Oregon Electric Railway

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Oregon Electric train passing through Albany, Oregon Oregon Electric train passing through Albany, Oregon (3230126720).jpg
Oregon Electric train passing through Albany, Oregon
Oregon Electric express, mail and baggage car, c. 1913 Oregon Electric Car (1913) (14574753358).jpg
Oregon Electric express, mail and baggage car, c.1913

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. [1] 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. [2] Passenger service was cut back to Front and Jefferson streets the following day, and OE moved its ticket office to that location. [3] The tracks along 10th and Salmon streets were abandoned and soon removed. [4] Regular passenger service in the Willamette Valley ended in May 1933.

Freight operations continued and the railway survived into the 1990s, [5] ultimately as a Burlington Northern feeder. Operation as an electric railroad ended July 10, 1945. 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 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. [6] 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). [6]

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 Garden Home Railway Depot circa 1911 (Beaverton, Oregon Historical Photo Gallery) (245).jpg
Garden Home Railway Depot c.1911
Oregon Electric Railroad Depot in Beaverton, Oregon Oregon Electric Railroad Depot, Beaverton, Oregon (Beaverton, Oregon Historical Photo Gallery) (210).jpg
Oregon Electric Railroad Depot in Beaverton, Oregon
Beaverton Depot, c. 1911 Beaverton Depot for Oregon Electric Railway (Beaverton, Oregon Historical Photo Gallery) (247).jpg
Beaverton Depot, c.1911
The interior of an Oregon Electric Railway train Oregon Electric Railway (Beaverton, Oregon Historical Photo Gallery) (243).jpg
The interior of an Oregon Electric Railway train

Main line

In order from north to south

United Railways line

In order from west to east

Dispatcher's table at the Portland Terminal Depot Dispatcher table of Oregon Electric Railway.jpg
Dispatcher's table at the Portland Terminal Depot

Forest Grove line

In order from west to east

Map of telephony lines of the Oregon Electric Railway Map of telephony lines of Oregon Electric Railway.jpg
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. Remnants of Oregon Electric Railway (Eugene, Oregon).jpg
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.

See also

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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. Thompson, Richard (2008). Willamette Valley Railways. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 29, 42. ISBN   978-0-7385-5601-7.
  6. 1 2 Esteve, Harry (July 25, 2009). "Oregon bids big for faster trains". The Oregonian .
  7. John, Finn J. D. (March 25, 2009). "Oregon Electric line -- state's past and future?". Offbeat Oregon History. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  8. Marco's Café: About
  9. "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