When the East Portland Traction Company (EPTC) was formed in 1991 to take over the common carrier operations of the Portland Traction Co. (PR&T; PTC or "The PEP") PTC had a direct access to the now BNSF through the former SP&S interchange in SE Water Avenue which crossed the SP main lines on a diamond which was removed sometime before we took over.

It was critical that we continue to have access to the BNSF (although it ended up the SP/UP actually performed the work) and that was written into the sale agreement at my insistence.

While we do not have trackage rights as such over the UP to Union Station from East Portland the SP 4449 can utilize our BNSF trackage rights to Union Station which they have done numerous times.

The EPTC was merged into the Oregon Pacific in 1997 and this access still carries forward although it is seldom utilized. I do however get invited to the annual BNSF Short Line convention in Ft. Worth and have BNSF web access.

Sammie