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Oregon Train Rides And Excursion Trains

Oregon train rides define the Pacific Northwest with rugged mountain views, trips along rocky shorelines, and wet, soggy weather. Despite weather that can be less than cooperative at times, Oregon does offer some incredible scenic views with its rail excursions. Case in point, take the Mount Hood Railroad, one of the more popular tourist railroads in the country that sees thousands upon thousands of riders annually during their operating season, much of which is due to the fabulous scenes of nearby Mt. Hood. Other Oregon train excursions include the Eagle Cap Excursion Train, Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, Sumpter Valley Railroad, and the Willamette Shore Trolley. If you may want to check out some of the state's railroad museums please click here.

Once upon a time Oregon was predominantly served by the Southern Pacific, whose operations in the state became famous for its level of difficulty due to the rugged topography. Today, many Oregon train rides like the Mount Hood Railroad look to preserve this history through the fabulous scenery the state's secondary lines once provided. You can also catch an excursion near the coast with the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, which operates near Tillamook. They also use historic steam locomotives to power their trains, as does the Sumpter Valley Railroad located across the state in Sumpter. And finally, you have the chance to even ride historic trolley cars owned and operated by the Oregon Electric Railway Museum near Portland. In any event, to learn more about all Oregon train rides please read the information about each listed below.

Oregon Train Rides And Excursion Trains

Eagle Cap Excursion Train

The Eagle Cap Excursion Train, based in Elgin, Oregon operates its trains in northeast Oregon on trackage owned by the Wallowa Union Railroad Authority, which also operates freight service on the line. The trains use RDCs (or Rail Diesel Cars) for their excursions which follow the Grande Ronde River. For information about riding the train please click here.

Mount Hood Railroad

The Mount Hood Railroad operates between Hood River and Parkdale, about 60 miles, and dates as far back as 1906. As it stands today the company hosts both freight and passenger trains on its line offering guests a wide range of amenities during their excursion using the company's equipment of climate-controlled cars. To learn more about the railroad please click here. Also, to visit their website please click here.

Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad

The Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad is based in Tillamook and has operated on the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad since 2002 using a historic Climax geared steam locomotive for power. Along with standard excursion trains the railroad also operates special and seasonal trains throughout the year, including dinner trains. For information about riding the railroad please click here.

Sumpter Valley Railroad

The Sumpter Valley Railroad based in Sumpter, located in northeast Oregon, operates on trackage originally owned by the Sumpter Valley Railway. The railroad was created to preserve the railroad and today has become a very popular operation, continually adding more mileage to the line as they slowly restore it. They currently have two operational steam locomotives on their property. For information about riding the railroad please click here.

Willamette Shore Trolley

The Willamette Shore Trolley is operated by the Oregon Electric Railway Museum, the largest trolley/interurban museum in the Pacific Northwest. It currently operates trolley service on a 6-mile section of railroad between Lake Oswego and Portland. For information about riding the railroad please click here.

Please Click Here To Return To The Main Tourist Railroads Section

To learn more about Oregon's railroad history please click here. Also, for more information about Oregon train rides you might want to consider the book Tourist Trains Guidebook, which is put together by the editors of Kalmbach Publishing's Trains magazine. The guide below is the latest, released in just April, 2011 that now includes more than 470 museums and tourist trains (it also lists all of Alabama's rail museums). In any event, if you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit the link below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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