Press Releases

Lewis & Clark Explorer Train Begins Service Between Portland and Astoria

May 22, 2003

Contact: Barbara Allen, Executive Director, LCBO, (503) 768-7444

Portland, Ore. Friday, May 23, 2003 marks the beginning of passenger train service running between Portland and Astoria, Oregon, as part of Oregon’s plans for the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commemoration which will run through 2006. The train will follow the Columbia River, close to several historical sites that were visited by the famous Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery almost 200 years ago.

“The new wave of tourists visiting our area will travel by train. Imagine seeing the same sights first visited by Lewis & Clark 200 years ago … only now it’s from the comfort and convenience of the train! That’s terrific,” said State Representative Betsy Johnson, the driving force behind establishing this service. Rep. Johnson is also the Board President of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial in Oregon (LCBO), Oregon’s statewide planning organization for the Bicentennial commemoration.

The train will depart from a northwest Portland site in the Linnton neighborhood and travel to downtown Astoria. The train will operate four days a week, Friday - Monday, leaving at 7:30 a.m. for the four-hour ride to Astoria. Passengers can relax in comfortable reclining seats and enjoy panoramic views of the lower Columbia River region through wide picture windows. Food and beverage service is available onboard and an interpretive guide published by the Port of Portland will be available for all passengers.

Once in Astoria, the Columbia River Maritime Museum is within walking distance of the station. The Astoria Waterfront Trolley provides convenient transportation along Astoria’s working waterfront and historic downtown. The Sunset Empire Transit System will take visitors to points of interest, such as the Fort Clatsop National Memorial, Fort Stevens State Park, the Victoria-era Flavel House mansion and the Astoria Column.

The train leaves Astoria for Portland at 4:30 p.m. arriving at 8:30 p.m.

The Lewis & Clark Explorer Train holds 166 passengers and is expected to meet growing tourist interest in the picturesque Astoria-Warrenton region, the oldest American

settlement west of the Rockies and the most western outpost of the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery. The cars have wheelchair accessibility.

Tickets and reservations for the train are available by calling Amtrak at (1-800-USA-RAIL) or http://amtrak.com or Amtrak travel agents. One-way ticket prices are $24 with discounts for children and senior citizens.

For tourist information in the north coast area, contact the Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce at 503-325-6311 or 800-875-6807. Website: www.oldoregon.com. For additional information about the trains, schedules and map to the Portland departure point, log onto the Oregon Department of Transportations site: www.odot.state.or.us/rail and click on ‘passenger rail’, then ‘Lewis & Clark’.

For other information on Oregon’s plans for the Bicentennial beginning this year and running through 2006, log onto the LCBO website at www.lcbo.net.

This service was produced by the following partnership:

Amtrak
Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad
City of Astoria
City of Clatskanie
City of Rainier
City of St. Helens
City of Scappoose
Columbia City
Fort Clatsop National Memorial
Lewis & Clark Bicentennial in Oregon (LCBO)
Oregon Department of Transportation
Oregon Economic & Community Development
Oregon Tourism Commission
Portland & Western Railroad
Port of Astoria
Port of Portland
Portland Oregon Visitors Association
Sunset Empire Transit District
Tri-Met