The train-related traffic delays in Portland — especially in the city’s inner east side — have gotten worse and more frequent in recent years. As rail transportation consultant Bill Burgel told Willamette Week, that’s in large part because the average length of a freight train has doubled. Trains used to be 7,500 feet, and now they’re commonly 15,000 feet or more.

As a former employee of Union Pacific with 50 years of experience in the rail industry, and as a member of the city’s Freight Committee, Burgel pays close attention to these delays. And he has some structural ideas to solve or alleviate the delays that regularly last an hour or more. We sit down with Burgel to understand all the factors behind these mind-blowing delays and more about possible solutions.

“Think Out Loud®” broadcasts live at noon every day and rebroadcasts at 8 p.m.

If you’d like to comment on any of the topics in this show or suggest a topic of your own, please get in touch with us on Facebook, send an email to [email protected], or you can leave a voicemail for us at 503-293-1983.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/28/if-you-think-portland-train-delays-have-gotten-longer-and-more-frequent-youre-not-wrong/