Announcing the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation. The ORHF is an umbrella organization whose mission is to secure a permanent home for the many significant pieces of railroad history in the Oregon region, most notably the three steam locomotives owned by the City of Portland and possibly some very well-known diesels. Read the press release and find out more at http://www.orhf.org

The website is not fully complete yet, but will be quite soon. Thank you all for your interest.
Announcing the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation. The ORHF is an umbrella organization whose mission is to secure a permanent home for the many significant pieces of railroad history in the Oregon region, most notably the three steam locomotives owned by the City of Portland and possibly some very well-known diesels. Read the press release and find out more at http://www.orhf.org

The website is not fully complete yet, but will be quite soon. Thank you all for your interest.


Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation
webmaster@orhf.org

Just realized that I hit "paste" one too many times. Oh well. Also, the press release has been revised to its final draft on the website.

ORHF Press Release
webmaster@orhf.org

Best wishes.

Any chance you can get the folks with the engine kit in Astoria to join in?

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

> Best wishes.

> Any chance you can get the folks with the
> engine kit in Astoria to join in?

> Dave

Dave,

Thanks for thinking of us down here in Astoria. Astoria Railroad Preservation AssociationÂ’s (ARPA) project can be view at www.astoriarr.org. Pictures of recent work can be found at http://www.astoriarr.org/news/index.html I try to add a picture every week or two. Most recently we were welding on the new backhead.

I last talked with the folks from ORHF last March on the 4449 trip to Bend. ORHF knows of our plans and has been keeping us abreast of theirs. ARPA sees a few items that we would be able to collaborate on. ODOT has found funding to bring the A-line out of exempt status and plans on sponsoring regular passenger service to Astoria during the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial and beyond if ridership warrants. In addition ARPA plans to run steam powered excursions. Astoria would be an ideal destination for other steam trips from Portland by members of the ORHF.

ARPA will need to lease passenger cars for our operations and would rather keep the money in the area.
The Brooklyn yard roundhouse is already full, a new roundhouse most likely fill up quickly. Space begets stuff. Just as the users at Brooklyn wouldnÂ’t like to travel to far ARPA members need a building close by.

Martin Adams
Secretary ARPA



ARPA web site

info@astoriarr.org

As Martin said, the Astoria group is aware of what we're doing. At some point we will have a joint event, you can be sure of that! The one thing the Astoria group "needs" is a 100 foot turntable so we can bring the big stuff up there sometime!

Dave "Smokebox" Brown

treasurer, ORHF

"orf dot org"

Does the Astoria group have a website? I'd like to know more about their plans. This was on the end of an SP&S branch right? Wasn't that (as the Portland, Astoria & Pacific) where Valley RR's No. 40 and its sister 2-8-2 in BC started out? The ex-Santa Maria Valley 2-8-2 now at Astoria, though a Baldwin, is similar in size and appearance to those engines.


ryarger@rypn.org

Our website is www.astoriarr.org.

We plan to offer day trips and dinner trains out of Astoria along the Columbia River when restoration of #21 is complete.

A turntable, not only for Smokebox and the big guys in Portland, but for us, is in our thoughts and plans.

Astoria Railroad Preservation Association

jnewenhf@pacifier.com

I guess it doesn't have to be 100' long, it just "needs" to be able to turn a Harriman Light Pacific!

Smokebox

"orhf dot org"

Niice backhead guys. Where did you get the door flanging done?

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

> I guess it doesn't have to be 100' long, it
> just "needs" to be able to turn a
> Harriman Light Pacific!

> Smokebox

#21 is a 2-8-2

Martin Adams


ARPA web site

info@astoriarr.org

> Niice backhead guys. Where did you get the
> door flanging done?

> Dave

We did it right next to the boiler. Lots of heat and wood faced hammers. Go through the pictures of the work shots on the web site link below to see some of the steps.

ARPA web site

info@astoriarr.org

Martin,

I think Smokebox is referring to the OR&N 197 being restored at Brooklyn. An engine her size would be just right for trips up branchlines and such.

Thanks, Taylor

Sumpter Valley Railway
thrush@smt-net.com

Was this line originally the Portland, Astoria & Pacific? When did SP&S absorb it? Who owns it now?


ryarger@rypn.org

> Was this line originally the Portland,
> Astoria & Pacific? When did SP&S
> absorb it? Who owns it now?

I might be wrong, but I think the PA&P was a branch that took off from this line near St. Helens, a few miles west of Portland.

This line was originally mostly built by the Astoria & Columbia River RR. The line from Portland to Goble was the original mainline to Seattle of the NP. At Goble the NP used to ferry entire trains across the Columbia River. This was done away with once enough fill materials were in place to create ROW from Vancouver to Kalama Wa., and a bridge built at Vancouver.

I'm not sure when the SP&S took over. The GN had a hand in this line as the GN Steamships used to dock at Flavel, across Youngs Bay from Astoria. From what I understand, many of the "silk trains" originated on this line. The trestle across Youngs Bay was at one time the longest in the world. It's now gone.

Astoria and the surrounding area has enough history to merit a book on just its rail lines. Silk trains, jetty construction lines, a "belt line", logging, military base rr, UP narrow gauge across the river, the list goes on. I sure wish someone would do one!

Smokebox


"orhf dot org"

> Was this line originally the Portland,
> Astoria & Pacific? When did SP&S
> absorb it? Who owns it now?

1st was the Astoria & South Coast then the Astoria & Columbia River. It is explained in detial on ARPA website at this location:

http://www.astoriarr.org/steam/history.html

or click on the link below

The RofW is now owned by the state of Oregon with the P&W having the rights to operate a railroad over it. The last 4 miles or so are still in the rail banking system with the city of Astoria maintaining the RofW with the rails in place.

A-line history
info@astoriarr.org