Broadway Trolley Line. (1903-1948)

When the Broadway Line commenced in 1903, it originally ran from a downtown terminus loop of Burnside-5th-Washington-2nd. The trolleys crossed the Burnside Bridge then continued north on Union to N.E. Broadway and then to eastern terminus at about 21st and Broadway.

Broadway car 813 at the line's eastern terminus.

In 1909-1910 the line was expanded in spurts east and north to its final terminus at N.E. 29th and Mason. In 1913 original downtown loop was abandoned and the line re-routed across the new Broadway bridge. The line ran south on Broadway to its western terminus at Jefferson.


The Broadway was a prestigious line, serving as it did the downtown theatre and shopping district and more-upscale residential areas of northeast. In fact, the line received the last order of brand new trolley cars: fifteen 1932 J.G. Brill Company "Master Unit" cars, which were almost exclusively assigned to the Broadway line.

One of the J.G. Brill Co. "Master Unit" trolleys.

The line was converted to gasoline autobus in 1948. The Brills continued service on other lines until 1950, when the last trolley lines operating in the city proper ceased entirely. The Brills were then conscripted into the Oregon City and Bell Rose interurban lines.