We are on our way back and westbound now after a near 3 mile trip. The operator let me come up front and take a photo. He also let me pull the rope and ring the large roof mounted gong! Let's just call it "trolley jollies"! The tracks are on the original right of way of this railroad, which once ran through Astoria from Portland to Seaside, a beach town southwest of Astoria. The line started out in the early days as the Astoria & Columbia River RR, then was the Spokane Portland & Seattle Ry. with joint Great Northern and Northern Pacific control. In addition to freight and passenger service it had ocean going steam ship connections for passengers at Flavel, west of Astoria. Passenger service ceased in the 1930's but freight service thrived because of the timber industry and the ship connections. In the early 1970's, SP&S came into control of Burlington Northern RR and in the 1990's the Astoria branch was sold to the Portland & Western RR, which owns it today.

Thanks for taking a trip on the Astoria Riverfront Trolley! It does run on rails, like the big trains, you know!