Crowds attending Portland Train Day were funneled between two historic steam locomotives - Nickel Plate Road #190, and SP&S #700 - inside the Oregon Rail Heritage Center.

The promotional information from the Oregon Rail Heritage Center (ORHC) heralded the party as “Trains, trains, trains!” And a great many people saw exactly that, during “Portland Train Day, 2016”.

Parking was scarce in the ORHC lot near OMSI, under the Oregon Highway 99E viaduct, on Saturday, May 14 — as old and young came to see and touch railroading history at the Center.

“National Train Day” was started by Amtrak in 2008 as a way to promote railway travel and preserve railroad history. It’s held each year on the Saturday closest to May 10, the anniversary of the installation of the Golden spike in Promontory, Utah, which marked the completion of the first transcontinental railroad.

Amtrak, however, discontinued this celebration earlier this year, blaming “financial challenges”. So the local organization stepped up to keep it going — in Portland, at least.

“We’re resurrecting Portland’s celebration of trains, with the first annual Portland Train Day,” smiled ORHC Executive Director Colleen O’Dell, as guests swirled around her at the entrance to Portland’s unique working rail museum. “Today, we’re joining other organizations as they hold independent ‘Train Day’ celebrations across the country.”

Portland has a long and substantial history as a rail town, O’Dell pointed out. “And, here at the museum, we have three of Portland’s steam locomotives. The City of Portland is one of the very few cities that own steam locomotives that have been restored, or are in the restoration process by scores of volunteers.”

Families were amazed by massive Lego model train railroad displays; gawked at the huge, authentic locomotives inside the museum; and marveled at the huge, once-again-operating SP #4449 locomotive as it steamed-up in the yard.

“We’re keeping count, and a little over 2,000 people have come through our doors since opening at 10 a.m.,” O’Dell said. “We’re so happy to be able to show off this beautiful building, and showcase our volunteers and these amazing locomotives, of which we are the caretakers.”

Find out more about the ORHC by visiting their website: http://www.orhf.org