Portland and Willamette Valley Railway
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad |
| Founded | January 19, 1885 |
| Defunct | February 2, 1892 |
| Fate | Entered receivership |
| Successor | Oregon and California Railroad (Southern Pacific affiliate) |
| Headquarters | Portland , United States |
Area served | Oregon |
The Portland and Willamette Valley Railway was established on 19 January 1885 with the purpose of completing a narrow-gauge railroad connecting Portland and Dundee, Oregon. This project was initially initiated by the Oregonian Railway. The railway commenced operations on 31 December 1886, although service to Portland was delayed until 23 July 1888 due to disputes over the right-of-way. The company maintained control of the line until it entered receivership on 2 February 1892.
Subsequently, on 5 August 1892, the route was leased to the Portland and Yamhill Railroad, a subsidiary of Southern Pacific Railroad, which operated the narrow-gauge track for one year. Ownership then transferred entirely to the Oregon and California Railroad, another Southern Pacific affiliate, on 1 August 1893, when the line was also converted to standard gauge.
This main route later became known as Southern Pacific's Newberg branch. In present times, passenger services along a portion of the Dundee–Portland corridor between Lake Oswego and Portland are provided by the Willamette Shore Trolley, while freight operations south of Lake Oswego are handled by the Portland and Western Railroad.