History of rail in Oregon facts for kids
Did you know that Oregon had railroads even before the famous transcontinental railroad was finished in 1869? The story of trains in Oregon is quite old!
During the American Civil War, Oregon was on the side of the Union states. People thought building a railroad would help send supplies and make everyone feel more hopeful.
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Early Ideas for Oregon's Railroads
Many people had big dreams for railroads in Oregon. They wanted to connect Oregon to the rest of the country.
First Plans for Train Tracks
Byron J. Pengra was a government surveyor in Oregon from 1862 to 1865. In 1864, he got land from the government to build a road. He then suggested building a railroad along this road. This railroad would go from Eugene to Owyhee. His idea was to connect it to the transcontinental railroad in Winnemucca, Nevada. Pengra started a company in 1867, but he couldn't find enough money to build the railroad.
William W. Chapman was another surveyor general in Oregon. He suggested a railroad that would follow the historic Oregon Trail. This line would go from Portland, over the Blue Mountains. Then it would follow the Snake River south to Salt Lake City. Chapman started his own railroad company in 1881. He tried to get money for it in the eastern United States and even in England.
Why Early Railroad Plans Failed
Both Pengra and Chapman's plans faced problems. A big financial scandal in 1872, called the Crédit Mobilier of America scandal, made it very hard to get money for new railroads.
Other groups also surveyed routes for railroads. These included the Union Pacific company. One early attempt was the Walla Walla and Columbia River Railroad. It was built in 1868 and used wooden rails. It also involved carrying goods overland in some places.
Henry Villard and Major Railroad Connections
Henry Villard became a very important person in Oregon's railroad history. German investors sent him to look after their money in the Oregon and California Railroad Company. Soon, he was the main leader in building railroads in the region.
In 1879, Villard bought two big shipping companies. He combined them to create the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company (OR&N). This new company was very powerful.
The Union Pacific Railroad and Central Pacific Railroad owned different parts of the Transcontinental Railroad. They didn't always get along. Villard offered Union Pacific a deal in 1879. He suggested they work together instead of using the Central Pacific line. Union Pacific was already building a line that could connect to Villard's OR&N. But Central Pacific threatened Union Pacific, and the deal stopped.
Connecting Oregon to the Nation
In 1880, Villard made a deal with the Northern Pacific railroad. This agreement finally gave Portland access to the transcontinental rail lines. By 1881, there was a lot of activity in the Pacific Northwest. Union Pacific became interested in Villard's idea again.
Union Pacific built the Oregon Short Line. This line connected Granger, Wyoming to Villard's OR&N lines in Huntington, Oregon. They joined on November 11, 1884. Now, Union Pacific and Northern Pacific were direct rivals! This competition led Northern Pacific to build its own line all the way to the coast in Tacoma, Washington.
Union Pacific's Oregon Short Line leased Villard's OR&N lines starting in 1887. Union Pacific then bought OR&N completely in 1889.
Railroad Lines That Were Planned But Not Finished
Many railroad lines were planned in Oregon. Some were even partly built, but they were never completed. Here are a few examples:
Northeast Oregon Railroad Dreams
- Union, Cornucopia and Eastern Railway (UCE): This line was planned to connect Union, Oregon with mines near Cornucopia. It needed $3 million to be built.
- Union, Cove and Valley Railway: This company planned to use the UCE station in Union to reach Cove.
- Union, Cornucopia and Eastern Transportation Company: This company planned to build on the same route as the UCE. It started in November 1898 with $3.5 million. It even had a Chinese-American director, which was very unusual back then.
- Oregon Washington Railroad Company: This company planned a line from Weston across the Blue Mountains to Boise. It was bought in 1891 but never finished. This was partly because of a financial crisis called the Panic of 1893.
Completed Railroad Lines in Oregon
Not all railroad plans failed. Some lines were successfully built and used.
The Central Railway of Oregon
The Central Railway of Oregon bought existing train lines near Union, Oregon. In 1906, they built an extension from Union to Cove. The company went bankrupt in 1909. But it quickly reformed as the Central Railroad of Oregon that same year.
In 1910, they surveyed lines across the Blue Mountains. They actually built a 4-mile (6.4 km) line from Richmond to the Hot Lake Hotel. In 1912, this railroad carried over 33,000 passengers and 18,000 tons of goods! However, it went out of business in 1924. Most of its tracks were removed. Only the Union-Union Junction part remained. This section was taken over by the Union Railroad of Oregon and was used until at least the 1970s. It was especially important for the Ronde Valley Lumber Company.
