Portland & Western, ODOT and owners discuss restoring rail to Dallas mill site; rough costs and next steps identified

Representatives from Genesee & Wyoming’s Portland & Western Railroad and the Oregon Department of Transportation told the South Dallas Urban Renewal and Economic Development Commission on Thursday that the branch of track running through roughly 40 acres of industrial land in Dallas is out of service but remains a potentially valuable asset if a rail-dependent customer can be found.

The commission heard that the track is about 2 to 3 miles long and that Portland & Western (P&W) has placed railcars on the property in recent years. “The track is currently out of service, but we do currently have railcars out on that property,” said Renee LaSapio, a Portland & Western customer-relations representative. Mike Ewan, an industrial-development manager with Genesee & Wyoming, said restorations are possible if a customer commits to sufficient rail volume and that P&W can and will invest capital in the right deal.

The discussion came after the commission’s staff introduced guests and asked the rail and state officials to outline the constraints and opportunities for reactivating the line. “A site like the former warehouse or mill is a perfect example of large industrial properties that we can develop for that,” Ewan said, describing the kind of manufacturing or distribution tenant that would most likely use rail service.

Why it matters

Commission members and local owners said the property’s proximity to rail is rare in Oregon and could support…