The Brooklyn Intermodal Rail Yard is a 110-acre Union Pacific rail yard in southeast Portland, Oregon, stretching from Powell Boulevard to Bybee Boulevard and operating since the 1860s.
Brooklyn Intermodal Rail Yard | |
|---|---|
_-_1.jpg) Signage at SE Holgate entrance, 2019 | |
| Location | Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
  Brooklyn Intermodal Rail Yard | |
| Coordinates: 45°29′22″N 122°38′37″W / 45.48957°N 122.64366°W | |
History
editThe Oregon and California Railroad started laying tracks here in April 1868. The Southern Pacific Transportation Company gained controlled of the railroad in 1887.[1] The name Brooklyn Yard was adopted in 1912. This yard was the principal Southern Pacific railroad shops in Oregon. By 1910, a twelve-stall roundhouse and eight-track machine shop were developed. By 1920, the switching yard was developed south of the Holgate Street viaduct. The turntable was updated on December 11, 1924, with the installation of a 100-foot long bridge built by American Bridge Company, replacing an earlier 80-foot turntable. The larger 4-stall roundhouse was completed in 1941, and was used for larger engines.[2] The Union Pacific Railroad took control of the Southern Pacific in 1996 and now operates the yard.[3][4][5]
Activities of the yard have been limited by adjacent neighborhoods.[6] The rail yard is an important part of the economy in the state and supports north-south freight movement along the West Coast, including the shipment of Oregon-made products. Every holiday season thousands and thousands of Christmas trees are shipped from Oregon out of Brooklyn Rail Yard.[7]
A 100-foot turntable had previously been at Brooklyn Yard[8] but was removed in 2012 when the yard was being converted to intermodal service.[9] In October 2023, the Oregon Rail Heritage Center reinstalled the turntable from Brooklyn Yard at its facility.[10]
References
edit- ↑ Austin, Ed (1987). The Southern Pacific in Oregon. Pacific Fast Mail. p. 42. ISBN 0-915713-14-4.
- ↑ Austin, Ed (1987). The Southern Pacific in Oregon. Pacific Fast Mail. p. 42. ISBN 0-915713-14-4.
- ↑ Harden, Kevin. "Union Pacific Brooklyn Yard project tries to hurdle old court injunction". Portland Tribune. Archived from the original on 2019-02-14. Retrieved 2019-02-14.
- ↑ Buxton, Matt (2011-04-06). "Union Pacific works to lift Brooklyn Rail Yard injunction, leaves neighbors worried". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2019-02-14. Retrieved 2019-02-14.
- ↑ "Union Pacific prepares Brooklyn Yard for light rail line". Portland Business Journal. Archived from the original on 2012-09-09.
- ↑ Binder, Melissa (2013-11-19). "Pollution near Brooklyn rail yard monitored by Reed College, SE Portland neighbors". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2019-02-14. Retrieved 2019-02-14.
- ↑ "Union Pacific in Oregon" (PDF). Union Pacific Railroad.
- ↑ Redden, Jim. "TURN THIS TRAIN AROUND". Portland Tribune. Archived from the original on 2019-02-14. Retrieved 2019-02-14.
- ↑ "Portland (Brooklyn) Intermodal Terminal". Union Pacific Railroad.
- ↑ Redden, Jim. "Historic train "turntable" project opens to the public in Portland". PortlandTribune.com. Archived from the original on 2023-10-21. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
External links
edit
- Brooklyn Intermodal Rail Yard, Portland, Oregon at Waymarking