The most famous and scenic of all Portland streetcar lines!
This extension to the Portland Heights line was begun in early 1906 by the Portland Railway Company, but by the time the line opened for service in September was under the umbrella of the newly-merged Portland Railway, Light & Power Company. Newspapers still referred to it as belonging to the former company for quite a while.
Service was initially a shuttle from the Portland Heights line’s outer terminus at SW Patton and Vista, but was soon extended downtown. The earliest reference I have currently found for CC cars running on Washington Street is a June 6, 1909 advertisement for the Council Crest amusement park.
An extension of the service south of the Crest to SW Hamilton Street and thence returning to the city via the Fulton line was briefly proposed in early 1907, but these plans came to nothing.
See also: Portland Heights (1904–???)
| Important Dates: | September 16, 1906 – Line opened as shuttle from SW Patton and Vista. September 20, 1906 – Official opening ceremonies for the line. August 10, 1949 – Upper loop closed, service cut back to SW Patton and Vista February 26, 1950 – Abandonment of entire line | | --- | --- | | Operating Companies: | ‣ ‣ ‣ | | Gauge: | Narrow (3-feet, 6-inches) | | Headboard: | “CC” dash, “Council Crest” overhead | | Car Barn: | ‣ ‣ |