We just got back from the Great Train Expo in Portland, Oregon. It was our first time attending this show and it was fabulous, we are definitely planning on doing this show every year! Luckily most of the snow melted from the storm that passed through the day before we were set to leave so we made it up north without any problems. We arrived and got our booth set up with an assortment of new inventory including Walthers models, DVDs from TSG Multimedia, Woodland Scenics landscaping materials and figures, and lots of new shirts and hats among other goodies.
Cat Cook at The Short Line's booth at the Great Train Expo, Portland - Photo by Don Cook
The show was at the Portland Metro Expo Center which is in North Portland across from Hayden Island and along North Portland Harbor. We stayed nearby at the Courtyard by Marriott from where I snapped this photo looking across the harbor at Hayden Island and Vancouver, Washington. You can see some of the Vancouver-Hayden Island Bridge in the background. This bridge (also known as the North Bank Bridge, the Columbia River Railroad Bridge, and BNSF Bridge 9.6) was constructed in 1908 and is a double-tracked swing through truss bridge. It is 2,808 feet long and has it’s longest span at 492 feet.
Hayden Island - Photo by Cat Cook
Of course there were lots of vendors and layouts. Those showing off their layouts included Rose City Garden Railway Society, Beaverton Modular Railroad Club, Longview Kelso & Rainier Railroad Club, Cascade Z Modelers, and the Portland Lego Users Group.
Cascade Z Modelers' Layout - Photo by Don Cook
On the way home we passed this 1904 Baldwin 3′ Gauge locomotive painted in honor of the ongoing ‘civil war’ rivalry between the University of Oregon Ducks and Oregon State Beavers. It can be seen from Interstate 5 as you pass the Keizer Station Village Shopping Center, just north of the 45th parallel which is halfway between the Equator and the North Pole.
U. of Oregon/Oregon State Civil War Train - Photo by Cat Cook
North of Roseburg we passed the new 6-million dollar Winchester Rail Switching Yard for Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad that opened in September of last year.
CORP's Winchester Rail Switching Yard - Photo by Cat Cook
A bit further south, here is the North Umpqua River Bridge (also known as the Winchester Railroad Bridge and North Umpqua Railroad Bridge) built in 1906. It is on the Central Oregon & Pacific railroad in Winchester, Oregon.
North Umpqua River Bridge - Photo by Cat Cook
Finally, just before we crested Sexton Summit we passed a couple of CSX Intermodal containers on trucks.
CSX Intermodal on I-5 - Photo by Cat Cook
And then, we were home just in time for the next snow storm to pass through! We are looking forward to the next show on our agenda: the 23rd Annual Willamette Cascade Model Railroad Club Train Show & Swap Meet in Eugene, Oregon which is happening April 9th & 10th at Lane County Fairgrounds. We hope to see you there!