Listen

We, the Yaquina Pacific Railroad Historical Society, chartered in 1993 as a chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, operate a railroad and logging Heritage Square in Toledo, Oregon, population 3500. We have a static display of a 1922 Baldwin Steam engine, a 1923 Railway Post Office car, Southern Pacific #5132(under restoration) and a 1907 the Southern Pacific #573 wood-sided caboose that serves as our office and display center. The caboose is the oldest surviving restored wood caboose in Oregon and perhaps the Northwest.

We host several speeder groups annually and provide rides during several events during the year such as the Antique Days, Wooden Boat Show, and Summer Festival all with permission of the Portland & Western Railroad, the local shortline operator.  Rail has been active in Lincoln County since 1870 when Col. Thomas Egenton Hogg, who had been an officer in the Confederate Army,  began the Oregon Pacific Railroad with hopes to run the line from Yaquina Bay on the Oregon Coast to Boise City, (now Boise) Idaho. He was successful in laying 141.8 miles of track. Through several name changes and owners it was eventually absorbed by the Southern Pacific.

We have daily visitors to our site, open 10:00-2:00 Tuesdays through Saturdays. We are located just a block from the boat docks and often get visitors that have come up the Yaquina river from Newport to visit our town and our display. A joint effort of city, port, and railroad leadership is continually working on how to improve the economic development within this area, augmenting the significant impact made by the Georgia-Pacific Corporation.

Yaquina Pacific Railroad Historical Society

Newsletter goes digital:

Fill out this form to recieve the

newsletter in your mail box in pdf format.

LATEST NEWS STORIES:

FRONT COUPLER BACK ON ENGINE

After eight years, “One Spot” gets her front coupler re-attached. This was no easy task as you can see Leonard Friedberg and Greg Smith finish up what several members began a few days before. Some time ago the pilot beam was treated and readied for drilling. The bolts holding the coupler to the frame are 2”. All holes through the coupler, the beam and the frame plate had to match up. Next will be the footboards that replaced the original cowcatcher. They hang from the pilot beam. Footboards allowed railroad crew to catch a ride when they were going to pick up log loads in the woods.

Officers
President - Bill Bain
Vice President- Richard Cullison
Treasurer- Allan Preece
National Director-Jim Webb
Chapter Historian Lloyd Palmer

Staff
Conductor - Tom Chandler
C.C.B.W.- Len Freidberg