Steam & Excursion > Honoring My Friend Jim Gertz - An Album Of Rayonier Willamette #2

The lost today of Jim Gertz is a shock to those of us who knew and loved Jim.  To honor his memory I have assembled a collection of both old and new photos of Jim's beloved Rayonier Willamette #2.

Jim recognized the need to save this very last of the 33 Willamette's turned out by the Willamette Iron & Steel Co. of Portland, Oregon.  Jim was working at Rayonier at Sekiu, WA in 1962 when Willamette # was finally retired.  Jim talked the management into selling her to him but he had to get it off their property on his own and pretty soon.  Pretty soon stretched out to a few years but Jim moved her to his property out by the Port Angeles airport and built a pole barn around her.  There she stayed until 2002 when Jim donated her to the Western Industries Forest Museum, the operator of Mt. Rainier Scenic RR.  After a few years at MRSR she was returned top operation as we see in these photos.

Jim was never married but always referred to #2 as "his wife" given the amount of attention he gave her.  We can all be thankful for Jim to save this important part of Western steam history.

God's Speed Jim.

Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/26/15 07:47 by LoggerHogger.

---

---

---

Martin -2

---

---

---

Martin -3

---

---

---

Thanx Martin. A very nice tribute to Jim and all his accomplishments.

Thank you for sharing this with us Martin. It's a wonderful story and a terrific little engine. I wonder if number 2 is as sad as we all are in Jims passing. I think so!!! Tracey...

Too bad she doesn't run anymore.