April 1, 2008
TILLAMOOK, Ore. - The Port of Tillamook Bay will study ways to reopen its 95-mile route, closed since it was devastated by floods in December, the Oregon Capital Press reported. "We want to go back and look at everything from A to Z," said Bob Van Borssum, the port's director.

Initial estimates peg the cost to reopen the line at $26.6 million, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency might cover as much as three-fourths of that cost.

The Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad traverses the scenic Salmonberry River Canyon. A 1996 flood devastated the line, but it was rebuilt at a cost of $12 million. About 80 percent of the reconstruction and reinforcement work done following that storm survived the December flood. "We know that's the way to go," said Van Borssum.

The Oregon Department of Transportation is meanwhile studying whether committing money to rebuilding the line is feasible. It's studying other options, such as moving traffic from the port to Astoria, on neighboring short line Portland & Western, and transferring it to barge. It's also considering setting up a transfer station at Banks, Ore., where trucks could shuttle goods from the port, and they could then be transferred onto railcars. Banks is on the eastern and more stable portion of the POTB railroad.