Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad, Oregon
Historic rail siteFreight over the Coast Range ended after a December 2007 flood; scenic trains still use the coastal track
The Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad is the port-owned short line that once linked Tillamook with the Portland area over the Coast Range, along the Salmonberry River and across wooden trestles some 200 feet high.
- Started in 1952 as a Navy spur
- Line built 1906 to 1911
- 101 miles of rail line
- Trestles some 200 feet high
- Freight ended after 2007 flood
Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad at a glance
- Hours
- Not open to visitors; the Port office can answer questions
- Admission
- Not applicable
- Train rides
- Scenic rides on the coastal track are run by the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad
- Best for
- Rail history fans and coast road-trippers
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Tillamook.
Rally Takes the Train
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See who’s waiting at the station
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From a blimp base spur to a Coast Range railroad
The railroad began in 1952 as switching track at the former Naval Air Station Tillamook, a World War II blimp base that patrolled the Pacific coast. When the Port of Tillamook Bay acquired the air station, it also took over the Navy's 5.5-mile spur, which met the Southern Pacific in downtown Tillamook. Southern Pacific's line over the Coast Range had been built between 1906 and 1911.
As Southern Pacific pulled back, the Port began operating the line, and when SP decided to abandon it in 1990 the Port bought the whole route to Schefflin with help from state lottery funds. The line runs from Tillamook up the coast to Wheeler, then east through the mountains toward Portland, clinging to the slopes above the Salmonberry River with river crossings and tall wooden trestles. Until 2007 it hauled lumber and feed grain six days a week.
In December 2007 a major storm sent floodwater through the Salmonberry River Canyon and destroyed long sections of roadbed. Rebuilding was too costly, so the Port used federal emergency funds to grow its industrial park and airport instead. The Port still owns the right of way, a yard in Banks serves a lumber mill, and the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad maintains and runs tourist trains on the coastal track.
Seeing the line today
There is no museum or display for the public to tour, and the Port asks that no one trespass on railroad property. The easiest way to experience the line is aboard the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, which runs scenic trains on the coastal section under an agreement with the Port.
Riding the coastal track with kids
Children cannot visit the old mountain line, and the tracks are off limits for safety. Families who want to ride this railroad's rails can book a scenic trip with the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, which operates on the coastal track.
Plan your visit: tips for Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad
- Do not walk on the tracks or railroad property; the Port prohibits trespassing.
- Report a railroad emergency at (855) 842-7972.
- To ride the coastal line, look up the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad.
The Port of Tillamook Bay today
The Port of Tillamook Bay owns the railroad's right of way along with a 1,600-acre site two miles south of Tillamook that includes an industrial park, the Tillamook Municipal Airport and the Naval Air Station Tillamook Air Museum. Questions about the railroad go to the Port office at (503) 842-2413 or info@potb.org.
More rail stops near Tillamook
Just up the coast, the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad in Garibaldi is about 8 miles away. Farther north, the Astoria Riverfront Trolley is about 51 miles off, and the Oregon Pacific Railroad runs historic excursions in the Portland area about 52 miles away. Find more on our Oregon train museums page.
- Oregon Coast Scenic RailroadGaribaldi, OR · about 8 mi
- Willow Creek Railroad MuseumBrooks, OR · about 51 mi
- Oregon Electric Railway MuseumBrooks, OR · about 51 mi
- Powerland Heritage Park railway collectionsBrooks, OR · about 51 mi
- Astoria Riverfront TrolleyAstoria, OR · about 51 mi
- Oregon Pacific Railroad historic excursionsPortland area, OR · about 52 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Rally's trip in our book starts with packing: his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball, all ready for the grand-paw-rents. Trains on this coast line carried lumber and grain instead of corgi toys, but every load was headed to someone waiting at the other end. My mom always loved that idea, that a train is a promise someone will arrive.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Oregon: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Oregon
- Halloween train rides in Oregon
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad: 20 questions about the line
Is the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad still running?
Not as it once did. The Port ran freight over the Coast Range until December 2007, when flooding destroyed large sections of roadbed in the Salmonberry River Canyon. The Port still owns the line, a yard in Banks serves a lumber mill, and the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad runs tourist trains on the coastal track.
What is the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad?
It is a short line railroad owned by the Port of Tillamook Bay in northwestern Oregon, with the reporting mark POTB. It began in 1952 as switching track around the former Naval Air Station Tillamook and later took over the Southern Pacific line between Tillamook and the Portland area.
Can you ride the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad?
You can ride part of its track. Under an agreement with the Port, the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad maintains the coastal section and runs it as a scenic tourist train. The washed-out mountain section through the Salmonberry River Canyon does not carry trains.
When was the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad founded?
The railroad dates to 1952, when the Port set up switching track around the former Navy air station south of Tillamook. Wikipedia says it rose to greater prominence in 1986 when it leased 94 miles of Southern Pacific's Tillamook Branch, and the Port bought the line in 1990.
Who built the railroad to Tillamook?
The Southern Pacific line over the Coast Range was built between 1906 and 1911. One history credits Oregon judge George R. Bagley and others with starting the tracks in 1906. Southern Pacific ran the line for decades before the Port of Tillamook Bay took it over.
What happened to the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad in 2007?
In December 2007, floodwaters from a major storm destroyed large sections of roadbed in the mountains along the Salmonberry River. Because rebuilding was so expensive, the Port used FEMA funds to improve its industrial park and airport instead of repairing the line.
What did the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad haul?
Before the 2007 storm, the railroad carried freight six days a week, mainly lumber and feed grains. Today a Port yard in Banks still serves a lumber mill, while the coastal track hosts scenic trains.
How long is the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad?
The rail line is 101 miles long, with about 88 miles of main line and 13 miles of spurs and sidings. The Port's right of way ranges from 50 to 200 feet wide along the route.
Where does the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad run?
The line runs from Tillamook north along the coast to Wheeler, then east through the Coast Range toward the Portland area. One history describes its main line as running between Hillsboro and Tillamook. The Port's own railroad yard is in Banks.
What is the Salmonberry River route?
East of the coast, the railroad hugs the mountainside along the Salmonberry River, with river crossings and wooden trestles, some about 200 feet high. This mountain section was badly damaged in the December 2007 flood and no longer carries trains.
Why did the Port of Tillamook Bay buy a railroad?
When Southern Pacific decided to abandon its Tillamook line in 1990, the Port bought the entire route to Schefflin, with help from state lottery funds, to keep rail service for local industry. It had already been operating part of the line since the 1980s.
How is the railroad connected to Naval Air Station Tillamook?
When the Port acquired the former Naval Air Station Tillamook, a World War II blimp base active from 1942 to 1948, it also got the Navy's 5.5-mile rail spur to the Southern Pacific in downtown Tillamook. That spur became the start of the Port's railroad.
Is there a Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad museum?
There is no museum devoted to the railroad open to visitors. The Port's site does include the Naval Air Station Tillamook Air Museum, which tells the story of the blimp base where the railroad began. Riding the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad is the best way to see the line.
Can I walk on the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad tracks?
No. The Port prohibits trespassing on railroad property for everyone's safety. Enjoy the line from public places or aboard the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad. To report a railroad emergency, call (855) 842-7972. Watching a scenic train from a safe public spot is the right way to enjoy it.
Where is the Port of Tillamook Bay?
The Port is at 4000 Blimp Boulevard, Suite 100, Tillamook, Oregon 97141, about two miles south of the city of Tillamook just off U.S. Highway 101. The site covers about 1,600 acres, including an industrial park and the Tillamook Municipal Airport.
How do I contact the Port of Tillamook Bay about the railroad?
Call the Port office at (503) 842-2413 or email info@potb.org. For railroad emergencies, such as damage or blocked crossings, call (855) 842-7972. The Port's fax number is 503-842-3680. Office staff can point you to the right person for railroad questions.
Is the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad related to the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad?
Yes. Through an agreement with the Port, the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad maintains the coastal track and operates it as a scenic tourist train. The Port remains the owner of the rail line and its right of way.
Who operated the Tillamook line before the Port?
The Southern Pacific Railroad operated the line over the Coast Range after it was built between 1906 and 1911. The Port began running it from Tillamook to Batterson in 1983 as SP stepped back, and another history dates the Port's operations to March 27, 1986.
Will the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad be rebuilt?
The Port has not announced plans to rebuild the damaged mountain section. After the 2007 flood, it chose to use federal emergency funds to expand its industrial park and airport. Ask the Port at (503) 842-2413 for current plans.
What train attractions are near the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad?
The closest is the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad in Garibaldi, about 8 miles away. The Astoria Riverfront Trolley is about 51 miles north, and in Brooks, about 51 miles away, the Willow Creek Railroad Museum and the Oregon Electric Railway Museum share a site. The Oregon Pacific Railroad runs excursions in the Portland area, about 52 miles off.
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