Steam & Excursion > Oregon & California "A"

Doing a history presentation on the small railroad in my hometown of Scio, Oregon and am curious if there is more information on the locomotive that was used, Oregon & California "A". I've gone through pretty much everything available online and in print, but was wondering if anybody knew of the locomotive being listed in any Portland division rosters as she was apparently in maintenance service as late as 1916. The locomotive is a sister of the Oregon Pony and was built by Vulcan Iron Works of San Francisco in 1862 and used on the Portage Railways in the Columbia Gorge. Later sold off and used in the construction of the Oregon Central which later became the Oregon & California and was then absorbed by the Southern Pacific. Anyway, any additional information or leads would be appreciated. I'm attaching the rough timeline I've been able to piece together if there is interest which also includes some of the history of the Oregon Pony where relevant. 

Thanks in Advance, Taylor

History of Old Betsy
 
1861: Oregon Portage Railroad was the first railroad in Oregon. Built to 5-foot gauge and originally powered by mules. Originally 4.5, later extended to 15 miles, ran from Tanner Creek, near the site of Bonneville Dam to what is now Cascade Locks. The line was operated by the Oregon Steam Navigation Company (OSN).
 
1861: Oregon Pony ordered from Vulcan Iron Works of San Francisco in 1861. First locomotive built on the West Coast and first steam locomotive to operate in the Pacific Northwest. Weighed only 8-tons and was delivered in 1862 with the first train operating on May 10, 1862. The small locomotive burned wood and was driven by a geared axle. Quickly had canopies added.
 
1862: Railroad was sold to the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company.
 
1862: Two slightly larger “ponies” are delivered and went into service most likely on the Washington side portage known as the Cascade Rail Road. Named “Ann” and “Betsy”. Soon rebuilt from gear drive to conventional cylinders and valve gear and have a flatcar tender and wooden cab attached.
 
1863: Oregon Pony is replaced by larger locomotives and is transferred to the 13-mile portage line around Celilo Falls at The Dalles which is completed and opened in April of 1863.
 
1863: Larger locomotives arrive and Anne and Betsy are also transferred to The Dalles.
 
1866: Oregon Pony is to a construction company in San Francisco.
 
1868: Ann and Betsy are sold to the Oregon Central Railroad which was building south and west from Portland. Locomotives were rostered as O&C “A” and “B” and converted to standard gauge.
 
1872: Oregon Central opens line from Portland to St. Joseph. Large land fraud with several railroads under ownership with. Reorganized Oregon & California completes the line to Roseburg in December.
 
1879: Oregonian Railway, 3-foot, incorporated and begins building south through the valley.
 
1880: Oregonian Railway reaches West Scio via a crossing of the North Santiam near Shelburn. Scio is bypassed, though an Oregonian Railway locomotive is named for the town.
 
1880: Oregon & California consolidates all valley lines under one ownership.
 
1881: Oregon & California takes control of Oregonian Railway and halts construction at Coburg in 1882.
 
1884: The Oregon & California collapses
 
1887: Southern Pacific acquires control of the Oregon & California in January of 1887.
 
1890: Southern Pacific takes over the Oregonian Railway and converts it to standard gauge, full transfer wouldn’t be finished until 1893. This is likely when the West Scio depot was constructed, though it may date to 1880 and be of Oregonian Railway heritage.
 
1890: Citizens of Scio construct a standard gauge branch line from Scio to West Scio a distance of about 2.5 miles.
 
1890, September: Construction starts on the branch line to Scio. Surveyed by Oregonian Railway crews and most of the work carried out by local contractors and laborers.
 
1891: Switch is cut in at West Scio by the Southern Pacific to connect the branch with the mainline. Track is repaired and upgraded as needed. Oregon & California locomotive “A” is leased for motive power and is delivered on October 16, 1891.
 
1891, October: Railroad opens on October 23, 1891 and is known as the Goins & Gamber Railroad, though possibly just in jest as the branch is noted as the Scio Division in Southern Pacific records.
 
1891-1901: On average there were four trains a day, six days a week except Sunday. A document from 1893 states that near 3.5 million pounds of freight were handled out of the depot at West Scio. Also in 1893 a boxcar was stationed at West Scio to allow the easier transfer of freight to reduce damage.
 
1901: Railroad changes ownership and comes under the control of George Washington Phillips of Scio and Henry Miller of Stayton.
 
1903: Miller sells out and Phillips takes over control of the railroad.
 
1904, April: A bridge collapsed under a freight train and service was suspended on the railroad. The locomotive is stored on Pentland Avenue awaiting track repairs. Effectively the end of service on the railroad.
 
1905, January: On the 27th an article notes that “Old Betsy” has been returned to the Southern Pacific shops in Portland and may not return. It is suggested the locomotive be exhibited at the Lewis & Clark Exposition in Portland. Betsy was not, but her sister the Oregon Pony was returned from San Francisco, refurbished, and put on display.
 
1905, October: Rails are lifted and the branch line is dismantled.
 
1905-1916: Old Betsy continued in maintenance of way service on the Southern Pacific, usually assigned with a pile driver for bridge work. After more than a half-century of service Old Betsy is removed from service and broken up, though the exact date is unknown.
 
1930: The Oregon Pony is put on display at the Portland Union Station.
 
1970: The Oregon Pony is returned to Cascade Locks. It was later cosmetically restored and is today displayed in a climate controlled shelter at Marine Park in Cascade Locks.
 
 

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Taylor,

While not part of the locomotive, here is a door from one of the Oregon & California passenger cars that used to serve your home town.

Martin

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Well it would have actually served West Scio, but a very cool artifact.

Thanks, Taylor

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Taylor......thanks for the great picture and history.   The Port of Cascade Locks, the current caretaker of the Oregon Pony, has a committee working on a proposal to replace the current Oregon Pony building.   The committee is charged with making a recommendation to the Port Commission in early February as the current Oregon Pony building is well past its expected life and is in dire need ot replacement.  

​Attached is the current idea for the new building very near the site of the Thunder Island Brewing patio at the west end of Portage Road, Marine Park, Cascade Locks, Oregon.  The draft idea right now is the new building about in the center of this graphic.   Also of note is the planned pedestrian Union Pacific RR overpass.   Feel free to tell your Scio friends of this Port planning to preserve and display the Oregon Pony.   (also, I am pushing to this time display the Pony with a replica flat car.....to help visitors understand what the Pony did at the Cascades).   Arlen 
 

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Are there any photographs of the Oregon Pony in operation in oregon?

I've never seen any. She was only used for a very short period of time. However there are a couple pictures of the larger ponies on the Cascade Rail Road in the 1860's.

Taylor

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