Steam & Excursion > The Down And Dirty Side Of Steam Preservation!

As we prepare to join the Skookum's boiler to her frame for the first time since in61, let's take a look at the herculean effort that her first railfan owner, Charlie Morrow went through to save her in the first place.

By 1961 the Skookum had been laying on her side in the woods above Deep River, Washington for nearly 6 years. The logging line had been scrapped in 1955 so there was no rail access to the derelict 2-4-4-2. Charlie Morrow had to bulldoze a road into the site and with the help of friends and clearly crude equipment and tools they worked to take the engine apart and get her into small enough pieces for trucking out of the remote area.

In the first photo we see the Skookum just as the crews unload their tools to begin the dis-assembly process.

The next shot show how the cab was removed. Remember, Charlie Morrow did not have a crane large enough to right the entire engine at the beginning of the process. He had to take her apart on her side.

The 3rd photo shows the tender with her trucks removed and separated from the engine.


Martin



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/14 04:49 by LoggerHogger.

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In this next photo we see the cab removal process continuing from another angle.

Nest we see that the boiler has been stripped and separated from the frame and finally turned upright. The low pressure lead engine is being winched onto a truck bed for shipment out of the site.

The last photo shows the rear high pressure rear engine loaded on a truck for her trip out of the area.

The pieces were sent to the then new railroad museum at Snoqualmie, WA for storage. Charlie Morrow was hopeful that he could restore the engine himself, but that never occurred during his life time.

Fortunately, his dream does live on and today the Skookum engine, boiler and frame will be back together and her return to steam that much closer.


Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/14 04:47 by LoggerHogger.

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This will be a fun one to watch. Thanks for the post, Martin.

John.

Wow, some people have great imagination and will power and go "get 'em".

So how much actual damage was done to her during the derailment ?

Posted from iPhone

Is this 1961 when these pictures were taken?

Yes 1961

Martin