The Oregon Electric Railway

This is the Society's namesake Railroad. The OER started in Portland and ran south via Tigard, Wilsonville, Salem, Albany, and ended in Eugene. Another line went from Portland to Beaverton, Hillsboro & ending in Forest Grove. The OER was controlled by the Spokane Portland & Seattle Railway (SP&S). The OER was the largest Interurban system in Oregon.

The new Oregon Electric Railway Museum is located less then a 1 mile from the former OER Right-of-way at Hopmere (Brooks).

Much of the OER is operated by either the Portland & Western Railroad or the Burlington Northern Santa Fe. The new Portland Westside MAX Light Rail Line is on the former OER Right-of-Way between Beaverton Central & downtown Hillsboro

More historical information will be added as time permits. Currently on-line are histories of Albany & Salem streetcar lines which has a little bit of information about the OER.

More information on the Oregon Electric may be found here: The Oregon Electric Railroad

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Since the OERHS one of the mission statements of the OERHS is to educate, this page is dedicated to providing history of Traction operations in the Pacific Northwest. If you have any articles that you would like to submit, please send them to the Webmaster.

Page last updated 02/06/05