McMinnville, Southern Pacific Train Depot

741 NE 3rd Street  |  Built 1913

McMinnville’s historic depot, built in 1913, was an element of an ambitious 1912 plan launched by the Southern Pacific Company to create a 350-mile electrified interurban railway network in northwestern Oregon.  This occurred during an era when trains powered by electricity from an overhead catenary were gaining favor nationwide.

Southern Pacific already operated electric interurban railroads as subsidiaries in California. In early 1912, SP acquired control of the fledgling Portland Eugene & Eastern Railway and initially decided to package its Oregon project under PE&E’s name, a configuration that lasted less than four years.  By mid-1915, PE&E had been blended into SP.  

Contracts to build McMinnville’s depot and a twin in Forest Grove were awarded in the fall of 1912 and both were completed in February 1913.  While the depots were under construction, support poles and electrical catenary were being installed along existing rail lines, and power distribution substations were built at strategic locations.

After opening, McMinnville’s new depot served as the railroad’s principal office, while the previous depot, a two-story structure on the opposite side of the tracks between 3^rd and 4^th Streets, continued in use for freight.  It was retired and torn down in the mid-1960s.

A celebration inaugurating electric train service between Portland and McMinnville occurred January 17, 1914.  The inaugural special was made up of six cars (all that had been received and were ready for service) whose brilliant red paint earned them the immediate and accurate nickname of Red Electric, a name that became so firmly entrenched in local usage that even in the 21^st century the term often is seen without further explanation.  The nascent Red Electric Trail in Portland is an example.

The following day regularly scheduled trains began running from Portland as far south as Whiteson, the extent of the first phase of electrification, where connections were made with steam-powered trains.  On January 17, 1917, electrified operation was extended to Corvallis.  The third stage would have extended electric service to Eugene on a PE&E-built line via Monroe, but that never happened.  The growth of automobile ownership and proliferation of macadamized roads combined to doom Red Electric trains in 1929.

After demise of electrification, McMinnville depot continued in use for 64 years as SP’s local headquarters until the railroad was leased to Willamette & Pacific Railroad effective March 1, 1993.  W&P now does business as Portland & Western Railroad, and the depot continues in use by P&W personnel.  However, the depot is owned by Union Pacific Railroad, which acquired Southern Pacific in September 1996.  

This information was provided by Oregon Department of Transportation State Rail Planner, Robert I. Melbo.

For images of the property, further details, and newspaper clippings check out the links below:

Historic Resources Inventory Documentation
Railway Advertisement Early 20th Century 
Depot Contract has been Let, The Oregon Daily Journal, August 22, 1912
New Stations to be Built, The Sunday Oregonian, September 8, 1912
McMinnville Depot Nearing Completion, Polk County Observer, February 11, 1913
Red Electrics Arrive McMinnville Sunday, Oregonian, January 18, 1914
April 16, 1915 Red Electric Public Timetable