Passenger Rail Open House Materials Online; SESNA on Historic Baggage Depot Thursday

There's lots of interesting train talk these days!

The Portland-Eugene Passenger Rail project has posted materials and online commenting from the Open House on Tuesday.

Detail of Salem Area Alignments
Middle Section, Albany to Wilsonville
(rotated 90 degrees)

The presentation has charts like this with the scoring against estimated costs.

Score/Dollar Ratios on Salem Area Alignments

I'm not sure they chose the best scaling on the X- and Y-axes, but the charts look like Science!

If you couldn't make it to the Open House, check it out.

SESNA talks Baggage Depot

Thursday, November 14th at 7:00 p.m. SESNA meets in the Capital Park Wesleyan Church at 410 19th St SE.

On the agenda is an update on the Baggage Depot restoration and rehab.

For some reason the old Baggage Depot's relation to the old Passenger Depot was never clear to me.  Happily, as part of the project's web page, ODOT has posted a slide deck with some images that placed side-by-side make it clear!

1905 Birdseye map, Library of Congress
Thos. Kay Woolen Mill, Depot, Yew School (L to R),
North is to the left (15th, 14th, 12th run top to bottom)

This birdseye isn't part of the presentation, but it shows how the Depot was almost a T-shape and had two rectangular volumes mashed together.  The one on the south end has endured!

Baggage Depot, looking north, circa 1911
Salem Library Historic Photos

Baggage Depot, looking north, 2000
Library of Congress, Historic American Buildings Survey
HABS OR-184-16

Passenger Depot and Baggage Depot, looking NE, circa 1900,
The Woolen Mill (Mission Mill) in the distance
Salem Library Historic Photos

Baggage Depot, looking northeast, 2000
Library of Congress, Historic American Buildings Survey
HABS OR-184-15

You can see a nice view of the Passenger Depot that burned down here (but I'm pretty sure the library has it mislabeled as on Front Street rather than on 13th).

In the presentation is an interesting analysis about moving the Depot a little after the fire and whether it was rotated 180-degrees.  The evidence is conflicting and unclear!  The chimney location today, for example, doesn't line up with the historic images.  Windows and doors have all been altered as well.

Interesting stuff.

When the rehab is complete, Greyhound will move into it, and there will be enhanced facilities for people on foot and on bike - it'll be a multi-modal walk/bike/bus/train hub, they say!

Check out the neighborhood meeting or online.