The Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society (OERHS) operates a railroad museum

Railway museum

A railway museum is a museum that explores the history of all aspects of rail related transportation, including: locomotives , railway cars, trams, and railway signalling equipment.See List of railway museums...

 and a heritage railroad

Heritage railway

thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...

 for electric streetcar and railway enthusiasts.

History

The group was founded in 1957, and is named in honor of the Oregon Electric Railway

Oregon Electric Railway

The Oregon Electric Railway was an interurban railroad line in the U.S. state of Oregon that linked Portland to Eugene. Service from Portland to Salem, Oregon, began in 1907. The Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway purchased the system in 1910, and extended service to Eugene in 1912...

, a former interurban

Interurban

An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...

 electric rail line in 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...

. OERHS operated a streetcar museum known as Trolley Park in Glenwood

Glenwood, Washington County, Oregon

Glenwood is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Oregon, United States, northwest of Forest Grove on Oregon Route 6.The name Glenwood was first used for this locale around 1880. Glenwood post office was established in 1886, though it was not always in the same location...

, Washington County, Oregon

Washington County, Oregon

- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...

 from 1966 to 1995. The Trolley Park museum was formally named the Oregon Electric Railway Museum

Oregon Electric Railway Museum

The Oregon Electric Railway Museum is the largest streetcar/trolley museum in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. It is owned and operated by the Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society and is located in Brooks, Oregon, on the grounds of Antique Powerland.The original museum opened in...

, and it retained the latter name when it moved in 1996 from Glenwood to Brooks, Oregon

Brooks, Oregon

Brooks is an unincorporated community in Marion County, Oregon, United States. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Brooks as a census-designated place . The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same...

.

Operations

The OERHS currently operates the Willamette Shore Trolley

Willamette Shore Trolley

The Willamette Shore Trolley is a heritage railroad or heritage streetcar which operates along the west bank of the Willamette River between Portland and Lake Oswego in Oregon. The right-of-way is owned by group of local-area governments who purchased it in 1988 in order to preserve it intact for...

 between Portland

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 Lake Oswego

Lake Oswego, Oregon

Lake Oswego is a city located primarily in Clackamas County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Small portions of the city are also located in neighboring Multnomah and Washington counties. Located south of Portland surrounding the Oswego Lake, the town was founded in 1847 and incorporated as Oswego in...

, as well as the Oregon Electric Railway Museum

Oregon Electric Railway Museum

The Oregon Electric Railway Museum is the largest streetcar/trolley museum in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. It is owned and operated by the Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society and is located in Brooks, Oregon, on the grounds of Antique Powerland.The original museum opened in...

 in Brooks

Brooks, Oregon

Brooks is an unincorporated community in Marion County, Oregon, United States. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Brooks as a census-designated place . The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same...

. The museum is on the grounds of Antique Powerland

Antique Powerland

Antique Powerland is a collection of museums and a self-described heritage site for power equipment, such as farm machinery, trucks , trains, construction equipment, and the engines which power them. It is located in Brooks, Oregon, United States, and is operated by the non-profit Antique...

, located just west of Interstate-5

Interstate 5 in Oregon

In the U.S. state of Oregon, Interstate 5 traverses the state from north to south, passing through the major cities of Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Medford.-Route description:...

.

Collection

Two former-Portland "Council Crest"

Council Crest Park

Council Crest Park is a city park in southwest Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. Amenities include paved and unpaved paths, a dog off-leash area, picnic tables, public art, a vista point, and a wedding site that can be reserved. The park, operated by Portland Parks & Recreation, is open...

 Brill streetcars are the jewels of the OERHS collection. Other vintage streetcars at the museum include an open-sided car from Sydney, Australia, double-deckers from Blackpool, England, and Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

, and two 1940s PCC streetcar

PCC streetcar

The PCC streetcar design was first built in the United States in the 1930s. The design proved successful in its native country, and after World War II was licensed for use elsewhere in the world...

s from San Francisco.

Although mostly concerned with preserving streetcars and electric railway equipment, the OERHS has also collected a modern Boeing-Vertol Light-Rail Vehicle

Light rail

Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...

 (LRV) from San Francisco Muni

San Francisco Municipal Railway

The San Francisco Municipal Railway is the public transit system for the city and county of San Francisco, California. In 2006, it served with an operating budget of about $700 million...

, and has acquired three vintage trolley bus

Trolleybus

A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...

es. With the exception of a former-Portland Brill "Master Unit" being used on the Willamette Shore Trolley, the entire collection is based in Brooks.

External links

• Official website – includes links to the Willamette Shore Trolley and museum.