Preservation: The Little Railroad that Might
By: Mark Boardman 02/01/2008
Things seem to be looking up for the Mount Hood Railroad, located in the Hood River Valley, some 60 miles east of Portland, Oregon.
Permian Basin Railways—which operates about a half dozen small lines, mostly in the West—bought Mount Hood from 20 Oregon investors this past January. Purchase price wasn't released; the investors were asking for $5.2 million. Included in the package: the line itself, three historic engines and passenger cars, and the landmark Hood River depot.
Finished in 1911, the railroad covered the 22 miles between the small towns of Hood River and Parkdale. Originally, it was a freight line, carrying agricultural produce and lumber. In 1987, the operation moved to tourist excursions. Last year's passengers numbered 70,000. The railroad is designated a landmark by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
In November 2006, massive rains washed out a section of the track, knocking out five miles of the line. The previous owners had raised $500,000 of the estimated $1 million repair cost and were seeking a state grant for the remainder. Permian Basin plans to make sure the repairs are completed in the near future.
Most of Permian's holdings are freight lines, but it does run an excursion operation in the San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad, which goes from southern Colorado into New Mexico. Permian Basin promises that Mount Hood will stay on track as an excursion route. mthoodrr.com
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