Steam & Excursion > The 3 Big Shays Of Hammond Lumber Co. Really BIG!

Beginning in 1920 and each of the 2 succeeding years later, Hammond Lumber Co. of Samoa, CA bought a large 3-truck Shay from the Lima Locomotive Works to handle the huge log loads of their expanding logging line on the Northern California Coast.

Here are 3 separate views of the 3 big engines. Each of the 3 big engines had 14 1/2 X 15 cylinders and operated on 200 PSI. Each weighed nearly 100 tons and had 40,400 #s of tractive force.

In the first view we see Hammond Lumber Co. #31, the first of the big Shays. This view shows her in the woods above Crannell, CA in 1939. Her summer Gerlinger spark arestor is in place. All of the Hammond engines used this type in spark arrestor by the 1930's. It is often mistakenly assumed that #31 was "stranded" at the Gap after the 1945 fire that did in fact strand Hammond 2-8-2T #17. That is not the case. My old friend Henry Sorenson told me that #31 was being used in the woods as a stationary boiler on the D. Line near the Gap when the fire hit. She was already missing various parts being used to keep #33 in operation. As a non-operational engine she was not "stranded" as Henry explained. When the scrapper went to the woods to cut up equipment they simply cut up #31 there since it was easier than towing her into town.

In the second view we see Shay #32 on September 3, 1938. As you can see she is already out of service and being used as a stationary boiler at camp out above Crannell, CA. Notice that her #3 cylinder is removed and blanked off and much of her line shaft is removed. She is hooked up to pipes supplying her water and oil while she produces steam for the camp. Notice the water overflowing out of the top of the tender in the back. Jack Trego took this fine shot.

The 3rd view shows the only remaining one of this trio of large Shays. Here we see Hammond Lumber #33 at Crannell, CA in 1932. Her brakeman waits on her footboards for the next move to start. This big machine was sold to Pickering Lumber in 1945 along with extra parts from the #31. At Pickering she worked into the 1960's when finally Pickering ceased their rail operations. She and Pickering Shay #7 were stored at Lyons Lake on the last part of the PLC logging line until hopes for that operation ended. She then went to the Pickering Mill for a while then to Tuolumne as part of the West Side & Cherry Valley Ry. When that operation closed she returned to the Redwood Region where she hailed from and is now back in the ex: Hammond Lumber Co. Roundhouse in Samoa, CA as part of the Timber Heritage Association.

Martin



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/11 18:05 by LoggerHogger.

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Martin, in general, how were Lima Shays delivered to the PNW/NORCAL lumber companies? On their own wheels, or on flat cars (in pieces, perhaps)?

Bob Callahan
Monticello, IN

The smaller and narrow gauge Shays were delivered on flats. The larger ones were on freight car trucks with their geared trucks on flats with them.

Martin

Posted from BlackBerry

Interesting! Thank you, Martin.

Bob Callahan
Monticello, IN

Thank you .... any good photos of 4 truck Shays? Thx, B

The 4-truck Shay photos are under that heading from a few days ago.

Martin

I have always thought the 33 was (and is) a fine looking horse!

Jim

Here is the #33 in her current home, the Timber Heritage Association's Samoa CA roundhouse.

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AMTRUK Wrote:
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> Here is the #33 in her current home, the Timber
> Heritage Association's Samoa CA roundhouse.

Nice! A little rusty but not bad overall. Is she reasonably close to restorable if someone had the money and wanted to, or is she broken or missing bits and pieces?

As far as I can tell she is fairly complete, and structurally sound. All that is lacking is $$$$$$!
Luke