Mount Hood Railroad

The Mount Hood Railroad (reporting mark MH) is a heritage and shortline freight railroad located in Hood River, Oregon, 60 miles (97 km) east of Portland, Oregon, United States.

Not to be confused with Mount Hood Railway and Power Company.
Mount Hood Railroad
The Mount Hood Railroad in spring, with Mount Hood in the background.
TerminusHood River, Oregon
- Parkdale
Commercial operations
Original gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Preserved operations
Preserved gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Commercial history
Opened1906 / 1909
Closed1987
Preservation history
1987Bought by private investors
2008Sold to Permian Basin Railways
Website
mthoodrr.com
Mt. Hood Railroad Linear Historic District
Railroad depot in Hood River
LocationMt. Hood RR right-of-way from Hood River to Parkdale, Hood River, Oregon
Area165 acres (67 ha)
Built1906 (1906)
ArchitectJoseph A. West (design/construction)
NRHP reference No.93001507[1]
Added to NRHPJanuary 24, 1994

The majority of the railroad's revenue is generated from passenger excursions although a few small freight shippers remain that generate several carloads of traffic per week.

MHRR trackage
Route in 1931

The northern terminus of the Mount Hood Railroad is at Hood River, Oregon, where the line interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad. The line starts out parallel to the Hood River for the first three miles (4.8 km) until it reaches a switchback. Switchbacks used to be common, but this is now only one of five remaining railroad switchbacks in use in the United States. After the trains reverse direction at the switchback, the line continues south through the communities of Pine Grove, Odell, and Dee before reaching the southern end of the line at Parkdale. The total length of the line is approximately 22 miles.

Locomotive roster

The Mount Hood Railroad currently has two locomotives on its roster:

Formerly Rostered Locomotives

History

The line south out of Hood River was first built in 1906, extending as far as Dee. In 1909 the line was extended to the present-day end of track at Parkdale. The Union Pacific acquired the line in 1968 and operated it with the primary customers being fruit shippers and the lumber operation at Dee. As local industries switched to truck-based transportation for their goods, carloads on the line dwindled and the Union Pacific proposed abandoning the line. In 1987 a group of local investors purchased the railroad from Union Pacific and began to offer passenger excursions to augment the freight business. Brian Fleming sold the line again in 2008 to Permian Basin Railways,[2] a subsidiary of Chicago-based Iowa Pacific Holdings.

Today the railroad offers four-hour scenic tours through the Hood River Valley and narrated historic excursion train tours, as well as special events. There are views of Mount Hood and Mount Adams along with the surrounding orchards and farmland of the Hood River Valley.

Accidents and incidents
  • On December 2, 2017, a passenger train derailed 3 miles (4.8 km) from Hood River. There were no injuries amongst the 214 people on board the train. The line was closed until December 8.[3]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. Brinckman, Jonathan (2008-04-09). "Sale of Mount Hood Railway completed". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2008-07-07.
  3. Hanson, Nate (December 2, 2017). "Mount Hood Railroad out of service for a week following derailment". KGW. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
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