Portland & Willamette Valley Railway Bridge

Portland & Willamette Valley Railway operated a narrow gauge (3 feet wide) railroad line between Dundee and Portland starting in 1886.  This railroad used a right-of-way purchased from John Sweek on the Tualatin River’s west bank opposite Bridgeport. Profiting from the sale, Sweek took advantage of the railroad’s location and platted a town around the depot. He called the new town Tualatin. In 1892 the railroad line was leased to Southern Pacific who converted the line to standard gauge (4 feet, 8.5 inches wide).  In 1997, Southern Pacific merged with Union Pacific who now owns these tracks.  Credit: Tualatin, Once Upon a Time

River Mile: 8.9

Portland & Willamette Valley Railway Map (1919)

Credit: Oregon Historical Quarterly

Tualatin Depot (1900)

Credit: Tualatin Historical Society

Railway Bridge (1900)

Credit: Tualatin Historical Society

Railway Bridge (2025)

Bridge Trestle (1890)

Credit: Tualatin Historical Society

Bridge Trestle (2025)