Prototype News

Union Pacific and the City of Portland are butting heads over the resumption of rail service next to a burned-out waterfront warehouse that is at risk of collapsing. 

The eight-story Centennial Mills warehouse is located just north of Portland Union Station. On August 2, the building caught fire. While firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control within a few hours, the roof and all eight floors inside the structure collapsed during the blaze, leaving just four fire-damaged walls that could collapse at any time. 

Right after the fire, UP and Amtrak suspended rail service on the line directly across the street from the warehouse over fears that vibrations from passing trains could bring it down. But a week later, on August 8, UP officials notified the city that it planned to resume freight operations. Shortly after, UP parked a cut of loaded ballast cars on the track closest to the building to act as a shield of sorts if the building came down while a train passed. Freight service resumed on August 11, much to the dismay of city officials who said it was a threat to public health and safety. 

“Passing trains could trigger the collapse of the building,” said City Administrator Raymond C. Lee III.

While UP has resumed freight service, the prospect of a building collapse continues to disrupt Amtrak service. Passengers aboard Amtrak’s Cascades trains are now having to take a bus between Portland and Seattle. Amtrak’s Empire Builder has been suspended between Portland and Spokane, Wash., as well. 

—Justin Franz 

The post UP, Portland Butt Heads Over Fire-Damaged Warehouse appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

Pere Marquette 2-8-4 1225 will be staying close to home this fall after its owner, the Steam Railroading Institute, announced on August 13 that they would not be able to move the locomotive to Virginia for a series of fall foliage excursions. 

While the trips had not yet been announced, 1225 was slated to appear on the Buckingham Branch Railroad, which in recent years has hosted Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 611. SRI has been a partner in those trips by providing passenger cars, and there was a hope that 1225 would be able to stretch its legs on the main line, too. Unfortunately, the group was unable to secure an agreement with Class I railroads, specifically Norfolk Southern, to move the locomotive to Virginia. 

“Unfortunately, circumstances beyond SRI’s control have made it impossible to secure the necessary arrangements to move the steam engine, preventing us from planning and operating the excursions,” officials wrote. “While this is certainly disappointing news, we are not giving up on adding new opportunities to the calendar. We are actively working on other excursion options and hope to have some exciting alternatives to share soon.”

PM 1225 was built by Lima in October 1941, and restored for excursion service in the late 1980s. The locomotive is perhaps best known as the inspiration for the engine in the 2004 film “Polar Express.”

—Justin Franz 

The post Pere Marquette 1225 Stuck At Home This Fall appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.