• Oregon Electric

  • This forum is for discussion of "Fallen Flag" roads not otherwise provided with a specific forum. Fallen Flags are roads that no longer operate, went bankrupt, or were acquired or merged out of existence.
This forum is for discussion of "Fallen Flag" roads not otherwise provided with a specific forum. Fallen Flags are roads that no longer operate, went bankrupt, or were acquired or merged out of existence.

Moderator: Nicolai3985

  by MR77100
 
I have only heard of this line because the North Shore locomotives 50 and 51 from them in 1947. I heard that it went diesel and the BN bought them. Then I read in a magazine that the trackage is being used for a light rail system. That is all I know about the Oregon Electric, so can anyone fill me in?
  by exnewyorker
 
I suggest u check w/ your library or a hobby shop or bookstore featuring rail books; look for: The Northwests Own Railway, Vol. 2 by Walter R Grande. It features almost 100 pages on the Oregon Electric. If u are into model railroads, go Precision Scale's website, they are proposing to build brass models in both O and HO of OE cars. Their models are lost wax castings made in Korea, very high quality.

  by Rich T
 
Some original Portland Traction right of way has been converted to light rail, not Oregon Electric.

  by exnewyorker
 
The west side light rail in Portland area is on the old Oregon Electric Forest Grove branch r/way from Beaverton to Hillsboro.

  by Rich T
 
Time for me to make another trip to Oregon as I haven been there for several years. Does this line retain any of the earlier interurban characteristics?

  by kitsune
 
The OE began in the early part of the 20th century, and eventually served a corridor sstretching from Portland to Eugene, with a major branch to Hillsboro and Forest Grove, and to Lebanon & Sweet Home. The TriMet MAX blue line uses the Forrest Grove branch between Hillsboro and Beaverton.

The remaining operating portions of the OE are run by Portland & Western, and are very interurban like. They include stretches of street trackage, roller-coaster (but tangent) r-o-w, and numerous abandoned substations.