More of Corvallis, Oregon from the OSU Digital Archive

Corvallis, Oregon looking northwest, circa 1950.

Flood on the east bank of the Willamette River with the Oregon Electric depot on the left, circa 1920.

Football fans detrain at the O.E. Corvallis depot circa 1920.

Some more very interesting photographs from the Oregon State University Digital Archive:

The top view has the confluence of Marys River and the Willamette at bottom left. The mill is Marys River Lumber, which is long gone. SP's Corvallis Yard is seen center left. The right of way of the Uptown Lead is visible above the mill as it curves off its street running and makes its way downtown between First and Second Streets. This line lasted into the early Seventies, serving the Copeland Lumber Yard.

The two bottom views are the real prize as they show the Oregon Electric Corvallis station, also known as Grays. This facility was on the east bank of the Willamette in Linn County. The football fans may have come from Portland, but more probably, are from Eugene. Note that no one felt compelled in those days to wear duck hats, or paint their faces green and yellow. What the people on the roof of the depot are up to is anybody's guess.

Railroad Yard in a Square City Block

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Now here is a model railroad project for you. Salem, Oregon on the old Oregon Electric. Interesting ramp and pit arrangement at the lower right. I am guessing this is for unloading fertilizer. Signal Dept. bone yard in the upper left.

BN 663/664 Addendum

BN Extended Vision Cupola caboose 12544 brings up the rear of BNSF train 664 - Portland, Oregon - October 1997

Along with the Oregon Trunk trains, the 663/664 trains were some of the last to regularly operate with cabooses into the late Nineties. The train above has just come across the Steel Bridge, after coming up the old SP mainline from Labish, and a connection with the old O.E., north of Salem.  Earlier post. 


Connecting track at Labish, Oregon (N. Salem.)

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The Scandia Limited - August 10, 1969

Ex Canadian Pacific Mountain Obs 598 on the Scandia Limited, at Junction City, Oregon - August 10, 1969

You can't go to a bargain matinee at the movies for $6.95 anymore.

Note the alternate Skandia spelling.

Scandia Limited trip notes.

25 minutes off of the carded time out of Salem , but only 15 minutes late into Jct. City  on the trip down.

Crossing the Willamette River near Harrisburg, Oregon

I got the chance to ride this excursion twice, in 1968, and 1969. I was living in Corvallis then, and boarded both times at Salem, so the scenic delights of Cornelius Pass were not experienced, but a very good time was had on both trips. I have some Kodacolor prints that I will post when I find them. I felt then, and still do, that I was a very lucky lad to have rode two thirds of Canadian Pacific's Mountain Observation fleet, the other being the Pacific Railroad Society's 599. The Scandinavian Festival at Junction City, Oregon still goes on to this day, sans excursion trains.