About

The Oregon Rail Heritage Center grew out of a community effort to preserve and care for three historic steam locomotives donated to the City of Portland in 1958 – Southern Pacific 4449, Spokane Portland and Seattle 700, and Union Pacific 3203. For decades, these locomotives were stored behind a chain-link fence at Oaks Amusement Park in Portland, Oregon.

In 1974, the Southern Pacific 4449 was restored and used to power the American Freedom Train in celebration of the nation’s bicentennial. In later years, all three locomotives were moved to the historic Brooklyn Roundhouse in southeast Portland.

When Union Pacific announced plans to expand its yard and remove the Brooklyn Roundhouse, the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation (ORHF) was created to shelter the locomotives into the future.

In 2012, ORHF opened the Oregon Rail Heritage Center, a 20,000-square-foot Enginehouse designed to preserve, maintain, and showcase these historic locomotives. The Center is open to the public as a working museum operated by ORHF.

Since opening, the Center has continued to grow and evolve. Today, the Center features visual and hands-on exhibits on rail history, a collection of vintage railcars, working steam and diesel locomotives, and the historic Brooklyn Turntable in the entrance plaza. Train excursions that bring rail travel to life are also operated by the Center, including the beloved Holiday Express. Each year, the Center welcomes tens of thousands of visitors from across the nation and worldwide to view the working museum and ride the rails on train excursions.

The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation raises funds to support museum operations, preservation efforts, and continued improvements to facilities and exhibits. ORHF is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in the state of Oregon, overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors committed to preserving the region’s rich railroading legacy for future generations.