The Red Electric (the train) featured on history site

While tracing sitemeter "references" showing how visitors happen to come to this blog site, I ran across a real find, the Portland History site.

Expect to spend some time when you click on this link. The site is rich with old photographs, many from color-tinted post cards. The site brings back the past. On the home page, scroll down check out the card of Council Crest when it was the site of a full-blown amusement park.

The PDX history site has a special photo-packed page devoted to The Red Electric interurban electric train, which is the namesake of this blog (and chili at The Three Square Grill and of one of our walking/biking local trails. The trail follows one of the train's routes). The Red Electric page is a long scroll that includes maps and considerable text.

Imagine riding on the Red Electric, getting on at Bertha Station (now Hillsdale) and rumbling down the long grade to a rough-and-tumble downtown Portland.

The vague vision of the commute comes into clearer focus as you look at these old photographs.

Enjoy the ride!