Astoria Riverfront Trolley August 3, 2019
(This post is part of a (mostly) non-ship series about a trip to the West I took during July and August of 2019)
The approximately 3 mile Astoria Riverfront Trolley ride runs on old freight rail track originally built in the late 1800s and discontinued service in the 1990s. A more in depth history of this track can be read on this page of The Pacific Northwest Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.
The trolley that runs this route is known as The Old 300 and was built in 1913 by the American Car Company of St. Louis, MO for the San Antonio Traction Company in Texas. This trolley was designed for electrified operation but operates instead using a diesel generator in a trailer on the East end of the trolley. Detailed history of this car plus the extensive renovations can be read by clicking here.
The ride is a steal at $1 round-trip or $2 all day. The trolley can be stopped anywhere along the route by waving a $1 bill. The ride is a pleasant narrated trip East and West along Astoria’s Riverfront. The jokes and banter between the conductor and motorman make this ride all the better. The all volunteer crew clearly cares a great deal about this trolley. This ride is definitely a must-do for a trip to Astoria! This trolley can be tracked via GPS, just go to their website and click the link!
Check out my short video of the trolley below taken near the Columbia River Maritime Museum.
You can view my photography (more than just ships!) here and more videos here.