Western Railroad Discussion > SP&S FA #866 Restoration Progress?

Was wondering how this project is coming along. The last update I could find was from Dec 2010.

Can't wait for Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation's FA to get finished!

JMW

My guess is it is in standy mode along with everything else that was at Brooklyn roundhouse.

I believe this is about the Northwest Rail Museum's locomotive that is currently in off-site in-active storage
here in Portland OR. It is not owned by ORHF. NRM is a member organization of ORHF. Arlen

Not sure who ownes the FA but it's the one I saw at the Brooklyn, OR roundhouse in 2008.

There was a picture posted of the FA last year on TO with its nose partially painted.

JMW

Same condition since the move from Brooklyn last year. In a "secure" place behind a fence in northwest Portland with little if any chance to work on it.

Dick Samuels

Thank you for the update.

JMW

I would add that there is an incredible amount of work going on by all the active volunteers to get
the high priority items addressed.
Some of high priority items:
1) all the various issues relating to getting the new building built and open in 2012.
2) preparations for vacating the Brooklyn Roundhouse.
3) getting equipment and everything else ready for this years Holiday Express, 12/2-3-4 & 12/9-10-11.
4) figuring out operational procedures for the new facility.
5) developing the message we want to provide to visitors in our new facility.
6) getting the OR&N 197 ready to move.
7) getting the SP&S 700 operational.
8) continuing work on the Travellers Rest.
9) cleaning out the 4449 tool car.

ORHF and related organizations are very lucky to have a group of unpaid volunteers who are able to devote
their available hours to these and other tasks; for some of the retired folk this is a more than full time
committment. Arlen

asheldrake Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I believe this is about the Northwest Rail
> Museum's locomotive that is currently in off-site
> in-active storage
> here in Portland OR. It is not owned by ORHF.
> NRM is a member organization of ORHF. Arlen

There is a group in Snoqualmie Washington using the name Northwest Railway Museum. The two names are close enough to cause major confusion. If nothing else, it makes the Portland group nearly invisible on a search engine.

jmw Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Was wondering how this project is coming along.
> The last update I could find was from Dec 2010.
>
> Can't wait for Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation's
> FA to get finished!
>
> JMW


Here are 3 photos I took on 10/21/2010.

Nomosantafe
Fort Worth, Texas
"Where the West Begins"

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The SP&S No. 866 FA-1 (body) was recently scrapped (in Feb. 2024). Details to follow. Photo from about Sep. 2018 in storage, from where it was scrapped.

It was built by Alco as construction number 78286 in Jan 1950 for the SP&S, one of 28 FA-1 and FA-2 owned by that railroad. None were equipped with a steam bolier for passengar service. In the early 1970s, SP&S turned in a number of their Alco locomotives. The 866 became the Long Island's No. 613. The car was retired from Long Island in 1998. It was purchased, with no prime mover, for scrap value at that time by Northwest Rail Museum of Portland Oregon.



Edited 7 time(s). Last edit at 02/29/24 17:00 by TTStetz3.

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More information on this locomotive scrapping was posted on Railfan & Railroad Magazine on March 29, 2024

See: https://railfan.com/former-sps-alco-fa-1-scrapped-in-portland/

From that article: "The owner of SPS 866 was Northwest Rail Museum, a non-profit entity founded in 1986 by former Oregon State Rail Planner Ed Immel. Following the development of several local organizations dedicated to railroad preservation activities, Immel decided that the best course for NRM was to join forces with the other groups in the ORHF partnership, which was initially based in Southern Pacific’s Brooklyn Roundhouse (later Union Pacific). The arrangement ended when UP gave notice that the roundhouse would be demolished in 2012, leading to its replacement by the Oregon Rail Heritage Center the same year. The 866 and a group of railcars owned by various organizations were moved to the NW Industrial Area site at that time."

Also see Trainorders Posting: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,5831316,5832688#msg-5832688



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/29/24 19:03 by TTStetz3.