Columbia and Nehalem Valley Railroad

Bridge on McBride Creek

Original plan of the route, around 1902

Route length:

13 km

Gauge :

1435 mm ( standard gauge )

Legend

	0.0	Columbia City
		Crib-Trestle on McBride Creek
	12.87	Forest between Milton Creek u. Merrill Creek

The Columbia and Nehalem Valley Railroad was a standard gauge forest railroad operated by the Peninsular Lumber Company in Portland near Columbia City , Oregon .

location

The forest railroad began in Columbia City and would run to Pittsburg in the Nehalem Valley. It led uphill in a westerly direction to the ridge between Milton Creek and Merrill Creek.

history

Portland-based investors Goodsell, Giltner & Sewell announced on March 7, 1902 that they wanted to build the Columbia City-Pittsburg Forest Railroad. On April 25, 1902, they declared that the railway line would be 16-19 km (10-12 miles) long and would lead to Oak Ranch Creek. The use of 6 steam locomotives was planned.

On 29 June 1906 sold Giltner & Sewell of Portland 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres ) forest area for $ 200,000 to the Peninsular Lumber Co., including the now completed 8 km (5 miles) long rail line and the pier on the Columbia River . Selling price was based on a $ 1.25 per thousand basis. The Peninsular Lumber Co. owned a river sawmill to which they could float logs.

By 1912, the route was extended to just under 13 km (8 miles), but probably not all the way to Yankton .

bridges

Shay-Lok on the Crib Trestle Bridge on McBride Creek

Since there was enough wood, combined crib and trestle bridges were built, in which the tree trunks were partially placed horizontally on top of one another like a log house instead of being erected vertically. This had the advantage that no ram or crane was required, so that the bridges could be built before the railway track was built.

Locomotives

There were probably used two to three wood-fired locomotives, at least one 35-ton Climax - geared steam locomotive and a smaller, conventional Lima -Dampflok and possibly an Shay .