Washington Park and Zoo Railway - Tracks Ahead (S6|E9)

[@57629589]

I rode all those as a kid. The Zooliner was always my favorite!

[@ChrisJones-gx7fc]

The WP&Z Railway has been fighting a tough battle to save the tracks to Washington Park, which have been closed for several years due to (I believe) a landslide, and since then the tracks and Washington Park depot have fallen into disrepair. There was a proposal a few years ago to convert the tracks to a trail, leaving just a very short out and back trip over a bridge for the zoo trains after their loop around the zoo was removed following the expansion of the elephant exhibit. Friends of WP&Z Railway have been fighting hard to save the railroad, working to get it on the National Register of Historic Places. The trip to Washington Park was only offered during the summer months, but if the tracks are saved and restored to Washington Park then the plan is trains would run there year-round.

[@Steamer96]

The Oregon Steamer was the first steam locomotive I ever rode behind, then it was 4449 for a standard gauge steam locomotive.

[@lvdisc]

As of 2023, The Washington Park and Oregon Zoo Railway Train has not been making the the trip from the Oregon Zoo to Washington Park for the last 12 years. To quote Metro Head Chair Person Lynn Peterson, the resumption of service of the train to Washington Park from the Zoo is not in the "Portland Plan." It is of my opinion that no one in the Metro area is in favor of this section of "The Portland Plan) of not saving this historical rail line (with the possible exception of Ms. Peterson.)