After the company requested, and received, permission from the Interstate Commerce Commission to abandon a section of line in Portland because of declining ridership and worsening traffic congestion.

[2] Passenger service was cut back to Front and Jefferson streets the following day, and OE moved its ticket office to that location.

[6] The Burlington Northern operated the last freight train on the ex-OE Forest Grove branch on December 31, 1994, in preparation for the construction of Westside MAX, part of the TriMet light rail system.

The tracks run parallel to the main modern Union Pacific line between Portland and Eugene, used for freight and passenger service.

Removing passenger service from the clogged Union Pacific track would improve the timeliness of the trains, permit higher capacity, and allow higher-speed travel, peaking at 110 miles per hour (180 km/h).