ORHF comprises several partner entities, including non-profit railway preservation and railfan groups as well as the city's Bureau of Parks & Recreation.

[6] Proposals to construct a new enginehouse to house the historic locomotives were expanded to encompass a visitor area and eventually an interpretive center.

[8] The three steam locomotives were moved to the site from the Brooklyn Roundhouse on June 26, 2012,[9] and were temporarily placed outdoors, awaiting completion of the enginehouse.

A major fund raising effort has since resulted in the turntable components being updated and restored for service, and a new pit excavated and completed at ORHC.

4449 was moved to the Burlington Northern Hoyt Street Roundhouse in 1974 for restoration and proceeded to become famous nationwide, when it hauled the American Freedom Train throughout much of the country during the United States Bicentennial celebrations of 1975–76.

[17][18] The locomotive was moved inside the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in October 2024 to begin restoration work.

[19] Several pieces of private or non-profit partner group owned rolling stock also reside at the center, including other locomotives and several vintage passenger and freight cars.

This PA locomotive was sold in March 2023 to Genesee Valley Transportation, and was moved to Scranton, Pennsylvania in April/May 2023.

Public facilities at the enginehouse are to be minimal initially, consisting of a few exhibits and an area where restoration work on the locomotives and other equipment can be observed, but ORHF plans to install a full interpretive center later,[20] on the building's future second floor.

The rail cars also have access to Oregon Pacific Railroad (OPR) tracks along the Springwater Corridor at this location.