Before the Brooklyn Roundhouse was demolished in 2012, the UP donated a one-of-a-kind railroad turntable to the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation. Built by the American Bridge Company in 1924 the 100-foot long turntable was installed in the Brooklyn Rail Yard in 1925. For six years, the turntable was stored on a flatcar in the Oregon Pacific Railroad’s Water Avenue yard. Those days are now over!

During the next year, ORHF volunteer crews will be refurbishing this moving bridge in preparation for installing it at our Center on SE Water Avenue. At the same time, the Center will get a facelift as we remodel the main entrance and walkway with new landscape, hardscape, and exhibits.

The ORHF Turntable Committee is contracting with local engineering and architect firms, under the direction of Kim Knox at Shiels Obletz Johnson, to complete site design this Spring. From there, we head to the City of Portland for Design Review and a building permit, hopefully in early Fall.

Major gifts are already being raised. You can be a significant part of getting this vintage piece of railroad history installed and running. Thanks to the Murdock Trust, your gift will be matched $1 for every $2 you donate.