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Lake Oswego to Portland Transit Project: Willamette Shore Line right of way

Planning and conservation  ›  Transportation and land use projects  ›  Lake Oswego to Portland transit  ›  Willamette Shore Line right of way

Find out about the Willamette Shore Line right of way, opened in 1887 and purchased in 1988 by a consortium of local jurisdictions and agencies.

The Willamette Shore Line began railroad service in 1887, running passenger service until 1929 when it converted to exclusively freight service. The right of way for the Willamette Shore Line was purchased from the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1988 by a consortium of local jurisdictions and agencies including Metro, the cities of Lake Oswego and Portland, Clackamas and Multnomah counties, the Oregon Department of Transportation and TriMet. TriMet holds the title to the right of way on behalf of the consortium.

Consortium members

• Elissa Gertler, Metro
• Sean Batty, TriMet
• Andrew Johnson, Oregon Department of Transportation
• Brant Williams, City of Lake Oswego
• Art Pearce, City of Portland Bureau of Transportation

Since 1990, the City of Lake Oswego has leased the right of way from Portland for the purpose of operating a trolley service on the line. The trolley is operated by the Oregon Electric Railroad Historic Society.

For information about the historic trolley service, call the Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society at 503-697-7436 or visit the Willamette Shore Trolley site.
Visit the Willamette Shore Trolley site

Related Internet links

• Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society

  (http://oerhs.org/index.html)