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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 27, 2017)
October 27, 2017 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com • 7A the d r a o b a All ! n i a r the T y d d Da Susan Glen, dressed in 1800 clothing styled for travel, stands next to a display of infor- mation about the railroad system in Clatsop County. Maps display the routes from Portland to the coast, Astoria to Gearhart and to Seaside, along with vintage photos and postcards. REBECCA HERREN/ SEASIDE SIGNAL FUN FAC TS Taken between 1890 and 1900, the Seaside Train Depot was located off Highway 101 between avenues M and F, currently the location of the Seaside Community Garden. Within the garden area is a train car replica and sculpture dedicated to the history of the Daddy Train. SEASIDE MUSEUM & HISTORICAL SOCIETY Riding the rails to Seaside By Rebecca Herren Seaside Signal T he emotional connection of families re- united in the summer at the beach is passed from generation to generation. The coastal enclave to escape the sum- mer heat in Portland included Seaside, Gearhart, Warrenton and Astoria, but Seaside and Gearhart were the favorite home-away-from-home get- aways for many Portlanders. Families who could afford to spend the sum- mer on the coast did, and wealthier families in- cluded their maids, butlers and chauffeurs as well. However, fathers stayed behind to work, traveling to the coast Saturday morning and returning Sun- day evening for work on Monday morning. Local author Susan Glen has penned several books on towns in Clatsop under the “Images of America” series. She not only spoke of the coastal railroad’s beginnings, timeline and the Daddy Train on Sept. 28 at Seaside Brewing Co., she came dressed in similar fashion worn by women traveling on the trains from that era. “The train that became known at the ‘Daddy Train’ eventually went all the way to Portland, around the coast to Seaside,” Glen said. By the early 1900s, the moniker “Daddy Train” became synonymous for this special weekend service. The cost to travel the train was two cents a mile in 1907, eventually in- creasing to $5. Businessmen could also travel from Port- land to Astoria by steamboat via the Colum- bia River then board the train southward to Seaside. Nonetheless, the continuation of paved roads and the popularity of automobiles end- ed the Daddy Train rail service in 1938. Author recalls era The story of the railroad system in Clatsop County dates back to the late 1800s. It was a mere microcosm of the larger rail system spanning across the United States as it con- nected its eastern shores to its west. There were no dress codes for riding on the trains, Glen said, explaining, “They want- ed to make it so people would feel comfort- able coming to the Coast,” even though some towns, but not all, had dress codes. Her presentation “Riding the Rails” was the first of the season’s History & Hops speaker series co-sponsored by the Seaside Museum & Historical Society and Seaside Brewing Co. On the tracks In 1883, the Northern Pacifi c fi nally reached Portland, however, the railroad was over-extended fi nancially and stopped short of reaching Astoria. This made Portland the western transit hub for the railroad. Around 1858, William Reid, backed by C.P. Hun- tington, began grading a roadbed from Astoria south along the coast in hopes to connect with Ben Holli- day’s Oregon & California rail line in Hillsboro. That did not happen and eventually, Astoria dropped Reid and the deal failed. However, Reid had completed a line to Seaside. According to Glen, a narrow gauge railway line began in 1886, and in August 1888, the Astoria South Coast Railway was formed. A group of businessmen including D.K. Warren, James Taylor and Alfred Kinney sold 2,655 and one-half shares for $100 each to purchase a Westinghouse locomotive. That same year, 14 miles of track were laid from Youngs Bay to Gearhart encompassing 20 curves and 16 trestles. By 1896, the railroad across Youngs Bay was completed. In 1898, the Astoria tracks connected to Northern Pacifi c’s tracks in Goble with a 99-year lease for service to Portland. In 1899, rail lines went to Fort Stevens and in May that year, a depot was built in Seaside for the Astoria and postal railroad. Tickets from Seaside to Port- land in 1903 were $1. The train ride from Portland to Seaside took fi ve hours. The fi rst passenger car was a boxcar — holes were cut out for windows, upright chairs used for seating and passen- gers had to carry umbrellas. Delmoor Station — later called Clatsop Platform and located across the road from Camp Rilea — was originally Camp Clark. Passenger service to Seaside stopped in 1952, and by 1978, the line to Seaside was abandoned completely. In 1929, timber was trans- ported from Astoria to Boston for repairs on Old Ironsides — also known as USS Constitution, the world’s oldest sailing ship afl oat. Once repaired, the ship sailed to Astoria in gratitude. From 2003 to 2005 the state of Oregon, together with Portland & Western Railroad and Amtrak, ran the Lewis and Clark Explorer Train from Portland to Astoria, and back. ................................ ........................................... ... Medicare benefi ts like these have our members talking... “I pay no premiums or deductibles - there are no surprises and no hidden costs. They take care of everything for me.” ~ Karen D., Beaverton, OR WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED! This umbrella is yours FREE just for meeting with us! There’s no obligation. Call 877-232-8192 (TTY: 711) Great benefi ts. Great service. What more could you ask for? 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