In the heart of Western Oregon, a former Southern
Pacific main line traverses a long, fertile valley surrounded by the
Cascade Mountains and Coast Range. Described in the 1820’s as a land of
“flowing milk and honey” the Willamette Valley stretches for 150 miles
between the cities of Eugene and Portland. The
abundant small towns, farms and factories are fastened together by a
network of rails feeding an important segment of the I-5 Corridor known
as the Brooklyn Sub.
Traffic on the busy main line varies from
intermodal and mixed manifest trains to heavy crude oil and grain trains
from Canada. A few locals switch industry and pick up interchange
traffic from smaller branch lines that connect with the UP. Those
railroads include: CORP, Coos Bay Rail Line, Portland & Western,
Albany & Eastern, Willamette Valley Railroad and the Oregon Pacific
Railroad.
Besides freight, eight Amtrak trains including the
Coast Starlight and Cascades Talgos allow travelers to experience the
beauty of the Beaver State.
Western Oregon has a lot to offer railfans and you will see why as we tour Union Pacific’s Willamette Valley Main Line!
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