Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad (POTB) is a 94.4 miles (151.9 km) shortline railroad
in northwestern Oregon
, United States
. Purchased from the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in 1990 by the Port of Tillamook Bay, the railroad was used to transport lumber and agricultural products over the Coast Range between the Oregon Coast
and Portland
and its suburbs until heavily damaged in a 2007 storm. The Port of Tillamook Bay began operating the unincorporated railroad on March 27, 1986, but the tracks were originally constructed by Oregon judge George R. Bagley
and others in 1906. The railroad's main line is between Hillsboro
and Tillamook
. The general manager of this line is Michele Bradley.
In 1996, another storm heavily damaged the Hillsboro–Tillamook line. A length of about 7 miles (11.3 km) of line was "nearly completely destroyed", with two bridges washed out and "boulders the size of cars" washed through one of the line's tunnels by flooding on the Salmonberry River
. A preliminary estimate of the damage, given by the Oregon Department of Transportation
, was $5 million. In March, Oregon governor John Kitzhaber
was convinced that repairing the railroad would not harm steelhead
runs and permitted repairs to continue through the end of the month. But in June, Kitzhaber determined that the Port of Tillamook Bay had violated state environmental laws by eroding the steep terrain in the Coast Range. The state became more concerned about the repairs' effect on steelhead.
During a storm on December 2 and 3, 2007, known as the Great Coastal Gale
, the railroad was again significantly damaged in the Salmonberry Canyon area. Tillamook County
logging companies faced increased costs because they had to transport timber via roadways. The cost of repairs to the railroad was first estimated at $20 million. Fisheries groups suggested permanently abandoning the railroad once the cost estimate was revised to $57.3 million, because they thought "that economically, the railroad is not viable, and environmentally, rebuilding it would affect fish runs already hammered by last winter's storms". Workers began assessing the damage in February 2008 in snowy, rugged terrain, and found that the high Salmonberry River had eroded steep embankments, leading to the collapse of trestles and bridges and to the damage of tunnels. Later that year, they hiked as many as 18 miles (29 km) each day to the canyon to further assess the damage. The port opted to not repair the damaged track over the mountains, but still owns more than 101 miles (162.5 km) of railroad right-of-way, including main line, spurs, and sidings. The port also leases a 3.5 miles (5.6 km) section of track from Banks
to Hillsboro to the Portland and Western Railroad
, and maintains the coastal portion of the line used by the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad.
s on a portion of POTB track from Garibaldi
to Wheeler
as well as summer excursions to Rockaway Beach. As of 2011, OCSR was negotiating a contract with the port commission to perform track maintenance in exchange for controlling the scheduling along the portion of the line. There is disagreement between the port authority and OCSR about the percentage of ticket revenues to be paid to POTB. OCSR wanted an agreement with POTB as assurance that if the scenic railroad invests $30,000 to $40,000 in a building to house a new, larger train engine, that the tracks would not be used for another purpose. Meanwhile the port commission said it had received an offer of more than $4 million to sell the railroad for scrap, an amount that would pay off the nearly $1.7 million in debts the port has accrued on the railroad. A former port commissioner speaking on behalf of OCSR believed, however, that the port would have trouble gaining federal approval to completely abandon the rail line. Negotiations between POTB and OCSR are ongoing.
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...
in northwestern 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Purchased from the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in 1990 by the Port of Tillamook Bay, the railroad was used to transport lumber and agricultural products over the Coast Range between the Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
The Oregon Coast is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon. It runs generally north-south along the Pacific Ocean, forming the western border of the state; the region is bounded to the east by the Oregon Coast Range. The Oregon Coast stretches approximately from the Columbia River in the north to...
and Portland
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...
and its suburbs until heavily damaged in a 2007 storm. The Port of Tillamook Bay began operating the unincorporated railroad on March 27, 1986, but the tracks were originally constructed by Oregon judge George R. Bagley
George R. Bagley
George Robert Bagley was an American attorney and jurist in the state of Oregon. A native of Ohio, he was raised in Washington County, Oregon, where he practiced law and served as a circuit court judge for nearly 25 years...
and others in 1906. The railroad's main line is between Hillsboro
Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
and Tillamook
Tillamook, Oregon
The city of Tillamook is the county seat of Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. The city is located on the southeast end of Tillamook Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The population was 4,352 at the 2000 census...
. The general manager of this line is Michele Bradley.
Storms
In January 1990, the railroad was significantly damaged by a storm, and the cost of repairs was about $1.3 million, exceeding the costs of all other repairs in the area. In February 1990, after having leased the railroad, the Port of Tillamook Bay purchased the railroad from the Southern Pacific Transportation Company for nearly $2.9 million.In 1996, another storm heavily damaged the Hillsboro–Tillamook line. A length of about 7 miles (11.3 km) of line was "nearly completely destroyed", with two bridges washed out and "boulders the size of cars" washed through one of the line's tunnels by flooding on the Salmonberry River
Salmonberry River
The Salmonberry River is a tributary of the Nehalem River, approximately 20 mi long, in northwest Oregon in the United States. It drains a remote unpopulated area of the Northern Oregon Coast Range in the Tillamook State Forest approximately 65 mi WNW of Portland...
. A preliminary estimate of the damage, given by the Oregon Department of Transportation
Oregon Department of Transportation
The Oregon Department of Transportation is a department of the state government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for systems of transportation. It was first established in 1969. It had been preceded by the Oregon State Highway Department which, along with the Oregon State Highway...
, was $5 million. In March, Oregon governor John Kitzhaber
John Kitzhaber
John Albert Kitzhaber is the 37th Governor of Oregon. He served as the 35th Governor of Oregon from 1995 to 2003 and became the first person to be elected to the office three times when he was re-elected to a non-consecutive third term in 2010...
was convinced that repairing the railroad would not harm steelhead
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
runs and permitted repairs to continue through the end of the month. But in June, Kitzhaber determined that the Port of Tillamook Bay had violated state environmental laws by eroding the steep terrain in the Coast Range. The state became more concerned about the repairs' effect on steelhead.
During a storm on December 2 and 3, 2007, known as the Great Coastal Gale
Great Coastal Gale of 2007
The Great Coastal Gale of 2007 was a series of powerful Pacific storms that affected the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia between December 1, 2007 and December 3, 2007....
, the railroad was again significantly damaged in the Salmonberry Canyon area. Tillamook County
Tillamook County, Oregon
Tillamook County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for the Tillamook, a Native American tribe who were living in the area in the early 19th century at the time of European American settlement. In 2010, the county's population was 25,250...
logging companies faced increased costs because they had to transport timber via roadways. The cost of repairs to the railroad was first estimated at $20 million. Fisheries groups suggested permanently abandoning the railroad once the cost estimate was revised to $57.3 million, because they thought "that economically, the railroad is not viable, and environmentally, rebuilding it would affect fish runs already hammered by last winter's storms". Workers began assessing the damage in February 2008 in snowy, rugged terrain, and found that the high Salmonberry River had eroded steep embankments, leading to the collapse of trestles and bridges and to the damage of tunnels. Later that year, they hiked as many as 18 miles (29 km) each day to the canyon to further assess the damage. The port opted to not repair the damaged track over the mountains, but still owns more than 101 miles (162.5 km) of railroad right-of-way, including main line, spurs, and sidings. The port also leases a 3.5 miles (5.6 km) section of track from Banks
Banks, Oregon
Banks is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,777 at the 2010 census. The community was named for settler Robert Banks and his father, John Banks.-Geography:...
to Hillsboro to the Portland and Western Railroad
Portland and Western Railroad
The Portland and Western Railroad is a Class II railroad serving the U.S. state of Oregon, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of shortline and regional railroad holding company Genesee & Wyoming Inc...
, and maintains the coastal portion of the line used by the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad.
Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad
The Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad (OCSR), a non-profit museum group, operates a heritage railroad in conjunction with the POTB that runs dinner trainDinner train
A dinner train is a relatively new type of passenger train service whose main purpose is to allow people to eat dinner while experiencing a relatively short, leisurely round trip train ride...
s on a portion of POTB track from Garibaldi
Garibaldi, Oregon
Garibaldi is a city in Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. The population was 895 in 2007 according to Portland State University.-History:...
to Wheeler
Wheeler, Oregon
Wheeler is a city in Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. The population was 391 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
as well as summer excursions to Rockaway Beach. As of 2011, OCSR was negotiating a contract with the port commission to perform track maintenance in exchange for controlling the scheduling along the portion of the line. There is disagreement between the port authority and OCSR about the percentage of ticket revenues to be paid to POTB. OCSR wanted an agreement with POTB as assurance that if the scenic railroad invests $30,000 to $40,000 in a building to house a new, larger train engine, that the tracks would not be used for another purpose. Meanwhile the port commission said it had received an offer of more than $4 million to sell the railroad for scrap, an amount that would pay off the nearly $1.7 million in debts the port has accrued on the railroad. A former port commissioner speaking on behalf of OCSR believed, however, that the port would have trouble gaining federal approval to completely abandon the rail line. Negotiations between POTB and OCSR are ongoing.
External links
- Photos of the railroad from Flickr