Before automobiles took over transportation throughout the United States, railroads reigned supreme. Before trucks used interstates, highways, and county roads to transport goods cross-country, there were trains.
This was just as true in Oregon as anywhere else. In fact there were railroads in Oregon in the 1850’s. These mule-powered tramways were often used in the logging industry to move timber.
In 1861, steam-powered trains arrived in Oregon. The first was a five mile stretch of the Oregon Portage Railroad, from Tanner Creek to the Cascade Rapids. The first locomotive was called the Oregon Pony.
Gradually, the southern Pacific Railroad took over operations of most of the rails in Oregon. For a time, Southern Pacific was well known for through service linking California and Washington State. The SP also had many side branches to smaller communities and was very important for the timber industry along the Oregon coast.
Nowadays, scenic trains for tourists run along sections of the Oregon coast. One such is the Rockaway Beach to Garibaldi round trip route. The outbound leg of the trip is about 30 minutes and offers magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean, sandy beaches, and rocky cliffs along the way. At the Garibaldi station there are several vintage trains cars and engines to view, and time to catch a great fish and chips lunch at a nearby food truck before the return trip.
Train travel has lost some of its importance over the years and is no longer the most important way to move goods or people. However, the lure of the steam engine, the clacking of wheels on rails, the conductors’ call of ‘all aboard, still bring a sense of adventure. Whenever I hear a distant train whistle, I want to climb on board and see where the journey will take me.
BRIC-A-BRAC 