Sunday, July 26, 2015

Northwest Railroad Depots: Oregon City, Oregon

I originally posted this information on my old website on March 26, 2009, and last updated it on December 18, 2009. I have since updated it.

IMG_2923 Oregon City Amtrak Station on August 19, 2006
Oregon City Amtrak Station on August 19, 2006

Oregon City's original passenger depot was located downtown, right next to the municipal elevator. The depot was owned and operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad. The passenger trains of the Southern Pacific ceased stopping in Oregon City in 1954, though they would continue to pass through, even after being turned over to Amtrak in 1971. The unused passenger depot disappeared, and no trace of it remains today. Even the Southern Pacific itself disappeared into the Union Pacific Railroad in 1996.

IMG_9080 Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 17, 2007
Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 17, 2007

The city of Oregon City wanted passenger trains to stop there again, and so the city built a new passenger platform across Washington Street from the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. On Friday, April 16, 2004, the new station platform was dedicated and Amtrak's Cascades trains began stopping in Oregon City.

IMG_9079 Oregon City Amtrak Station Plaque on September 17, 2007
Oregon City Amtrak Station Plaque on September 17, 2007

A plaque at the depot features a 2005 depiction of an Amtrak Cascades train at the Oregon City station by Darla S. Cole. According to the plaque, the platform was dedicated in honor of John F. Williams, Jr., who was mayor of Oregon City from 1999 to 2002. The project was conceived during his administration and completed during the administration of Alice Norris. The station was designed by David Evans and Associates and built by Bill Erickson Construction. The plaque also includes the names of City Commissioners Edward Allick, Bob Bailey, Derrick Beneville, Gary Hewitt, Dan Holladay, Tom Lemons, Jack Lynch, and Doug Neeley, Members of the Urban Renewal Commission Bill Packus (Chair), Andy Busch, Debra Jones and Wende Sanchez, City Managers Brian Nakamura and Larry Patterson and Public Works Director/City Engineer Nancy Kraushaar.

IMG_2920 Freight Station in Oregon City on August 19, 2006
Freight Station in Oregon City, Oregon on August 19, 2006

This building was a freight depot for the Southern Pacific Railroad in Oregon City. It was originally located on the south side of Abernethy Creek near 16th Street. It was moved in the 1970s to the St. Johns area of North Portland. In 1986 it was purchased by Historic Properties LLC and moved to 1709 Washington Street in Oregon City (not far from its original location, and just down the street from the future location of the Amtrak depot) as office space called "The Depot," eventually housing Bill R. McCracken Accounting and Tax Service, Applied Handling NW, Inc., and Farmers Insurance.

IMG_2922 Sign at Oregon City Amtrak Station on August 19, 2006
Sign at Oregon City Amtrak Station on August 19, 2006

The former freight depot was scheduled to be moved down Washington Street to the site of Oregon City's Amtrak depot in 2007 to serve Amtrak passengers as Oregon City's historic depot. It was finally moved on April 28, 2010.

IMG_2931 Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010

IMG_2932 Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010

IMG_2933 Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010

IMG_2934 Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010

The depot was placed on a raised concrete pedestal even higher than the track-level platform to raise the depot above the flood plain.

IMG_2936 Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010

The existing passenger shelter and platform remained, as it was planned to lease out the space in the historic depot for other uses.

IMG_2930 Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010

IMG_2927 Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010

IMG_2928 Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010

IMG_2935 Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010
Under the Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010

IMG_2938 Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010
Under the Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010

IMG_2939 Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010
Under the Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010

IMG_2929 Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station Parking Lot on May 29, 2010

The project also included a new 50-space parking lot, and was not scheduled for completion until June 2010.

IMG_2937 Oregon City Amtrak Station on May 29, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station Parking Lot on May 29, 2010

The following pictures were taken on September 11, 2010, after the project was completed.

IMG_7661 Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010

IMG_7662 Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010

IMG_7663 Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010

IMG_7664 Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010

IMG_7665 Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010
Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010

IMG_7668 Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010
Under the Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010

The space under the pedestal was left open, except for chain link fencing to keep people out. Some of the space had a finished concrete pad, some was left as gravel, and some had bark chips. There is no clear intended use for this area. The height is too low for the space to be used as a public space.

IMG_7669 Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010
Under the Oregon City Amtrak Station on September 11, 2010

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