- Rail transport in Oregon
Rail transport is an important element of thetransportation network in the state ofOregon . Rail has existed in the state in some form since 1855 [ cite web
url = http://www.columbiagorge.org/press-releases.html
title = Gorge Railroad History Program press release
publisher = Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum
date =May 29 2007
accessdate = 2007-10-08 ] [ cite web
url = http://www.iinet.com/~englishriver/LewisClarkColumbiaRiver/Regions/Places/railroads.html
title = Railroads and the Columbia River
author = Lyn Topinka
work = The Columbia River—A Photographic Journey
accessdate = 2007-10-08 ] and the state was a pioneer in development ofelectric railway systems. While theautomobile has displaced many uses of rail in the state (as elsewhere), rail remains a key means of moving passengers and freight, both within the state and to points beyond its borders.The rail network today
As of 2004, the state of Oregon has over 2,400 route-miles (3,900 km) of track, and convert|170|mi|km|0 of railroad right-of-way after peaking in the 1930s at about convert|4350|mi|km|0 of track. [ cite web
url = http://www.leg.state.or.us/comm/commsrvs/background_briefs2004/Transportation/JD_Freight_and_Passenger_Rail2004.pdf
title = Background Brief on Freight and Passenger Rail
author = Janet Adkins, Legislative Committee Services
publisher = Oregon Legislature
format =PDF
date = May 2004
accessdate = 2007-10-10 ] Oregon is served by twoClass 1 railroad s, which account for over 1100 miles (1,770 km) of trackage, and over twenty Class 2 and Class 3 operators. ThreeAmtrak routes serve the state, primarily through theWillamette Valley and south-central Oregon. cite web
title=Oregon Transportation Plan Technical Appendices
date=2006 September 20
publisher=Oregon Department of Transportation
url=http://search.oregon.gov/cs.html?charset=iso-8859-1&url=http%3A//www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP/docs/ortransplanupdate/2007/OTPvol2.pdf&qt=rail+miles&col=allore&n=4&la=en
format =PDF
accessdate=2007-10-06 ] Rail is a key element of themass transit system in the city of Portland and surrounding communities. And numerous tourist railways operate in the state.Freight rail in Oregon
Oregon is currently served by two Class 1 railroads, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF) and the
Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR). Prior to its acquisition by the UPRR in 1996, Oregon was also served by theSouthern Pacific Railroad ; the UP continues to operate on tracks acquired from the SPRR.Union Pacific
The UPRR operates several mainlines in the state. The primary north/south UP mainline enters Oregon from
California south of Klamath Falls, runs north through Central Oregon up to Chemult, then proceeds northwest via theWillamette Pass to Eugene. From Eugene, it then turns north again up theWillamette Valley , passing through cities including Albany, Salem, Woodburn, Canby, Oregon City, Milwaukie, terminating in Portland. The primary east/west UP mainline starts in Portland and heads east towards Troutdale where it enters theColumbia Gorge . It passes through the gorge on the Oregon side, serving cities such as Hood River, The Dalles, Boardman, and Hermiston. In the Hermiston area, the line branches; with one line heading northeast toSpokane, Washington ; the other heading southeast (roughly parallel to the oldOregon Trail and modern-day Interstate 84, passing through Pendleton, La Grande, Baker City, and Ontario before enteringIdaho .In addition to the mainlines, the UPRR also operates several branch lines in the state, serving the terminal district of Portland, the city of Umatilla, and the community of Pilot Rock.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe
The BNSF operates one significant mainline in the state, serving
Central Oregon . The BNSF line enters the state southeast ofKlamath Falls , joining the UPRR mainline there. The two lines share trackage between Klamath Falls and Chemult until the UPRR branches off towards Eugene; the BNSF continues in a northeasterly direction through central Oregon, providing service to Bend, Redmond, Madras. The line continues north of Madras along theDeschutes River until it interchanges with the UPRR mainline east of The Dalles; it then crosses theColumbia River and intersects with the BNSF mainline on the Washington side.The BNSF also operates a mainline in the Portland area which is a key rail link despite having only approximately ten miles of trackage in Oregon; this link crosses the Columbia River into Vancouver, connecting with the BNSF line heading north to Seattle, as well as the BNSF line heading east along the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge, towards the Tri-Cities and Spokane. (Eastbound Amtrak service from Portland crosses into Vancouver and uses the BNSF tracks, not the UPRR tracks in Oregon).
Portland Terminal Railroad
The
Portland Terminal Railroad (PTRC) is a jointterminal railroad of the UPRR and the BNSF, which operates several key rail lines, as well as the Guilds Lake Yard, within the city of Portland. The PTRR facilitates interchange between the two Class 1 railroads; each railways' trains are considered "home" while on PTRC trackage. [cite web|url=http://www.uprr.com/customers/shortline/lines/ptr.shtml|publisher=Union Pacific Railroad|title=Portland Terminal Railroad Company PTRC #649|accessdate=2007-10-05]hort lines in Oregon
In addition to the two Class 1 carriers, there are numerous short line operators in the state of Oregon, with miles of trackage. Many places in Oregon, such as Washington, Yamhill, Polk, and Benton counties in the Willamette Valley; numerous communities in the Cascade foothills, the
Oregon Coast , all of Southwestern Oregon, and theWallowa Mountains , are not reachable via the Class 1 mainlines.Short line operators include: [cite web
url=http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/RAIL/docs/April2006Oregonrailroads.pdf
title=Railroads operating in Oregon|publisher=Oregon Department of Transportation ]*
Albany and Eastern Railroad . This railway provides service to Albany, Lebanon, and Sweet Home. [cite web|url=http://www.albanyeastern.com|title=Albany Eastern homepage]
*Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad (CORP), a subsidiary ofRailAmerica , provides service to Southwestern Oregon and northwesternCalifornia . Main line is former SP line overSiskiyou Pass between Eugene andWeed, California ; cities served include Eugene, Cottage Grove, Roseburg, Grants Pass, Medford, and Ashland. Until September 2007, operated a second line from Eugene to Coquille via Florence, Reedsport, and Coos Bay. However, this latter line has been closed. [www.railamerica.com/railmaps/CORP.htm]
*City of Prineville Railway . Connects the BNSF mainline in Redmond with the city of Prineville. [cite web
url=http://www.cityofprinevillerailway.com|title=City of Prineville Railway homepage]
*Hampton Railway . Serves the Hampton lumber mill inFort Hill, Oregon ; interchanges with the PNWR in Willamina.
*Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad (INPR). Runs from the UPRR mainline in LaGrande to Elgin. [ [http://www.rgpc.com/inprgeneralinformation.htm Untitled Document ] ]
*Klamath Northern . Operates a 10.6 mile (17 km) branch line in Central Oregon, connecting Gilchrest to the UPRR mainline. [cite web|url=http://www.uprr.com/customers/shortline/lines/kno.shtml|title=UP Customers: Short-line railroads: Klamath Northern Railway|publisher=Union Pacific Railroad|accessdate=2007-10-05]
*Modoc Northern Railroad . Serves Central Oregon and northern California; in particular the Oregon cities of Klamath Falls and Lakeview. [cite web|url=http://www.modocnorthern.com|title=Modoc Northern homepage]
*Mount Hood Railroad (MHRR). Connects Hood River with Parkdale. Primarily an excursion railway, but does handle some freight. [http://www.mthoodrr.com Mount Hood Railroad homepage]
*Oregon Pacific Railroad . Operates two branch lines off the UPRR mainline, one serving the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland; the other connecting Liberal to the mainline in Canby.
*Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad (PCC). Operates two branch lines in the state, one from Arlington to Shutler; the other fromWalla Walla, Washington to Milton-Freewater and Weston.
*Peninsula Terminal Company (PTRR). Serves terminal operations in north Portland.
*Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad (POTB). Operates between Tillamook and the Portland metropolitan area, interchanges with the PNWR in Washington County. [http://www/potb.org Port of Tillamook Bay website]
*Portland and Western Railroad (PNWR)/Willamette and Pacific Railroad (WPRR). Provides service to much of northwestern Oregon, including the lower Columbia River (Astoria, Rainier, St. Helens), Portland's western suburbs (Beaverton, Hillsboro, Forest Grove, Tigard, Lake Oswego, Tualatin, Sherwood, and Wilsonville), much of the Willamette Valley (Newberg, McMinnville, Salem, Albany, Eugene, Corvallis), and the coastal city of Toledo. [ [http://www.gwrr.com Genesee & Wyoming ] ]
*Wallowa Union Railroad Authority . Runs between the INPR in Elgin, and Enterprise.
*WCTU Railway . Provides service to White City.
*Willamette Valley Railway . Runs from the UPRR mainline in Woodburn to Stayton, serving the cities of Mt. Angel and Silverton.
*Wyoming and Colorado Railroad . Runs from the UPRR mainline in Ontario to Vale and Celatom.Passenger Rail
Rail is also used in the state to provide both long-haul passenger service, as well as commuter and intra-urban transit, and excursion trains.
Amtrak
Long-haul passenger service is provided by
Amtrak , which operates in Oregon on the north-south Union Pacific mainline south of Portland, and on BNSF tracks into Washington to the north and east. Three Amtrak routes provide service to Oregon:* The
Coast Starlight , running fromSeattle, Washington toLos Angeles, California provides service to Portland, Salem, Albany, Eugene, Chemult, and Klamath Falls. [cite web|url=http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Route/Vertical_Route_Page&c=am2Route&cid=1081256321841&ssid=135
title=Coast Starlight|publisher=Amtrak|accessdate=2007-10-05]
* TheAmtrak Cascades , running fromVancouver, BC to Eugene, serves Portland, Oregon City, Salem, Albany, and Eugene. [cite web
url=http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Route/Vertical_Route_Page&c=am2Route&cid=1080842092705&ssid=135
title=Amtrak Cascades
publisher=Amtrak|accessdate=2007-10-05]
* TheEmpire Builder , running from Portland toChicago, Illinois , provides service to Portland. Immediately after departing Portland, the train crosses into Washington, and does not serve any other Oregon community. [cite web
url=http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Route/Horizontal_Route_Page&c=am2Route&cid=1081256321887&ssid=135
title=Empire Builder|publisher=Amtrak|accessdate=2007-10-05]In Portland, the Amtrak depot is Union Station, located in downtown. Active Amtrak depots are also located in Oregon City, Salem, Albany, Eugene, Chemult, and Klamath Falls.
Transit and commuter rail
Rail transit is a key part of the local and regional transportation network in Portland and its surrounding communities. Two electric rail systems presently provide transit service, and adiesel -poweredcommuter rail system is under construction in nearby Washington County.
* TheMAX Light Rail system, a 44.3 mi (71.3 km)light rail system operated byTri-Met (the transit authority for the Portland area), presently serves the cities of Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, andGresham on three separate lines. TheMAX Blue Line opened in 1986, with service between Gresham and downtown Portland. An extension to this line opened in 1998, providing service to Beaverton and Hillsboro. TheMAX Red Line opened in 2001, providing service toPortland International Airport , and theMAX Yellow Line opened in 2004, with service to north Portland. A fourth line is under construction which will provide service to Clackamas; in the future, service will be extended to Milwaukie [cite web|url=http://www.metro-region.org/article.cfm?articleid=223|title=South Corridor Phase II: Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project|publisher=Metro|accessdate=2007-10-05] , and perhaps eventually to Oregon City andVancouver, Washington .* The
Portland Streetcar is an electric-poweredstreetcar system which presently serves inner westside and downtown Portland. It runs between the Northwest district and theSouth Waterfront district, also providing service to thePearl District ,Portland State University , andOregon Health and Science University . Unlike MAX, which primarily runs in its own right-of-way; the streetcar shares most of its right-of-way with vehicular traffic. The streetcar interchanges with both the MAX system and thePortland Aerial Tram . [cite web|url=http://www.portlandstreetcar.org/|title=Portland Streetcar|accessdate=2007-10-05]* The
Westside Express Service is a 14.7 mi (23.6 km) diesel-poweredcommuter rail system which will run between the cities of Beaverton and Wilsonville on existing freight trackage. It will also serve the cities of Tigard and Tualatin, and will interchange with MAX at the Beaverton Transit Center. The system is presently under construction and will open in 2008 [cite web | title = About the Commuter Rail Project | publisher = Trimet | url = http://www.trimet.org/commuterrail/project.htm#Timeline ] [cite web| url=http://www.trimet.org/pdfs/commuterrail/wccrfactsheet.pdf| format=PDF| title=Project Fact Sheet| date=2007-08-16 | author=Trimet | accessdate=2007-08-16] .Tourist railways
Numerous tourist and excursion, and
heritage railway s operate in the state of Oregon. Among them are:* The
Mount Hood Railroad provides excursion trains between the cities of Hood River and Parkdale. [cite web|url=http://www.mthoodrr.com/|title=Mt. Hood Railroad] The railroad also provides limited freight service.
* TheWillamette Shore Trolley operates between Portland and Lake Oswego.
* TheWashington Park and Zoo Railroad is anarrow-gauge railroad in Portland's Washington Park which takes passengers around the grounds of theOregon Zoo , with an additional stop near the parks'sInternational Rose Test Garden andPortland Japanese Garden . A zoo admission is required to ride the train. [cite web|url=http://www.oregonzoo.org/AboutZoo/train.htm|title=Washington Park and Zoo Railway|publisher=Metro|accessdate=2007-10-05]
* TheSumpter Valley Railway , a steam-powered heritage railway between theEastern Oregon towns of Sumpter and McEwen. [ cite web
url = http://www.svry.com
title = Sumpter Valley Railway homepage ]References
External links
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