A step forward for historic zoo train

Portland mayor, Metro Council on board with potential restoration of loop

The 3.5-mile recreational train loop through Washington Park may be a few years away.

Chances for restoring a popular Portland family entertainment option – the Washington Park Zoo Railway – appear to be growing thanks to support from Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and the Metro Council.

Reviving the 3.5-mile recreational train loop through Washington Park may yet be a few years away. However, momentum is growing to create a public-private partnership that would manage the popular train that dazzled riders from 1960 to 2013 when the park loop was closed.

The Metro Council on Tuesday agreed informally to support a $50,000 contribution for a geotechnical study of the loop that is expected to cost $250,000. The remaining $200,000 would have to be raised from other sources.

“So many of us have memories of the full loop,” said Christine Lewis, a Metro Councilor who served earlier on a task force that studied options for reviving the route. “It was an iconic attraction for visitors and residents alike.”

A short ride still exists within the zoo’s boundaries, but it lasts only a few minutes. The long loop was closed in 2013 when other projects at the zoo altered the route. The zoo itself has declined to maintain and operate the longer route that used to offer a stop within Washington Park.

The best option for running and managing the train appears to be a nonprofit entity that can work out dealings with the zoo and the city of Portland, which owns the long loop as well as the train itself. Friends of the Washington Park Zoo Railway is the likely candidate. The train presumably could operate profitably if preliminary problems can be resolved.

Obstacles ahead include track and equipment repairs, and any safety issues uncovered by the geotechnical review. That study would consider soil conditions, landslide risks and potential water problems and safety of retaining walls.

The Metro Council’s decision was supported by Olivia Clark, Portland City Council vice president, who also served on the task force that studied revival of the train. “It’s time to move forward,” she said. “The public is ready.”

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