The electric interurban division of the Southern Pacific Company’s lines in Oregon, operated as a distinct unit separate from the main line steam services to California. Service was commonly referred to as the “Red Electrics” after their bright red steel interurban cars.
The Southern Pacific Company officially absorbed the lines of its subsidiary Portland, Eugene & Eastern Railway Company on July 1, 1915 – including the electrically-operated East Side and West Side branches, as well as the disconnected Willamette Falls Railway – and operated them under the Southern Pacific name from that time onwards. The Southern Pacific oversaw extension of the East Side line to Corvallis in 1917, but patronage declined rapidly and electric passenger service ended on October 5, 1929.
| Years of Operation: | July 1, 1915–October 5, 1929 (last electric passenger trains) |
|---|---|
| Preceded By: | ‣ |
| Succeeded By: | Southern Pacific Company (lines reverted to steam operation) |