Scope and Contents
Collection is comprised of a single photograph album containing 75 black and white photographs of street cars, trolleys, and service locomotives operated by the Portland Traction Company in the late 1940s. Locations featured include S.W. Morrison Street, W. Burnside Street, the East Portland rail yards, and the Hawthorne Bridge.
The name of the photographer, or compiler of the photographs, is unknown.
Dates
- 1949-1950
Creator
- Portland Traction Company (Organization)
Language of Materials
Collection materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish collection materials must be submitted to Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.
Biographical / Historical
The Portland Railroad and Terminal Division of the Portland Traction Company, more commonly referred to simply as the Portland Traction Company, began as the East Side Railway in 1891, and eventually expanded into an interurban system connecting Oregon City, Gladstone, Eugene, Gresham, the Mt. Hood Railway, and Sellwood. It would, eventually, connect with Oaks Park, a connection built both to spur trolley business, and to bring customers directly to the park.
By 1924, the Eastside Railways was reorganized under the Portland Electric Power Company (PEPCo); during the Great Depression, the Portland Traction Company operated the trolley and city bus lines. Just after World War II, a California-based company named the Portland Transit Company purchased control of the Portland Traction Company and it continued to operate, even as investors sold off company assets. No efforts were made to expand service, and when the Hawthorne Bridge was rebuilt, the rails were removed, cutting off all electric car service on the west side of Portland.
The trolley car system and electric railcar service was official closed in 1958.
[Source: http://www.oregonpacificrr.com/historyPTC.html]
Extent
1 linear feet (1 container)
Abstract
Collection is comprised of a single photograph album containing 75 black and white photographs of street cars, trolleys, and service locomotives operated by the Portland Traction Company in the late 1940's.
Arrangement
Photographs in the album are arranged sequentially by car number.
Physical Description
1 album
- Black-and-white photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Photograph albums Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Portland (Or.) Subject Source: Lcnaf
- Railroad travel -- Oregon -- Portland Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Railroads Subject Source: Archiveswest
- Street-railroads -- Oregon -- Portland Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Transportation Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Transportation -- Oregon -- Portland Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Transportation—Portland Electric Power Co. Subject Source: Photosub
- Urban transportation -- Oregon -- Portland Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Guide to the Portland Traction Company records
- Status
- Complete Description
- Author
- Rachel Lilley
- Date
- 2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English
Repository Details
Part of the University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives Repository
