Willamette Valley (train)
Encyclopedia
The Willamette Valley was a passenger train operated by Amtrak
between Portland, Oregon
and Eugene, Oregon
. The name came from the Willamette Valley
region which the train ran through. Amtrak introduced the train on August 3, 1980 with support from the state of Oregon
. The new twice-daily service supplemented the long-distance Coast Starlight
and added stops at Milwaukie
and Woodburn
. The Willamette Valley carried a cafe car and unreserved coaches. The initial trial run was slated to last until June 30, 1981. In July 1981 the federal government approved funding to continue the trains through 1984 provided that Oregon continued to pay one-third of the subsidy. In early August state legislature approved additional funds to keep the trains running through the end of 1982 amid concerns over a fare hike and falling ridership. Amtrak discontinued the Willamette Valley at the end of the year after Oregon declined to continue funding the trains.
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
between 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...
and Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
. The name came from the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
region which the train ran through. Amtrak introduced the train on August 3, 1980 with support from the state of 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...
. The new twice-daily service supplemented the long-distance Coast Starlight
Coast Starlight
The Coast Starlight is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States. It runs from King Street Station in Seattle, Washington, to Union Station in Los Angeles, California. The train's name was formed as a merging of two of Southern Pacific's train names, the Coast...
and added stops at Milwaukie
Milwaukie, Oregon
Milwaukie is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. A very small portion of the city extends into Multnomah County. The population was 20,291 at the 2010 census. Founded in 1848 on the banks of the Willamette River, the city, known as the Dogwood City of the West, was incorporated in...
and Woodburn
Woodburn, Oregon
Woodburn is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. Incorporated in 1889, the community had been platted in 1871 after the arrival of the railroad. The city is located in the northern end of the Willamette Valley along Interstate 5 between Portland and Salem...
. The Willamette Valley carried a cafe car and unreserved coaches. The initial trial run was slated to last until June 30, 1981. In July 1981 the federal government approved funding to continue the trains through 1984 provided that Oregon continued to pay one-third of the subsidy. In early August state legislature approved additional funds to keep the trains running through the end of 1982 amid concerns over a fare hike and falling ridership. Amtrak discontinued the Willamette Valley at the end of the year after Oregon declined to continue funding the trains.