The construction and operation of these two lines remains a bit of a mystery, with some sources having them operated as one line for part of their history, while others make the Mt. Calvary line a separate stub of the Kings Heights line. And just what part did United Railways play?

It eventually becomes clear that PRL&P operated both lines as through service from 23rd and Burnside to the cemetery, but charged two fares after December 1911 – one of 5 cents to the city limits, and another 5 cents from there to the end of the line to cover the United Railways’ portion of the line.

Property sales in the heights were slow and the realty companies became delinquent on property assessments and required streetcar improvements very quickly. The lines became “unowned”, with the streetcar company refusing to do any maintenance work because they didn’t have a franchise and the city couldn’t compel them to. They did continue to run cars over the line for the convenience of residents, however. By the mid-1920s, it seems to have just been agreed on by everyone that the City of Portland owned the lines simply because they owned all the delinquent property – including the trackage! The city eventually leased the lines back to PEPCO for a nominal sum of $1 a year so that the more knowledgeable streetcar crews would be responsible for maintenance instead of the city engineer. The heights lines remained municipally-owned (but operated by the streetcar company) until their closure in 1941.

See also: Mount Calvary (1911–1927)

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