Oregon Trunk Line

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A train traverses the Crooked River Railroad Bridge, 2005

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Map of the Oregon Trunk Line, 1931

Oregon Trunk Subdivision
File:BSicon CONTgq.svg File:BSicon lhSTRa@f.svg File:BSicon ABZq+lr.svg File:BSicon CONTfq.svg Fallbridge Subdivision File:BSicon ldGRZq.svg File:BSicon dWASSERq.svg File:BSicon MSTR.svg File:BSicon hLFT.svg File:BSicon lGRZq.svg File:BSicon WASSERq.svg File:BSicon ldGRZq.svg File:BSicon dWASSERq.svg Celilo Bridge over Columbia River WA OR File:BSicon lCONTg@Gq.svg File:BSicon kABZq2.svg File:BSicon kSTRc3.svg File:BSicon hKRZe.svg File:BSicon CONT2+r.svg UP Portland Subdivision File:BSicon kABZg+4.svg File:BSicon TUNNEL2.svg File:BSicon TUNNEL2.svg File:BSicon PSLr.svg File:BSicon WASSER.svg File:BSicon WASSER+l.svg File:BSicon hPORTALf.svg File:BSicon hKRZWa.svg File:BSicon WASSERr.svg Deschutes River File:BSicon WASSER.svg File:BSicon tSTRe@f.svg Tunnel 2 File:BSicon WASSERl.svg File:BSicon hKRZWae.svg File:BSicon WASSER+r.svg Deschutes River File:BSicon PSLr.svg File:BSicon WASSER.svg Maupin File:BSicon TUNNEL2.svg File:BSicon WASSER.svg File:BSicon STR.svg File:BSicon WASSER.svg Dant File:BSicon KWSTRaq.svg File:BSicon hKRZWae.svg File:BSicon WASSERr.svg Deschutes River File:BSicon STR.svg North Junction File:BSicon TUNNEL2.svg File:BSicon PSLl.svg South Junction File:BSicon TUNNEL2.svg File:BSicon PSLr.svg Gateway File:BSicon nCONTgq.svg File:BSicon PSLl.svg File:BSicon ABZg+nr.svg Madras File:BSicon eHST.svg Metolius File:BSicon dYRD.svg Metolius Yard File:BSicon PSLl.svg Culver File:BSicon PSLr.svg Opal City File:BSicon hbKRZWae.svg Crooked River Railroad Bridge File:BSicon ABZgl+l.svg File:BSicon CONTfq.svg City of Prineville Railway File:BSicon YRD.svg Redmond File:BSicon PSLla.svg File:BSicon nCONT2.svg File:BSicon nSTRc3.svg File:BSicon PSLle.svg File:BSicon nSTRc1.svg File:BSicon nENDEaq.svg File:BSicon nSTR+r.svg File:BSicon nSTR+4.svg File:BSicon ABZgnr.svg File:BSicon eBHF.svg Bend File:BSicon ABZgnl.svg File:BSicon nlENDE@Gq.svg File:BSicon YRD.svg Bend Yard File:BSicon STR.svg Lava File:BSicon PSLl.svg La Pine File:BSicon STR.svg Chemult File:BSicon CONTgq.svg File:BSicon ABZql.svg File:BSicon CONTfq.svg UP Cascade Subdivision

The Oregon Trunk Line is a railway line in Oregon and Washington operated by the BNSF Railway. It is a remnant of the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway, running from Wishram, Washington in the north to a connection with the Union Pacific at Chemult at its south end. Connections to the Gateway Subdivision are facilitated by trackage rights over the Union Pacific Cascade Subdivision to Klamath Falls.

History

The Oregon Trunk Line railroad surveyed the route in 1906, with the golden spike driven at Bend on October 5, 1911. It was built with competition from the Deschutes Railroad Company, which laid their tracks on the eastern bank of the Deschutes River. The competing companies' workers became embroiled in a Railroad War during construction, with attacks involving dynamite, guns, and general brawls. A truce was called in 1909 to allow the two to build a joint track through the narrow Deschutes River Valley. Northern Pacific Railway and Great Northern Railway agreed to extend the line south of Bend to Klamath Falls in 1927. The order was finalized the following year with Great Northern additionally acquiring trackage rights on the Southern Pacific line between Chemult and Klamath Falls.

Passenger services along the line ended in 1971 with the formation of Amtrak.