Steam & Excursion > Signs On Traveling Steam Locomotives Is An Old Tradition!

Many of you followed the story of our delivery of Sunset Timber Heisler #1 from Fremont, California to Tillamook, Oregon this week.  You may have also noticed we had a sign on the side of the engine during transit announcing the move.  This is an old tradition.

The movement of steam locomotives is always something that catches the attention of the public.  Even back in the days of steam this was an unusual event that got noticed.  For that reason it has long been a habit of the railroad conducting the move to use this as an opportunity for some free advertising.

In the first photo we see the Northern Pacific taking advantage of this attention during their shipment of the Minnetonka to the 1948 Chicago Wheels-A-Rolling" railroad pageant.  NP had been able to get it's famed Minnetonka back fro Polson Brothers Logging a few years earlier so they could restore her and use her for just these types of events.  Again - cheap advertising.

The next 2 photos she that we at Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad have kept this tradition alive in the move of our Heisler #1.  OCSR founder and President Scott Wickert, shown in the 2nd photo, wisely felt the time, labor and money spent in the move of the engine could be off-set to a certain extent by the advertising along the 700+ miles between Fremont and Tillamook.

Evan as much as things change they still stay the same!


Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/15 03:47 by LoggerHogger.

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A great tradition indeed!

Thanks for using the Minnetonka as an example. This little engine is lovingly cared for at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum - LSRM.org.

Steve Mitchell
http://www.yardgoatimages.com