Oregon City, OR is the second newest station and newest in Oregon on the Amtrak Cascades route. It opened on April 16, 2004 it receives train service only from the two Oregon subsidized Amtrak Cascades trips: the two northbound trips in the morning to Seattle and the two southbound trips in the evening to Eugene. The Coast Starlight bypasses the station. The station could be considered the successor of two stations on the first attempted Oregon State Supported service the Willamette Valley trains which made two daily round-trips from Portland to Eugene from August 3, 1980 to December 30, 1981. These trains stopped in East Milwaukle, OR (9 miles north of Oregon City) at Campbell Street between Harrison and Oaks Street. There was also another intermediate stop closer to Salem in Woodburn, OR (27 miles south) which was located at East Lincoln and Young Streets.
Oregon City is the endpoint of the famed Oregon Trail and was the first real American settlement west of the Rockies. The End of the Oregon Trail Interpretative Center is across the street from the station and this is also where most of the stations parking is. The stop consists of a simple concrete platform with a tactile warning strip and exposed mobile-lift for ADA compliancy. There is signage consisting of Oregon City on blue with the direction of travel for Eugene or Portland/Seattle beneath with arrows. These signs are similar to those found at some stations in the Northeast and some other Amtrak Cascades stations in Oregon. The stop is built along a slight hillside and access to the platform is through a few self-opened gates in the fence in the middle of the platform these are signed "Do Not Enter Until Passenger Train Has Come to a Complete Stop." This area has a small trying to look historic shelter with two benches, one with yellow singles and windows and a gabled roof. There is also the modern Amtrak information panel with displays about train service on the street side. Staircases and ramps lead up to the historic depot (that the shelter has been modeled after) that has been long used for non-railroad uses. Staircases and a ramp lead down to the parking lot beneath the station.
All photos taken on 18 October, 2011
Salem, OR 