Steam & Excursion > Many Of Us Know This Engine And Her Engineer In Her Current Role!

There are certain steam locomotives that have become quite wee known in modern times due to their restoration and present day operation in tourist service.  Sometimes we forget that these engines had a prior workday life that led up to their preservation.

One such engine is Cowlitz, Chehalis & Cascade #15.  This big 90-ton Baldwin Mike was preserved for years in the town park in Centralia, Washington before being pulled from the park for restoration at the Mt. Rainier Scenic RR by then master mechanic Jack Anderson and his partner, Harold Borovec.  Since her restoration was done in the late 1980's she has been in regular service on the former Weyerhaeuser trackage out of Centralia.

What some forget was her regular work experience.  #15 spent many years in freight service for the CC&C as that line was a common carrier with many regular shippers.  During part of her career she spent time in pure log train service as we see in this photo.  Long-Bell had a logging operation in the area and they fed logs to the CC&C for shipment to the mills in Tacoma.

My friend Harold Borovec still operates his favorite locomotive in summer excursion service.  He is also working on a book that chronicles the history of the CC&C.  Many of us are lucky to have been able to operate #15 with Harold over the years.

Martin



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 07/28/16 03:18 by LoggerHogger.

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It's interesting, but William Clearman whose collection the photo originally came from is still alive, and I believe the logs went to Longview to the big Long-Bell mill there, not Tacoma.

Pete

Looking forward to the book!!

Here's my friend Harold behind his favorite engine at Chehalis and running the SP&S 700 on the Oregon Pacific Railroad.

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Harold is a great man and friend.
Luke

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