Willamette Valley

Company History: The Willamette Valley Railway (reporting mark WVR) is a short-line railroad that operates in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. This line launched in 1984 when the guys who owned the Willamina & Grand Rond bought the last remaining segment of the Valley & Siletz Railroad in Independence, Oregon. They renamed it the Willamette Valley Railroad. Today the WVR is switched with a pair of GP35E’s of SP ancestry. Traffic includes food, forest products, fertilizer and sand.

The WVR acquired a lease for the line between Albany and Mill City in 1993. Also, in 1993, as Southern Pacific was spinning off shortlines all over Oregon, WVR snagged the former Southern Pacific Stayton Branch. Later, in 1996, WVR acquired a partially abandoned branch from Geer west to Salem. This runs 30 miles from Woodburn to Stayton plus a 7 mile branch from Greer to East Salem. This branch used to run into Salem proper but that segment was abandoned in 1995 allowing the land to be developed.

In October of 2000, The WVR was merged with the Albany & Eastern, another Oregon railroad. The two lines continue to operate under their respective names, but both are legally part of the AERC corporate umbrella. As part of the transaction, the Albany-Mill City line was transferred to the Albany and Eastern Railroad.

Successor/Parent History: This Oregon shortline first appeared as a spinoff from BNSF in 1998, operating the Sweet Home Branch (originally an Oregon Electric line.) Not long after, they began operating the former Southern Pacific Mill City Branch. The two connect at Lebanon, Oregon and the line continues west to Albany, Oregon. Total length is about 58 miles. This is timber country, and there were a number of shippers along the line that hadn't used rail service in many years. The owners of the new railroad gave them an offer they couldn't refuse. In so many words, “Use the railroad or we'll pull it up and you'll lose any pricing leverage you had against the truckers.” After that, there were occasions when you could see a 50-60 car train trundling into the yard at Albany. They later began operating a short, disconnected segment in Corvallis that interchanges with the Portland & Western.

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