainline on December 31, 1994, in preparation for the construction of ], part of the ] ] system.
Service from Portland to ] began in January 1908.<ref name="track construction">{{cite journal|title=New Track Construction in 1907|journal=Electric Railway Review|date=January 4, 1908|volume=XIX|issue=1|page=4}}</ref> The ] purchased the system in 1910, and extended service to Eugene in 1912. After the company requested, and received, permission from the ] to abandon a section of line in Portland because of declining ridership and worsening traffic congestion.<ref name="quit city line">{{Cite news|title=Oregon Electric to Quit City Line: Interstate Body Permits Track Abandonment|date=May 27, 1931|newspaper=The Morning Oregonian|page=24}}</ref> Passenger service was cut back to ] and Jefferson streets the following day, and OE moved its ticket office to that location.<ref name="electric line">{{cite news|title=Electric Line Changes: Trains Stop Operating on Salmon and Tenth; Oregon Electric Service Now Terminates at Jefferson Street, Ticket Office Moves|date=June 20, 1931|newspaper=]|page=4}}</ref> The tracks along 10th and Salmon streets were abandoned and soon removed.<ref name="new pavement">{{Cite news|title=New Pavement Is Laid: Strip Where Tracks Were Taken Up on Tenth Street Improved|date=July 7, 1931|newspaper=The Morning Oregonian|page=9}}</ref> Regular passenger service in the ] ended in May 1933.

Electrified freight service continued until ] in 1945.<ref>{{Hilton-Interurban|p=397}}</ref> The Oregon Electric was merged into the new ] in 1970.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-RR-231eff00d112c40a27cf2c3ac4535a16/pdf/GOVPUB-RR-231eff00d112c40a27cf2c3ac4535a16.pdf | title=Oregon Electric Railway Company (cessation of employer status) | date=June 9, 1970 | accessdate=December 22, 2023}}</ref> The Burlington Northern operated the last freight train on the ex-OE ] on December 31, 1994, in preparation for the construction of ], part of the ] ] system.

==Route==
The tracks run parallel to the main modern ] line between Portland and Eugene, used for freight and passenger service. The OE line is to the west, closely following the ].<ref name=highspeed>{{cite news |title= Oregon bids big for faster trains |first= Harry |last= Esteve |newspaper= ] |date= July 25, 2009}}</ref> In the 2000s, the line has been under consideration as an alternative for ]'s '']'' and '']'' passenger lines. Removing passenger service from the clogged Union Pacific track would improve the timeliness of the trains, permit higher capacity, and allow higher-speed travel, peaking at {{convert|110|mph}}.<ref name=highspeed/>

The right-of-way between Portland and Tigard has since been abandoned. From the ], it followed 10th Avenue, Salmon Street, and West Bank of the Willamette River. Portions of the right-of-way between the Southwest Waterfront and Multnomah Boulevard are currently under ].


==Stations== ==Stations==
]
{{Expand list|date=March 2012}}
]
]
]
{{Incomplete list|date=March 2012}}

===Main line=== ===Main line===
In order from north to south In order from north to south
{{div col|cols=3}} {{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*] *]
*10th & Stark
*10th & Morrison
*5th & Salmon
*2nd & Salmon
*Front & Jefferson
*View Point
*]
*]
*Ryan Place
*] *]
*Shahapta
*] *]
*Barstow
*] *]
**branch to Forest Grove **branch to Forest Grove
*]
*] *]
*] *]
Line 22: Line 96:
*] *]
**branch to McMinnville **branch to McMinnville
*Nasoma
*] *]
*] *]
Line 27: Line 102:
*] *]
*] *]
*]
*] *]
*]
*] *]
*] *]
Line 37: Line 114:
*] *]
*] *]
*Claxtar
*] *]
*] *]
*] *]
* Melas
* Livesley
* East Independence
*] *]
*] *]
*]
*] *]
*Conser
*] *]
*] *]
*] *]
**spur to ] **spur to ]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*] *]
*] *]
*] *]
* Milorn
* Meadow View
* Aubrey
* Enid
* Lasen
*] *]
{{Div col end}} {{div col end}}


===United Railways line=== ===United Railways line===
{{main|United Railways (Oregon)}}
In order from west to east In order from west to east
{{div col|cols=2}} {{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*] *]
*] *]
Line 63: Line 157:
*] *]
*] *]
{{Div col end}} {{div col end}}
]


===Forest Grove line=== === Forest Grove line ===
{{main|Forest Grove branch}}
In order from west to east In order from west to east
{{div col|cols=2}} {{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*] *]
*] *]
Line 77: Line 173:
*] *]
*Garden Home *Garden Home
{{Div col end}} {{div col end}}
]

===McMinnville line===
In order from west to east
{{div col|cols=2}}
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*Tualatin
{{Div col end}}


==Remnants== ==Remnants==
] ]


* The ] Station is now owned by Friends of Historical Forest Grove, which is the town's historical society,
*The OE from Tigard to Eugene is now operated by the ]. BN donated the track from Tigard to Quinaby (a farming community north of Keizer) to the State of Oregon and sold the track to the Portland & Western. South of Quinaby, the line is still owned by BN successor ] and leased to P&W for operation.
*The former Oregon Electric line from Tigard to Eugene is now operated by the ]. BN donated the track from Tigard to Quinaby (a farming community north of Keizer) to the State of Oregon and sold the track to the Portland & Western. South of Quinaby, the line is still owned by BN successor ] and leased to P&W for operation.
* The OE branch between Hillsboro and Beaverton is now part of the ].
*Passenger service is again available on the segment from Tigard to Wilsonville as part of the ] (WES) commuter rail line. WES service continues north of Tigard to Beaverton using a former Southern Pacific track that the OE had used since the mid-1930s when its own route north of Tigard to downtown Portland was abandoned. The OE used to join with the ex-Southern Pacific track at Greton, located in the northern part of Tigard near the intersection of S.W. North Dakota Street and S.W. Tiedeman Avenue. Today, the original OE track ends and joins the former SP line southeast of S.W. Hall Boulevard. The parking lot of the current WES station in downtown Tigard is where the OE tracks used to lie; the abandoned right-of-way is still plainly visible north of downtown Tigard. *Passenger service is again available on the segment from Tigard to Wilsonville as part of the ] (WES) commuter rail line. WES service continues north of Tigard to Beaverton using a former Southern Pacific track that the OE had used since the mid-1930s when its own route north of Tigard to downtown Portland was abandoned. The OE used to join with the ex-Southern Pacific track at Greton, located in the northern part of Tigard near the intersection of S.W. North Dakota Street and S.W. Tiedeman Avenue. Today, the original OE track ends and joins the former SP line southeast of S.W. Hall Boulevard. The parking lot of the current WES station in downtown Tigard is where the OE tracks used to lie; the abandoned right-of-way is still plainly visible north of downtown Tigard.
*The former station in Eugene has been reused and is now the ] restaurant. *The former station in Eugene had been reused and housed the ] restaurant.
*The ] station is now a pizza parlor.<ref name=CC>{{cite web |url= http://www.offbeatoregon.com/H108_OregElec.htm |title= Oregon Electric line -- state's past and future? |date= March 25, 2009 |author= John, Finn J. D. |publisher= Offbeat Oregon History |accessdate=July 2, 2011}}</ref> *The ] station is now a pizza parlor.<ref name=CC>{{cite web |url= http://www.offbeatoregon.com/H108_OregElec.htm |title= Oregon Electric line -- state's past and future? |date= March 25, 2009 |author= John, Finn J. D. |publisher= Offbeat Oregon History |access-date=July 2, 2011}}</ref>
*The ] depot was located at the current site of the John's Market parking lot, on the northwest corner of SW 35th and Multnomah Blvd. The adjacent 1913 Nelson Thomas Building, characterized as "]" architecture, still stands.<ref></ref> *The ] depot was located at the current site of the John's Market parking lot, on the northwest corner of SW 35th and Multnomah Blvd. The adjacent 1913 Nelson Thomas Building, characterized as "]" architecture, still stands.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.marcoscafe.com/about.shtml |title=Marco's Café: About |access-date=April 25, 2008 |archive-date=June 4, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604002701/http://www.marcoscafe.com/about.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*The ] in Portland was the northern terminal for the OER from 1912 to 1931.<ref name="electric line changes">"Electric Line Changes: Trains Stop Operating on Salmon and Tenth (subheadlines: Oregon Electric Service Now Terminates at Jefferson Street; Ticket Office Moves)". (June 20, 1931). '']'', p. 4.</ref> Used also as a warehouse, the building (and a matching one across the street) was preserved and converted into condominiums in the 1990s. *The ] in Portland was the northern terminal for the OE from 1912 to 1931.<ref name="electric line changes">"Electric Line Changes: Trains Stop Operating on Salmon and Tenth (subheadlines: Oregon Electric Service Now Terminates at Jefferson Street; Ticket Office Moves)". (June 20, 1931). '']'', p. 4.</ref> Used also as a warehouse, the building (and a matching one across the street) was preserved and converted into condominiums in the 1990s.
*The site of the ] station is now occupied by the Tigard Chamber of Commerce. *The site of the ] station is now occupied by the Tigard Chamber of Commerce.
*The former ] ] station was leased to OER for a brief period. Is now a museum.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} It has an authentic ] and baggage car outside. *The former ] ] station was leased to Oregon Electric for a brief period. Is now a museum.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} It has an authentic ] and baggage car outside.
*Several of the railway's electric substations still exist, including those at ] and ]. *Several of the railway's electric substations still exist, including those at ] and ].

== See also==
{{Portal|Railways}}
* ] – a competing interurban service of the Southern Pacific Railroad in the Willamette Valley
* ]


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}} {{reflist|30em}}


==Further reading== ==Further reading==
* (May 1995), "Freight out, light rail in", '']'', p.&nbsp;24. * {{cite magazine |date=May 1995 |title=Freight out, light rail in |magazine=] |page=24}}
*''The Spokane, Portland and Seattle'', by Charles and Dorothy Wood (Seattle, Washington: Superior Press), 1974 * {{cite book |title=The Spokane, Portland and Seattle |first1=Charles |first2=Dorothy |last1=Wood |last2=Wood |location=Seattle, Washington |publisher=Superior Press |date=1974}}
*''Railroad Signatures across the Pacific Northwest'', by Carlos A. Schwantes (Seattle, Washington: University of Seattle Press), 1993 * {{cite book |title=Railroad Signatures across the Pacific Northwest |first=Carlos A. |last=Schwantes |location=Seattle, Washington |publisher=University of Seattle Press |date=1993}}


==External links== ==External links==
Line 117: Line 208:
* from Salem Public Library * from Salem Public Library
* from www.pdxhistory.com * from www.pdxhistory.com
*{{HAER |survey=OR-113 |id=or0484 |title=Oregon Electric Railroad, Garden Home (Mile Post 27.8) to Wilsonville (Mile Post 43.05) Segment, Garden Home, Washington County, OR |data=5}}

**{{HAER |survey=OR-113-A |id=or0518 |title=Turnout, Milepost 41.3 |photos=2 |cap=1 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=OR-113-B |id=or0519 |title=Cattle Pass Trestle, Milepost 41.2 |photos=3 |cap=1 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=OR-113-C |id=or0520 |title=Tonquin Substation, Milepost 39.1 |photos=4 |cap=1 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=OR-113-D |id=or0521 |title=Hedges Creek Trestle, Milepost 38.7 |photos=3 |cap=1 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=OR-113-E |id=or0522 |title=Hedges Creek Trestle, Milepost 37.8 |photos=3 |cap=1 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=OR-113-F |id=or0523 |title=Tualatin River Bridge, Milepost 35.3 |photos=4 |cap=1 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=OR-113-G |id=or0524 |title=Fanno Creek Trestle, Milepost 34.7 |photos=2 |cap=1 |link=no}}


{{Former Class I}} {{Former Class I}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Oregon Electric Railway}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Oregon Electric Railway}}
]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 00:01, 1 September 2024

Former interurban railroad

Oregon Electric Railway
Oregon Electric train passing through Albany, Oregon
Overview
Dates of operation1906 (1906)–1970 (1970)
SuccessorBurlington Northern Railroad
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification
Route map

Legend
Portland North Bank Depot
10th & Stark
10th & Morrison
5th & Salmon
2nd & Salmon
Front & Jefferson
View Point
Fulton Park
Capitol Hill
Ryan Place
Multnomah
Shahapta
Maplewood
Barstow
Forest Grove branch Garden Home
Firlock
Whitford Nesmith
Beaverton Metzger
St. Marys Greenburg
Santa Rosa Tigard
Elmonico Bonita
Quatama Durham
Orenco Tualatin
Milkapsi
unbuilt branch
to McMinnville
Sewell Nasoma
Moffatt Tonquin
Hillsboro Mulloy
Oak Park Wilsonville
Wilsonville railroad bridge
Varley Prahl
Cornelius Wallace
Forest Grove Butteville
Fargo
Donald
Fellers
Broadacres
West Woodburn
Woodburn
Saint Louis
Concomly
Waconda
Chemeketa (now Hopmere)
Quinaby
Chemawa
Claxtar
Deaf School
Highland
Salem
Melas
Livesley
East Independence
Orville
Sidney
Robey
Dever
Conser
Albany
Pirtle
Gray
Corvallis
Oakville
Fayetteville
Potter
Tulsa
Nixon
Cartney
Harrisburg
Junction City
Milorn
Meadow View
Aubrey
Enid
Lasen
Eugene
Eugene SP

The Oregon Electric Railway (OE) was an interurban railroad line in the U.S. state of Oregon that linked Portland to Eugene.

History

Service from Portland to Salem began in January 1908. The Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway purchased the system in 1910, and extended service to Eugene in 1912. After the company requested, and received, permission from the Interstate Commerce Commission to abandon a section of line in Portland because of declining ridership and worsening traffic congestion. Passenger service was cut back to Front and Jefferson streets the following day, and OE moved its ticket office to that location. The tracks along 10th and Salmon streets were abandoned and soon removed. Regular passenger service in the Willamette Valley ended in May 1933.

Electrified freight service continued until dieselization in 1945. The Oregon Electric was merged into the new Burlington Northern Railroad in 1970. The Burlington Northern operated the last freight train on the ex-OE Forest Grove branch on December 31, 1994, in preparation for the construction of Westside MAX, part of the TriMet light rail system.

Route

The tracks run parallel to the main modern Union Pacific line between Portland and Eugene, used for freight and passenger service. The OE line is to the west, closely following the Willamette River. In the 2000s, the line has been under consideration as an alternative for Amtrak's Cascades and Coast Starlight passenger lines. Removing passenger service from the clogged Union Pacific track would improve the timeliness of the trains, permit higher capacity, and allow higher-speed travel, peaking at 110 miles per hour (180 km/h).

The right-of-way between Portland and Tigard has since been abandoned. From the North Bank Depot, it followed 10th Avenue, Salmon Street, and West Bank of the Willamette River. Portions of the right-of-way between the Southwest Waterfront and Multnomah Boulevard are currently under Interstate 5.

Stations

Garden Home Railway Depot c. 1911
Oregon Electric Railroad Depot in Beaverton, Oregon
Beaverton Depot, c. 1911
The interior of an Oregon Electric Railway train
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (March 2012)

Main line

In order from north to south

United Railways line

Main article: United Railways (Oregon)

In order from west to east

Dispatcher's table at the Portland Terminal Depot

Forest Grove line

Main article: Forest Grove branch

In order from west to east

Map of telephony lines of the Oregon Electric Railway

Remnants

City workers uncover a section of railway ties beneath Fifth Avenue in Eugene, about two blocks from the Oregon Electric Railway Station. This view looks west between High and Pearl Streets.
  • The Forest Grove Station is now owned by Friends of Historical Forest Grove, which is the town's historical society,
  • The former Oregon Electric line from Tigard to Eugene is now operated by the Portland & Western Railroad. BN donated the track from Tigard to Quinaby (a farming community north of Keizer) to the State of Oregon and sold the track to the Portland & Western. South of Quinaby, the line is still owned by BN successor BNSF and leased to P&W for operation.
  • The OE branch between Hillsboro and Beaverton is now part of the MAX Blue Line.
  • Passenger service is again available on the segment from Tigard to Wilsonville as part of the Westside Express Service (WES) commuter rail line. WES service continues north of Tigard to Beaverton using a former Southern Pacific track that the OE had used since the mid-1930s when its own route north of Tigard to downtown Portland was abandoned. The OE used to join with the ex-Southern Pacific track at Greton, located in the northern part of Tigard near the intersection of S.W. North Dakota Street and S.W. Tiedeman Avenue. Today, the original OE track ends and joins the former SP line southeast of S.W. Hall Boulevard. The parking lot of the current WES station in downtown Tigard is where the OE tracks used to lie; the abandoned right-of-way is still plainly visible north of downtown Tigard.
  • The former station in Eugene had been reused and housed the Oregon Electric Station restaurant.
  • The Albany station is now a pizza parlor.
  • The Multnomah depot was located at the current site of the John's Market parking lot, on the northwest corner of SW 35th and Multnomah Blvd. The adjacent 1913 Nelson Thomas Building, characterized as "streetcar era commercial" architecture, still stands.
  • The North Bank Depot in Portland was the northern terminal for the OE from 1912 to 1931. Used also as a warehouse, the building (and a matching one across the street) was preserved and converted into condominiums in the 1990s.
  • The site of the Tigard station is now occupied by the Tigard Chamber of Commerce.
  • The former Springfield Southern Pacific station was leased to Oregon Electric for a brief period. Is now a museum. It has an authentic semaphore signal and baggage car outside.
  • Several of the railway's electric substations still exist, including those at Tonquin and Waconda.

See also

References

  1. "New Track Construction in 1907". Electric Railway Review. XIX (1): 4. January 4, 1908.
  2. "Oregon Electric to Quit City Line: Interstate Body Permits Track Abandonment". The Morning Oregonian. May 27, 1931. p. 24.
  3. "Electric Line Changes: Trains Stop Operating on Salmon and Tenth; Oregon Electric Service Now Terminates at Jefferson Street, Ticket Office Moves". The Morning Oregonian. June 20, 1931. p. 4.
  4. "New Pavement Is Laid: Strip Where Tracks Were Taken Up on Tenth Street Improved". The Morning Oregonian. July 7, 1931. p. 9.
  5. Hilton, George W. & Due, John Fitzgerald (1960). The Electric Interurban Railways in America. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. ISBN 978-0-8047-4014-2. OCLC 237973.
  6. "Oregon Electric Railway Company (cessation of employer status)" (PDF). June 9, 1970. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  7. ^ Esteve, Harry (July 25, 2009). "Oregon bids big for faster trains". The Oregonian.
  8. John, Finn J. D. (March 25, 2009). "Oregon Electric line -- state's past and future?". Offbeat Oregon History. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  9. "Marco's Café: About". Archived from the original on June 4, 2008. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
  10. "Electric Line Changes: Trains Stop Operating on Salmon and Tenth (subheadlines: Oregon Electric Service Now Terminates at Jefferson Street; Ticket Office Moves)". (June 20, 1931). The Morning Oregonian, p. 4.

Further reading

  • "Freight out, light rail in". Trains Magazine. May 1995. p. 24.
  • Wood, Charles; Wood, Dorothy (1974). The Spokane, Portland and Seattle. Seattle, Washington: Superior Press.
  • Schwantes, Carlos A. (1993). Railroad Signatures across the Pacific Northwest. Seattle, Washington: University of Seattle Press.

External links

Class I railroads of North America
Current
United States
Canada
Mexico
Former
1956–present
pre-1956
Timeline
Railroads in italics meet the revenue specifications for Class I status, but are not technically Class I railroads due to being passenger-only railroads with no freight component.
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