Steam & Excursion > Not Your Typical Common Carrier Shortline Motive Power!

Back in the days of steam shortlines often would accumulate unusual motive power when they were forced due to finances to buy used steam locomotives. However, a very few common carriers obtained out of the ordinary motive power due to the terrain they had to cross.

Such was the case with the Feather River Railway of Feather Falls, California. This shortline was formed to connect the new mill at Feather Falls with the Western Pacific RR at Land, California. The choice of motive power for the steep grades of this little railroad called for geared power.

Fortunately the logging locomotives of the former Hutchinson Lumber Co. were available for this task. One of those engines is shown here in a fine Stan Borden photo, Feather River Ry #5. She was the 9th of 33 Willamette geared locomotives turned out by the Willamette Iron & Steel Works of Portland, Oregon.Built in 1927, she was the only Willamette to serve a common carrier shortline.

While the other 3 locomotives on the FRRY were 3-truck Shay locomotives and were preserved at the end of steam operations, Willamette #5 was unfortunately scrapped in 1957 when she tuned 30 years old.


While she may have been an unusual choice for a shortline engine, she sure was a handsome engine.

Martin



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/15 03:18 by LoggerHogger.

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They spared no expense in declaring their name on the tank!

She was a beauty!

Interesting tapered spark arrestor to somewhat follow the airflow.

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

All part of the venturi principle.

Martin

I see #5 has an additional air reservoir, as did Shay #2.