Washington Park and Zoo Railway, railway in Portland, Oregon, USA
The Washington Park and Zoo Railway is a narrow-gauge train line in Portland listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The current route runs through the zoo grounds for about six minutes, while the original longer route through the park and forests no longer operates in full.
The railway opened in 1958 to bring visitors from the city to the zoo. The original longer Rose Garden Loop route began in 1960 and carried about 200,000 passengers annually, but faced restrictions after zoo renovations in 2013 and was later added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020.
The railway's name reflects its original purpose of connecting Washington Park with the zoo for visitors. Today, the ride offers insight into how people experienced leisure and nature in the city during the 1950s.
The ride lasts about six minutes and requires a special ticket available at the zoo. The train operates regularly during zoo hours, with extra trips on holidays and special events.
The railway operates two distinct trains: a steam engine replica called Oregon that runs only on special days, and the 1958 Zooliner with a diesel engine that operates regularly. Together, these two vehicles showcase the evolution of train design from the steam era to modern railroads.
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