Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company
Encyclopedia
The Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company (OR&N) was a railroad
that operated a rail network of 1143 miles (1,839.5 km) of track running east from Portland
, Oregon
, United States
to northeastern Oregon, northeastern Washington, and northern Idaho
. The railroad operated from 1896 as a consolidation of several smaller railroads.
OR&N was initially operated as an independent carrier, but Union Pacific (UP) purchased a majority stake of the line in 1898. The line became a subsidiary
of UP titled the Oregon–Washington Railroad and Navigation Company in 1910. In 1936, Union Pacific formally absorbed the system, which became UP's gateway to the Pacific Northwest
.
. By 1882 the route along the Columbia River was complete.
Starting in 1880, one of the competitors of the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company was the Shaver Transportation Company
.
and John Harvey Meacham, along their Meacham Road through the Blue Mountains
. The Meacham road, built in 1862, had a lower pass (4185 feet (1,275.6 m)) than competing roads, and was a corduroy road
, allowing it to hold up in poor weather conditions. The railroad was laid in 1884.
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
that operated a rail network of 1143 miles (1,839.5 km) of track running east from Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to northeastern Oregon, northeastern Washington, and northern Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. The railroad operated from 1896 as a consolidation of several smaller railroads.
OR&N was initially operated as an independent carrier, but Union Pacific (UP) purchased a majority stake of the line in 1898. The line became a subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of UP titled the Oregon–Washington Railroad and Navigation Company in 1910. In 1936, Union Pacific formally absorbed the system, which became UP's gateway to the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
.
Predecessor railroads of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company
The OR&N was made up of several railroads:- Oregon Railway and Navigation Company traces its roots back as far as 1860. It was incorporated in 1879 in Portland, Oregon and operated between Portland and eastern Washington and Oregon until 1896, when it was reorganized into the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company. The Oregon Railway and Navigation Company was the core 643 miles (1,034.8 km) of the OR&N. Its route eventually became the backbone of Union Pacific Railroad's mainline from Utah to the Pacific Northwest.
- Columbia and Palouse Railroad was incorporated in 1882 and built 145 miles (233.4 km) of track. The track ran from Connell, WashingtonConnell, WashingtonConnell is a city in Franklin County, Washington, United States. The population was 4,209 at the 2010 census. The Washington State Office of Financial Management's 2011 estimate placed the population at 5,150.-History:...
, where it interchanged with the Northern Pacific RailwayNorthern Pacific RailwayThe Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
and ran east through HooperHooper, WashingtonHooper is an unincorporated community in Whitman County, Washington, United States.-History:Hooper was named around 1883 for early settler Albert J. Hooper....
, La CrosseLa Crosse, WashingtonLa Crosse is a town in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 313 at the 2010 census.-History:LaCrosse was incorporated on February 19, 1917....
, Winona and ColfaxColfax, WashingtonColfax is the county seat of Whitman County, Washington, United States.The population was 2,805 at the 2010 census.It is situated amidst wheat-covered hills in a valley at the confluence of the north and south forks of the Palouse River. U.S...
. At Colfax, one line ran northeast to Farmington, WashingtonFarmington, WashingtonFarmington is a town in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 146 at the 2010 census.-History:Farmington was first settled in 1871, and was founded and named by G.W.Truax in 1878. Farmington was officially incorporated in 1888. At Farmington's peak the town boasted a...
, located on the Idaho state line. The other line ran southeast from Colfax to Moscow, IdahoMoscow, IdahoMoscow is a city in northern Idaho, situated along the Washington/Idaho border. It is the most populous city and county seat of Latah County and the home of the University of Idaho, the land grant institution and primary research university for the state...
. The railroad was a non-operating subsidiary of the OR&N in 1888 and was eventually sold to the OR&N in 1910. - Walla Walla and Columbia River Railroad was a wood-railed narrow-gauge railroad incorporated in 1868 at Walla Walla, WashingtonWalla Walla, WashingtonWalla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
and built 46 miles (74 km) of track from Wallula, WashingtonWallula, WashingtonWallula is a census-designated place in Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 179 at the 2010 census.-History:Lewis and Clark reached the area April 27, 1806, on their return journey from the Pacific...
. The track went east from Wallula to Touchet, Frenchtown and Whitman. At Whitman, the line continued east to Walla Walla and a branch that was built in 1879 went south to Blue Mountain, Oregon via Barrett (Milton). The first 33 miles took 6 years to build. In 1881 the railroad came under the control of the OR&N and the narrow-gauge was converted to standard gauge. In 1910, the Walla Walla and Columbia River Railroad was consolidated into the OR&N. - Mill Creek Flume and Manufacturing was incorporated in 1880 as a narrow gauge lumberTimberTimber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
carrier operating 13 miles (20.9 km) of track between Walla Walla and DixieDixie, WashingtonDixie is a census-designated place in Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 197 at the 2010 census.Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Dixie ranks 96th of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked...
. In 1903 the Mill Creek Flume and Manufacturing Company was purchased by the OR&N and renamed the Mill Creek Railroad. The track was standardized in 1905. After the track was standardized, the OR&N sold the Mill Creek Railroad and it was merged into the Washington and Columbia River Railway which became part of the Northern Pacific Railway in 1907. - Oregon Railway Extensions Company was incorporated in 1888 at Portland and built 69 miles (111 km) of track with two branches. One branch ran from La Grande, OregonLa Grande, Oregon-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,327 people, 5,124 households, and 2,982 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,833.5 people per square mile . There were 5,483 housing units at an average density of 1,260.3 per square mile...
where it interchanged with the OR&N and then ran northeast to ElginElgin, OregonElgin is a city in Union County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,654 at the 2000 census. The 2007 estimate is 1,685 residents. The community is named after the Lady Elgin, a ship lost on Lake Michigan....
. The other branch ran from Winona, Washington to Seltice via St. JohnSt. John, WashingtonSt. John is a town in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 537 at the 2010 census. St. John is the birthplace of the twentieth governor of Washington, Mike Lowry.-History:...
, Sunset, ThorntonThornton, WashingtonThornton is an unincorporated community in Whitman County, Washington, United States. Founded in 1889 by P.M. Sheehan, Thornton is located near U.S. Route 195 west of Oakesdale. Thornton has a post office with ZIP code 99176....
and OakesdaleOakesdale, WashingtonOakesdale is a town in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 422 at the 2010 census.-Historical population:* 1890...528* 1900...928* 1910...882* 1920...816* 1930...637* 1940...590* 1950...576* 1960...474* 1970...447...
. The railroad was a non-operating subsidiary of the OR&N. In 1896 it was sold at foreclosureForeclosureForeclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
to the OR&N. - Washington and Idaho Railroad was incorporated in 1886 and was also sold at foreclosure to the OR&N in 1896. The Washington and Idaho Railroad operated 154 miles (247.8 km) of track.
Development of the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company
The Oregon Railway and Navigation Company's purchase of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company in 1880 gave it a partial route on the south (Oregon) side of the Columbia River. The company then pursued expansion of its Columbia River route, surveying from where the Oregon Steam Navigation tracks ended at Celilo and continuing east to WallulaWallula, Washington
Wallula is a census-designated place in Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 179 at the 2010 census.-History:Lewis and Clark reached the area April 27, 1806, on their return journey from the Pacific...
. By 1882 the route along the Columbia River was complete.
Starting in 1880, one of the competitors of the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company was the Shaver Transportation Company
Shaver Transportation Company
The Shaver Transportation Company is an inland water freight transportation company based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The company was founded in 1880, and played a major role in the development of freight transport in the Portland area and along the Columbia., Harry L...
.
Blue Mountain route
The company purchased right-of-way in 1882 from Alfred B. MeachamAlfred B. Meacham
Alfred Benjamin Meacham was an American Methodist minister, reformer, author and historian, who served as the US Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Oregon . He became a proponent of American Indian interests in the Northwest, including Northern California...
and John Harvey Meacham, along their Meacham Road through the Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains (Oregon)
The Blue Mountains are a mountain range in the western United States, located largely in northeastern Oregon and stretching into southeastern Washington...
. The Meacham road, built in 1862, had a lower pass (4185 feet (1,275.6 m)) than competing roads, and was a corduroy road
Corduroy road
A corduroy road or log road is a type of road made by placing sand-covered logs perpendicular to the direction of the road over a low or swampy area....
, allowing it to hold up in poor weather conditions. The railroad was laid in 1884.
Predecessors of the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company
- Oregon Steam Navigation CompanyOregon Steam Navigation CompanyThe Oregon Steam Navigation Company was an American company incorporated in 1860 in Washington with partners J. S. Ruckle, Henry Olmstead, and J. O. Van Bergen...
was incorporated in 1862 in Portland. It operated steamships between San FranciscoSan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
and ports along the Columbia RiverColumbia RiverThe Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
at AstoriaAstoria, OregonAstoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
, Portland, and The DallesThe Dalles, OregonThe Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is...
, serving the lumberTimberTimber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
and salmonSalmonSalmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
fishing industries. The company built the railroad to serve the steamship operation. The Oregon Steam Navigation Company was sold to Oregon Railway and Navigation in 1880. - Oregon Steam Navigation Company (of Washington) was incorporated in 1860 to operate via land along a portion of the Columbia RiverColumbia RiverThe Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
that was unnavigable by steamship because of the rapids. The railroad operated from The Dalles to Celilo FallsCelilo FallsCelilo Falls was a tribal fishing area on the Columbia River, just east of the Cascade Mountains, on what is today the border between the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington...
. - Oregon Portage RailroadOregon Portage RailroadThe Oregon Portage Railroad was the first railroad in the U.S. state of Oregon. It originally ran for with of telegraph line, and was later extended to a length of...
operated 4.5 miles (7.2 km) of track between Bonneville (on the Columbia River) and Cascade (Cascade Locks, OregonCascade Locks, OregonCascade Locks is a city in Hood River County, Oregon, United States. The city took its name from a set of locks built to improve navigation past the Cascades Rapids of the Columbia River. The U.S. federal government approved the plan for the locks in 1875, construction began in 1878, and the locks...
) from 1858 to 1863. The railroad hauled primarily military and immigrant traffic. In 1862 the railroad was sold to the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company for $155,000. - Ilwaco Railway and Navigation CompanyIlwaco Railway and Navigation CompanyThe Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Company operated a narrow gauge railroad ran for over forty years from the bar of the Columbia River up the Long Beach Peninsula to Nahcotta, Washington, on Willapa Bay. The line ran entirely in Pacific County, Washington, and had no connection to any outside rail...
ran a narrow gauge rail line on the Long Beach PeninsulaLong Beach PeninsulaThe Long Beach Peninsula is an arm of land in western Washington state. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the south by the Columbia River, and the east by Willapa Bay...
from Ilwaco in the south, to Nahcotta in the north, with steamboat connections at both ends. In 1900, the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company bought a controlling interest in the company.