| Proposed Washington County Railroad History Heritage Museum |
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In 1867, the Oregon Central Railroad Company had been incorporated to build a line toward Forest Grove and McMinnville, a route requiring heavy construction through the hills west of Portland. After successfully overcoming myriad physical and financial problems, the first 20 miles from Portland to Hillsboro were completed on December 18, 1871. Today, Portland & Western's track from the Lombard Street crossing in Beaverton out to Hillsboro is part of the old Oregon Central. Railroads have long played a critical part in the rich history of Hillsboro and Washington County, which is intertwined with the lumber industry, paper mills, agriculture and dairy farming, and so much more. This critical role continues to this day with the joint effort of launch of the Portland & Western RR and TriMet in the Washington County Commuter Rail Project. In addition to the industries that depend upon our local railroads, like the Weyerhaeuser Company there are also, for example, Greenbrier's Gunderson subsidiary which has manufactured thousands of rail cars and the Portland & Western Railroad, a subsidiary of the worldwide Genesee & Wyoming Railroad companies. Many municipal entities sponsor a Railroad History Heritage Museum to acknowledge and celebrate the role that railroads played in the history and development of the area. There are a total of 235 in the United States. Oregon has only two. One is in Medford and the other is in Brooks. Currently, there are none in the metro-Portland area, including Washington County!
By comparison, Washington State has seven railroad museums, including the wonderful Washington State History Museum, in Tacoma, which houses the Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers, whose motto is "The History of Washington Railroading Comes to Life"! The Aloha and Western Oregon Lines Model Railroad Club (AWOL) is proposing the consideration of a "Washington County Railroad Heritage Museum" as an adjunct to the Washington County Historical Society and Museum’s upcoming expansion. A permanent, multi-era model railroad exhibit would be a wonderful and compelling addition to the WCHS&M's other exhibits. By definition, a model railroad is a dynamic diorama incorporating the rich fabric of the specific interaction between the railroads, industries and people of Washington County through the years. AWOL has the capability to build a model railroad that would reflect "The First 100 Years" of railroad progress and contribution to Washington County that could include some scale recreations of historically significant sites that were an integral part of our local history. It could also include a gallery, for the exhibition of photographic and other art and, perhaps a revenue generating gift shop, in addition to the model railroad. The Washington County Railroad Heritage Museum would reflect a "Commitment to life-long learning with a special emphasis on youth", many of whom have little idea of the history and rich cultural impact that railroads have played in our making Washington County what it is today. If the Railroad Heritage Museum facility were available in as part of the WCHS&M, then there is a very real possibility for corporate sponsorship and participation from companies like the Portland & Western RR, Gunderson and Weyerhaeuser, for example. They could support and participate with full scale displays as permanent or "traveling" attractions, similar to the logging locomotive on display in the park in Vernonia or other historical items for display in the Museum. AWOL would very much appreciate the opportunity to explore options relative to making this vision of the Railroad Heritage Museum a reality.
Oregon RR Resources
Zoo Trains
Local Model Railroad Groups - Potential Partners
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