Willamette Valley Railway
Encyclopedia
The Willamette Valley Railway is a short-line railroad that operates in the Willamette Valley
of Oregon
. It leased a line from Woodburn to Stayton from the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in February 1993, as well as a branch from Geer west to Salem (partly abandoned in 1995), and purchased the property in 1996. The company also leased a line between Albany and Mill City in 1993, but transferred the lease to the Albany and Eastern Railroad
in October 2000.
and Grand Ronde, and purchased the railroad from International Paper
. They resurrected a former name of the railroad, the Willamina and Grand Ronde Railway (W&GR). The railroad rostered a single Alco S-1 locomotive and began hauling lumber from the sawmills in Grande Ronde and Fort Hill to its connection with the Southern Pacific in Willamina. Within a few years, the line from Fort Hill to Grande Ronde was abandoned, however, operations between Willamina and Fort Hill continued until the mid-1990s when the railroad was sold to Hampton Lumber Sales, the owner of the Fort Hill Lumber Company. Hampton chose to contract with Willamette & Pacific Railroad, who now operated the line into Willamina, which ran trains into Fort Hill on an as-needed basis.
Shortly after purchasing the W&GR, the Root brothers also acquired a three-mile branchline in Independence
. The railroad was the remnant of the Valley and Siletz Railroad
which had been previously abandoned south and west of Independence. The railroad was acquired from Boise Cascade
, which used the railroad to access its timberlands in Oregon's Coast Range as well as a sawmill located in Valsetz
. This railroad was renamed the Willamette Valley Railroad. The railroad now rostered an EMD GP9
locomotive and two EMD SW1200
locomotives, all of Southern Pacific heritage. One of the SW-1200 locomotives was repainted into a scheme reminiscent of Southern Pacific's Shasta Daylight
passenger train and lettered "Willamette Valley".
In Independence, the railroad maintained a locomotive shop to repair its fleet of locomotives as well as for other railroads.
In approximately 1988, the company took on a new name—Rail-West—and began to operate the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad
, a 90-mile line between Banks
and Tillamook
. This line was purchased from Southern Pacific by the Port of Tillamook Bay, and Rail-West became a contract operator on behalf of the port. This arrangement lasted until the early 1990s when the Port of Tillamook Bay began operating the railroad itself.
In 1992, Southern Pacific announced that it would begin the process of leasing its branchlines throughout western Oregon
to shortline operators. While it was often rumored that the Willamette Valley/Willamina & Grande Ronde Railroads would take over the entire Willamina Branch, the combined company instead became the operator of the West Stayton, Geer and Mill City Branches. The Willamette & Pacific Railroad began operating the Westside and Willamina Branches which connected the two rail lines owned by Willamette Valley Railroad.
The newly expanded railroad acquired two EMD SD9
s and one GP9 locomotive from the Southern Pacific to help operate the new lines. Within a few years, the railroad acquired three EMD GP35
locomotives also from Southern Pacific.
The Geer Branch, which was often seen as a "short-cut" from Salem
, was redundant and was abandoned in 1995. The eastern portion of the branch exists to this day and is used for car storage, however much of the western portion of the branch has been removed and in some cases the original grade built over with new development (especially at the very western end, near Salem's Amtrak station
. The softball field for Willamette University
is located where the original junction once existed.)
In 1996, the Willamette Valley Railway converted its lease into a purchase, and now fully owned the former Southern Pacific branches it had leased only three years previously.
In 1998, the Albany and Eastern Railroad
leased the Sweet Home Branch from the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway (BNSF). This line connected with the existing Albany-Lebanon-Mill City line at Lebanon and continued southeasterly to Sweet Home. Since the 1930s BNSF and its predecessors used trackage rights between Lebanon and Albany, and was a steam powered branch off of the otherwise electrified Oregon Electric Railway
. At the same time BNSF leased its "Oregon Electric" line from Salem to Eugene
to the Portland and Western Railroad
.
Shortly after taking over the Sweet Home Branch, Mike and David Root had split their railroad into two properties—the Willamette Valley Railway which consisted of the former West Stayton Branch, and the Albany and Eastern Railroad consisting of the former Mill City and Sweet Home Branches.
Also around this time, the two Root brothers bought out their other partner, George Lavacot. George retained ownership of the two SD9 locomotives as well as the remaining trackage in Independence, now scaled back to one-half mile connecting the railroad shop with the interchange yard with the Portland and Western Railroad. The track south of the shop was abandoned and today there are no shippers or industries on this line. George uses the shop to maintain his two SD9 locomotives as well as house a steam locomotive with the hopes of restoring it. In August 2008, Mr. Lavacot sold one of the SD9 locomotives, numbered 4433, to the Portland & Western Railroad; while retaining locomotive 5399 painted in a Southern Pacific "Black Widow" heritage paint scheme.
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...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It leased a line from Woodburn to Stayton from the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in February 1993, as well as a branch from Geer west to Salem (partly abandoned in 1995), and purchased the property in 1996. The company also leased a line between Albany and Mill City in 1993, but transferred the lease to the Albany and Eastern Railroad
Albany and Eastern Railroad
The Albany and Eastern Railroad was created when the BNSF Railway spun off its Sweet Home Branch Line in May 1998. In November 2000, the AERC was combined with the Willamette Valley Railway but maintained the AERC name. It operates about of track and is based in Lebanon, Oregon. The line runs...
in October 2000.
History
Willamette Valley Railway began in 1980, when Mike and David Root were in search of a shortline railroad to operate. They located an eight mile shortline between WillaminaWillamina, Oregon
Willamina is a city in Polk and Yamhill Counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. The population was 1,844 at the 2000 census, with an unofficial estimated population of 1,885 in 2006....
and Grand Ronde, and purchased the railroad from International Paper
International Paper
International Paper Company is an American pulp and paper company, the largest such company in the world. It has approximately 59,500 employees, and it is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:...
. They resurrected a former name of the railroad, the Willamina and Grand Ronde Railway (W&GR). The railroad rostered a single Alco S-1 locomotive and began hauling lumber from the sawmills in Grande Ronde and Fort Hill to its connection with the Southern Pacific in Willamina. Within a few years, the line from Fort Hill to Grande Ronde was abandoned, however, operations between Willamina and Fort Hill continued until the mid-1990s when the railroad was sold to Hampton Lumber Sales, the owner of the Fort Hill Lumber Company. Hampton chose to contract with Willamette & Pacific Railroad, who now operated the line into Willamina, which ran trains into Fort Hill on an as-needed basis.
Shortly after purchasing the W&GR, the Root brothers also acquired a three-mile branchline in Independence
Independence, Oregon
Independence is a city in Polk County, Oregon, United States, on the west bank of the Willamette River along Oregon Route 51, and east of nearby Monmouth. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The railroad was the remnant of the Valley and Siletz Railroad
Valley and Siletz Railroad
The Valley and Siletz Railroad is a defunct railroad located in Polk County and in Benton County, Oregon, United States. The railroad began construction in 1912. It was long by 1915, long by 1917, and was extended to and completed later that year...
which had been previously abandoned south and west of Independence. The railroad was acquired from Boise Cascade
Boise Cascade
Boise Cascade Holdings, LLC, which uses the trade name Boise, is an American pulp and paper company, ranked as the thirteenth largest forest products company in the world....
, which used the railroad to access its timberlands in Oregon's Coast Range as well as a sawmill located in Valsetz
Valsetz, Oregon
Valsetz was an unincorporated community and timber company town in Polk County, Oregon, United States, west of Falls City in the Central Oregon Coast Range. It no longer exists.-History:...
. This railroad was renamed the Willamette Valley Railroad. The railroad now rostered an EMD GP9
EMD GP9
An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including...
locomotive and two EMD SW1200
EMD SW1200
An EMD SW1200 is a diesel switcher locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1954 and May 1966. Power was provided by an EMD 567C 12-cylinder engine which generated 1200 horsepower...
locomotives, all of Southern Pacific heritage. One of the SW-1200 locomotives was repainted into a scheme reminiscent of Southern Pacific's Shasta Daylight
Shasta Daylight
The Shasta Daylight was a train operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad, inaugurated on July 10, 1949 between Oakland Pier in Oakland, California and Portland, Oregon...
passenger train and lettered "Willamette Valley".
In Independence, the railroad maintained a locomotive shop to repair its fleet of locomotives as well as for other railroads.
In approximately 1988, the company took on a new name—Rail-West—and began to operate the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad
Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad
The Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad is a shortline railroad in northwestern Oregon, United States. Purchased from the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in 1990 by the Port of Tillamook Bay, the railroad was used to transport lumber and agricultural products over the Coast Range between the...
, a 90-mile line between Banks
Banks, Oregon
Banks is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,777 at the 2010 census. The community was named for settler Robert Banks and his father, John Banks.-Geography:...
and Tillamook
Tillamook, Oregon
The city of Tillamook is the county seat of Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. The city is located on the southeast end of Tillamook Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The population was 4,352 at the 2000 census...
. This line was purchased from Southern Pacific by the Port of Tillamook Bay, and Rail-West became a contract operator on behalf of the port. This arrangement lasted until the early 1990s when the Port of Tillamook Bay began operating the railroad itself.
In 1992, Southern Pacific announced that it would begin the process of leasing its branchlines throughout western Oregon
Western Oregon
Western Oregon is a geographical term that is generally taken to mean the part of Oregon within 120 miles of the Oregon Coast, on the west side of the crest of the Cascade Range. The term is applied somewhat loosely however, and is sometimes taken to exclude the southwestern areas of the state,...
to shortline operators. While it was often rumored that the Willamette Valley/Willamina & Grande Ronde Railroads would take over the entire Willamina Branch, the combined company instead became the operator of the West Stayton, Geer and Mill City Branches. The Willamette & Pacific Railroad began operating the Westside and Willamina Branches which connected the two rail lines owned by Willamette Valley Railroad.
The newly expanded railroad acquired two EMD SD9
EMD SD9
An EMD SD9 is a 6-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1954 and June 1959. Power was provided by an EMD 567C 16-cylinder engine which generated . This model is, externally, similar to its predecessor, the SD7. The principal spotting feature are the...
s and one GP9 locomotive from the Southern Pacific to help operate the new lines. Within a few years, the railroad acquired three EMD GP35
EMD GP35
An EMD GP35 is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between July 1963 and December 1965 and by General Motors Diesel between May 1964 and January 1966. Power was provided by an EMD 567D3A 16-cylinder engine which generated .Many railroads traded in Alco and...
locomotives also from Southern Pacific.
The Geer Branch, which was often seen as a "short-cut" from Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, was redundant and was abandoned in 1995. The eastern portion of the branch exists to this day and is used for car storage, however much of the western portion of the branch has been removed and in some cases the original grade built over with new development (especially at the very western end, near Salem's Amtrak station
Salem (Amtrak station)
Salem Station is an Amtrak train station in Salem, Oregon, United States. It is served by the Amtrak Cascades and the Coast Starlight passenger trains.-History:...
. The softball field for Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
is located where the original junction once existed.)
In 1996, the Willamette Valley Railway converted its lease into a purchase, and now fully owned the former Southern Pacific branches it had leased only three years previously.
In 1998, the Albany and Eastern Railroad
Albany and Eastern Railroad
The Albany and Eastern Railroad was created when the BNSF Railway spun off its Sweet Home Branch Line in May 1998. In November 2000, the AERC was combined with the Willamette Valley Railway but maintained the AERC name. It operates about of track and is based in Lebanon, Oregon. The line runs...
leased the Sweet Home Branch from the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway (BNSF). This line connected with the existing Albany-Lebanon-Mill City line at Lebanon and continued southeasterly to Sweet Home. Since the 1930s BNSF and its predecessors used trackage rights between Lebanon and Albany, and was a steam powered branch off of the otherwise electrified 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...
. At the same time BNSF leased its "Oregon Electric" line from Salem to Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
to the Portland and Western Railroad
Portland and Western Railroad
The Portland and Western Railroad is a Class II railroad serving the U.S. state of Oregon, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of shortline and regional railroad holding company Genesee & Wyoming Inc...
.
Shortly after taking over the Sweet Home Branch, Mike and David Root had split their railroad into two properties—the Willamette Valley Railway which consisted of the former West Stayton Branch, and the Albany and Eastern Railroad consisting of the former Mill City and Sweet Home Branches.
Also around this time, the two Root brothers bought out their other partner, George Lavacot. George retained ownership of the two SD9 locomotives as well as the remaining trackage in Independence, now scaled back to one-half mile connecting the railroad shop with the interchange yard with the Portland and Western Railroad. The track south of the shop was abandoned and today there are no shippers or industries on this line. George uses the shop to maintain his two SD9 locomotives as well as house a steam locomotive with the hopes of restoring it. In August 2008, Mr. Lavacot sold one of the SD9 locomotives, numbered 4433, to the Portland & Western Railroad; while retaining locomotive 5399 painted in a Southern Pacific "Black Widow" heritage paint scheme.
Locomotive roster
- 2502 - EMD GP35, built in 1965 as Southern Pacific 7776, later 6673, later 6360
- 2503 - EMD GP35, built in 1964 as Southern Pacific 7430, later 6542, later 6361
Former locomotives
- 110 - Alco S-1, built for International Paper. This locomotive is now owned by a preservation group in Yacolt, Washington.
- 201 - EMD SW-1200, built for Southern Pacific. This locomotive is now owned by the Port of Catoosa, Oklahoma.
- 2273 - EMD SW-1200, built for Southern Pacific. This locomotive is now owned by the Port of Catoosa, Oklahoma.
- 2501 - EMD GP35, built in 1963 as Southern Pacific 7412, later 6524, later 6303. This locomotive was transferred to the Albany and Eastern Railroad after the split of the company.
- 2890 - EMD GP9, built for Southern Pacific. This locomotive was scrapped, and its frame used for the prototype RailPower Green Goat locomotive.
- 3859 - EMD GP9, built in 1959 for Southern Pacific. This locomotive was transferred to the Albany and Eastern Railroad after the split of the company.
- 4364 - EMD SD9, built in 1955 as Southern Pacific 5399, later 3877, later 4364. This locomotive is now owned by George Lavacot.
- 4413 - EMD SD9, built in 1955 as Southern Pacific 5400, later 3878, later 4413. The disposition of this locomotive is unknown.
- 4433 - EMD SD9, built in 1955 as Southern Pacific 5426, later 3904, later 4433. This locomotive is owned by George Lavacot.