The Oregon Zoo Railway operates three trains, all of which were built to scale, five-sixths the size of the old narrow-gauge railways. Two cars have wheelchair lifts. All trains feature covered, open-air cars.
The Oregon Zoo Railway
4001 Southwest Canyon Road
Portland OR 97221
Map & Directions
503.226.1561
Travelers view lush scenery on a trip through the forests of Washington Park on one of their 3 trains. At the Washington Park terminal, during the summer, take in the views of downtown Portland, Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens, or take a walk through the world-famous Rose Garden and the Japanese Garden. The ride ends with a trip around the lower end of the zoo. The zoo offers two routes; The Zoo Loop which is a one mile route around the perimeter of the zoo grounds. The train operates daily, weather permitting, from mid-March to Memorial Day, and again after Labor Day to late October, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Call 503-226-1561 for exact schedule. The Loop also operates during ZooLights Festival in December. The Washington Park Run goes through the forests of Washington Park to a station above the Rose Garden and back to the zoo. Round trip is four miles long and takes 35 minutes. The run operates daily from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day from 10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. The steam train has a special schedule. Riders can also enter the zoo by boarding the train at the Rose Test Garden, paying zoo admission with the train ride.
The Zooliner
This diesel-powered streamliner was built in 1958. A replica of General Motors’ "Aerotrain," the engine’s 165 horsepower is transmitted to eight driving wheels through a hydraulic-type torque converter transmission and spiral gears. Safety features include a "dead man control" to ease the train to a halt in an emergency. A governor holds the train to a 12-mile-per-hour maximum. A conventional automatic air brake system provides safe train handling.
The "Oregon" Steam Locomotive
Built in 1959 for the Oregon Centennial, the "Oregon" Steamer offers a trip back to yesteryear. Reminiscent of the 1800s, the locomotive is painted in bright colors with polished brass trimmings. A glistening brass bell is mounted on the gleaming boiler jacket between the sand dome and stack. The locomotive is patterned after the Virginia & Truckee RR "Reno." It is an oil-burning American 4-4-0 type with a diamond stack and big headlight featuring hand-painted pictures of Crater Lake on one side and Mt. Hood on the other. The Steam Engine may run on busy summer weekends.
The steamer is scheduled on the following dates:
• May 26 - 28 - Memorial Day weekend
• June 16 & 17 - Steam Train's Birthday & Father's Day
• Sept 1 - 3 - Labor Day Weekend
• Nov 24 - Dec 30 - ZooLights
The Oregon Express
Rebuilt in 1991, the Oregon Express is powered with the same diesel engine/transmission combination as the Zooliner but power is generated to the four driving wheels through a right-angle gear box and chain drive. It has the same safety features as the other trains.
Train riders must first pay zoo admission.
A 20% discount is available for groups of 20 or more when payment is made at one time.
Inclement weather may cancel scheduled runs.
For more info call 503-226-1561.
