Portland Railway Light & Power 611

Built in:1911 by American Car Company (ord#885)
Out-of-service/Retired:1950
Type of car:streetcar (standard)
Current Owner:Old Spaghetti Factory - Newport Beach(Newport Beach, California)

Car History by Frank Hicks

Portland Railway Light & Power 611 This car is the only survivor of a series of nearly 150 cars which for decades made up the majority of the Portland streetcar fleet. These city cars of standard Brill design were built between 1909 and 1911, and some - including 611 - operated right up until the end of streetcar service in Portland in 1950. They could be found just about anywhere on the extensive Portland narrow-gauge system. Car 611 was saved after the last streetcar line was abandoned and was acquired by WVERA, where it was stored in a railroad yard and then later in a field near Molalla. By the time OERHS acquired the car it was already significantly deteriorated, and after another 15 years of storage at the OERHS Brooks site it hadn't gotten any better. The management of the OERHS museum decided it was unsalvageable as an operational car, and so it was stripped and the body cosmetically restored for use in a restaurant near Los Angeles. It has remained there for over thirty years as a novelty centerpiece.

Ownership History:Portland Railway Light & Power #611 1911-1924 / Portland Electric Power #611 1924-1944 / Portland Traction #611 1944-1950 / 1st preserved by Willamette Valley Electric Railway Association 1950-1957 / later preserved by Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society 1957-1973 / Old Spaghetti Factory - Newport Beach(Newport Beach, California) 1973-present

Facts and Figures

Status:displayed inoperable		Gauge:3'6"
Construction:wood	Roof type:DR	Ended:DE
Length:45'0"	Width:8'3"	Weight:39000#
#Seats:32	#Wheels/Conf.:8 (A1-1A)	Total HP:130
Trucks:[Brill 22]	Brakes:	Compressor:
Motors:[GE 218B (2)]	Voltage (if not 600DC):

Notes

Body only
PHOTO