Mount Hood Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Mount Hood Railroad is a heritage
and shortline
freight railroad located in Hood River, Oregon
, 60 miles (97 km) east of Portland, Oregon
, United States
.
The majority of the railroad's revenue is generated from passenger excursions although a few small freight shippers remain that generate several carloads of traffic per week.
, Oregon
, where the line interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad. The line starts out parallel to the Hood River for the first 3 miles (4.8 km) until it reaches a switchback
. Switchbacks used to be common, but this is now only one of five remaining railroad switchbacks in use in the United States. After the trains reverse direction at the switchback, the line continues south through the communities of Pine Grove
, Odell
, and Dee
before reaching the southern end of the line at Parkdale
. The total length of the line is just over 21 miles (34 km).
The MHRR roster also includes one excursion passenger train which consists of two closed coaches, one snack car, one open air coach, and a caboose. There is also a dinner train, which consists of four cars configured in dining seating arrangements. The railroad's new owners added a full-length dome lounge
car in 2008. This is a former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe car originally built by the Budd Company
in 1954.
.
Today the railroad offers four-hour scenic tours through the Hood River Valley and narrated historic excursion train tours, as well as special events. There are views of Mount Hood
and Mount Adams
along with the surrounding orchards and farmland of the Hood River Valley.
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
and shortline
Shortline railroad
A shortline railroad is a small or mid-sized railroad company that operates over a relatively short distance relative to larger, national railroad networks. The term is used primarily in the USA and Canada...
freight railroad located in Hood River, Oregon
Hood River, Oregon
The city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,831...
, 60 miles (97 km) east of Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The majority of the railroad's revenue is generated from passenger excursions although a few small freight shippers remain that generate several carloads of traffic per week.
MHRR trackage
The northern terminus of the Mount Hood Railroad is at Hood RiverHood River, Oregon
The city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,831...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, where the line interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad. The line starts out parallel to the Hood River for the first 3 miles (4.8 km) until it reaches a switchback
Zig Zag (railway)
A railway zig zag, also called a switchback, is a way of climbing hills in difficult country with a minimal need for tunnels and heavy earthworks. For a short distance , the direction of travel is reversed, before the original direction is resumed.A location on railways constructed e.g...
. Switchbacks used to be common, but this is now only one of five remaining railroad switchbacks in use in the United States. After the trains reverse direction at the switchback, the line continues south through the communities of Pine Grove
Pine Grove, Hood River County, Oregon
Pine Grove is an unincorporated community in Hood River County, Oregon, United States on Oregon Route 35 in the middle Hood River Valley near Neal Creek. It is about five miles south of the city of Hood River and has a Hood River ZIP code.-History:...
, Odell
Odell, Oregon
Odell is an unincorporated community in Hood River County, Oregon, United States. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Odell as a census-designated place . The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the...
, and Dee
Dee, Oregon
Dee is an unincorporated community and former company town in Hood River County, Oregon, United States, on Oregon Route 281, about 11 miles south of Hood River.-History:...
before reaching the southern end of the line at Parkdale
Parkdale, Oregon
Parkdale is an unincorporated community in Hood River County, Oregon, United States. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Parkdale as a census-designated place . The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with...
. The total length of the line is just over 21 miles (34 km).
Locomotives and equipment
The Mount Hood Railroad currently has three locomotives on its roster:- MHRR 02 - EMD GP38-2EMD GP38-2An EMD GP38-2 is a four-axle diesel-electric locomotive of the road switcher type built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division. Part of the EMD Dash 2 line, the GP38-2 was an upgraded version of the earlier GP38...
(ex-CR/PC 7796, ex-PCN 16) - MHRR 88 - EMD GP9EMD GP9An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including...
(ex-SP 3885) - MHRR 89 - EMD GP9EMD GP9An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including...
(built 9/59, ex-MILW 306, ex-MNVA 306)
The MHRR roster also includes one excursion passenger train which consists of two closed coaches, one snack car, one open air coach, and a caboose. There is also a dinner train, which consists of four cars configured in dining seating arrangements. The railroad's new owners added a full-length dome lounge
Dome lounge
A dome lounge is a type of domed railroad passenger car that includes lounge, cafe, dining or other space on the upper level or both levels of the car. Examples include both short and full...
car in 2008. This is a former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe car originally built by the Budd Company
Budd Company
The Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century....
in 1954.
History
The line south out of Hood River was first built in 1906, extending as far as Dee. In 1909 the line was extended to the present-day end of track at Parkdale. The Union Pacific acquired the line in 1968 and operated it with the primary customers being fruit shippers and the lumber operation at Dee. As local industries switched to truck-based transportation for their goods, carloads on the line dwindled and the Union Pacific proposed abandoning the line. In 1987 a group of local investors purchased the railroad from Union Pacific and began to offer passenger excursions to augment the freight business. The line was sold again in 2008 to Permian Basin Railways, a subsidiary of Chicago-based Iowa Pacific HoldingsIowa Pacific Holdings
Iowa Pacific Holdings is a holding company that owns railroad properties across North America and the United Kingdom, as well as providing services such as railcar repairs and leasing and management and consulting services to other operators...
.
Today the railroad offers four-hour scenic tours through the Hood River Valley and narrated historic excursion train tours, as well as special events. There are views of Mount Hood
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. It was formed by a subduction zone and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States...
and Mount Adams
Mount Adams
Mount Adams may refer to any of several mountains in the United States, and one each in Australia, Antarctica and New Zealand:* Mount Adams * Mount Adams, New Zealand* Mount Adams...
along with the surrounding orchards and farmland of the Hood River Valley.
External links
- Mount Hood Railroad
- Information, maps and pictures related to Mount Hood Railway and Power Company from PDX History
- Information on the Mount Hood Railroad from Union Pacific
- Information on an extant piece of Mount Hood Railway and Power Company equipment from trainweb.org