Steam & Excursion > So There Actually Is Such A Thing As A Willamette Shay!

For decades, since much has been written about the geared locomotive built by the Willamette Iron & Steel Works of Portland, Oregon, we all have been taught to refer to these engines as "Willamettes" and NOT as "Willamette Shays".

While the design of the engines was a close copy of Lima's Shay design the correct designation for these locomotives was as "Willamettes".

Here is the exception to the rule. We see in this photo taken in the 1940's a true "Willamette Shay". The photo shows her parked at the WI&SW plant in Portland, Oregon.

She was built by Lima in 1913 as shop number 2614 for the Deep River Logging Co. out of Deep River, Washington. After a bad wreck in the Deep River woods she was taken to WI&SW in Portland for a complete rebuild. Once she was entirely re-constructed she returned to the Deep River operation.

A few years later she worked as #5 for the Mount Emily Lumber Co. of La Grande, Oregon. During WW-2 WI&SC bought her themselves and used her as a plant switcher during the heavy war time traffic.

As a dealer in logging equipment in the Pacific Northwest, WI&SW did from time to time take in a Shay locomotive on trade. However these engines were simply stored and later sold off. This engine, #5, has the distinction of actually being built (re-built) on the WI&SW erecting shop floor and later going to work at the WI&SW shop itself under the companies ownership.

In my book, this makes her the only true "Willamette Shay".


Martin



Edited 8 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/14 04:52 by LoggerHogger.

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I REALLY like that big square beam chained to the pilot to push scrap stuff out of the way.

Great find Martin.

Martin, have you by any chance got any photos of the wreck? Just curious how extensive a rebuild it was.

The wreck photos appear in the Willamette book by Hauff and Gertz. Needless to say she looks utterly destroyed!!

Martin

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can I assume that the top picture is pre-rebuild then? Don't imagine that Willamette rebuilt her with a wooden cab?

The top photo is AFTER the rebuild. Yes, WI&S did rebuild her with a wooden cab.

Martin

Finderskeepers Wrote:
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> can I assume that the top picture is pre-rebuild
> then? Don't imagine that Willamette rebuilt her
> with a wooden cab?

Why not? I'll bet wooden cabs are warmer in cold weather.

Great story and history Martin. So much history, so little time. I need to do some research and see if a history of Willamette Steel & Iron has been written.... Many things to be thankfull for again this Thanksgiving, family, breathing, friends, and TO. Arlen

So how much "Willamette" got injected into the rebuild? Did she acquire any distinctive Willamette spotting features, or was she more or less rebuilt as Lima made her with few traces of her rebuilder?

I learned something new today.

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
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> So how much "Willamette" got injected into the
> rebuild? Did she acquire any distinctive
> Willamette spotting features, or was she more or
> less rebuilt as Lima made her with few traces of
> her rebuilder?

I think the main question to ask is whether the first cylinder was still opposed to the others, and did it still retain its Stephenson valve gear.

Since in the wreck photo the cylinders seem in-tact, they probably left that part alone.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

Interesting, likely the only wooden cab willamette ever made. Pretty sure all the rest I've seen had steel cabs.

Posted from iPhone

Very interesting existential take on the matter.

This begs the question: Were their any Shay Willamettes?
I guess that I know the wrong answer to that one.

-E.O.

Martin, Google is failing me on this one. Where in Portland was Willamette Iron and Steel Works located?

WI&SW was (and still is under it's new name) down on Front Street on the water in downtown Portland.

Martin

dmasulis Wrote:
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> Martin, Google is failing me on this one. Where in
> Portland was Willamette Iron and Steel Works
> located?


On N.W. Front Ave. (now Naito Parkway)

Larry Dodgion
Wilsonville, OR

Martin,

They are all "Shays", it does not matter who made them just like it does not who made a 4-4-0 it is still called an "American". We don't refer to the American as a Cooke or a Baldwin, if they have a 4-4-0 wheel arrangement we call them an American. To me a Shay is a kind of locomotive that has its cylinders on the right side usually driving the wheels on that side through a drive shaft on the side.

Andre

Martin, I assume she no longer exists. That would be a shame, as the only Willamette Shay that existed.

Jim,

Sorry to say she was cut up in the late 1940's. That leaves us with no "Willamette Shays" and only one Mount Emily Shay.

Martin

Andre Wrote:
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> Martin,
>
> They are all "Shays", it does not matter who made
> them just like it does not who made a 4-4-0 it is
> still called an "American". We don't refer to the
> American as a Cooke or a Baldwin, if they have a
> 4-4-0 wheel arrangement we call them an American.
> To me a Shay is a kind of locomotive that has its
> cylinders on the right side usually driving the
> wheels on that side through a drive shaft on the
> side.
>
> Andre

While what you say may have some standing if you happen by the one being rebuilt at the Railroad Park in Medford Oregon they will correct you very quickly. By the way they have the engine mounted on it now and are progressing very well. I think that they call the cylinder assembly the engine part but cant remember so someone feel free to correct me. This is a private club doing the restore by the way.