Steam & Excursion > The Life And Times Of Sunset Timber 85-Ton Heisler #1!

Yesterday we started the big move towards restoration of Sunset Timber Heisler #1.  Our Oregon Coast Scenic crews pulled this off after a year of planning the very tight "pick" of the 85-yon engine from it's cramped storage spot in Fremont, CA.  This mean moving power lines, phone lines, small buildings and other obstacles so the huge crane and heavy hauler truck could be put in position for the loading of the engine.  The pick went off flawlessly and we are now halfway home to Tillamook where she will be unloaded.

Built in 1913, #1 is one of only 2 85-ton Heislers ever built.  She was originally turned out for the Sunset Timber Co. of Raymond, Washington.  She ran log trains there until the early 1920's when she was sold to the Standard Lumber Co. of Standard, California where she pulled log trains between the Standard mill and the woods operation.  She later became Pickering Lumber #1 when Pickering took over the Standard owners interests.

She toiled over the years for Pickering until the coming of diesels in the mid-1950's.  Rather than being retired, she was sent to the back shop and given a thorough rebuild so she could be kept as back-up power for the new diesels.  Unfortunately, on a break-in run after the shopping something went wrong with her drive shaft to the 3rd truck and it flipped off the track in a narrow ravine.  The Pickering CMO became so disgusted with that he simply ordered the engine parked and she sat out the rest of her time at Pickering on the garden tracks next to the shops.

When Pickering started to get rid of her steam locomotives she and 3 other engines ended up being sold and shipped to a storage yard in Stockton.  She was later re-sold and shipped to Monterrey in pieces where the plan was to run her along Cannery Row.  That plan never materialized and she ended up being donated to the Pacific Locomotive Association who stored her in Fremont until we came to pick her up yesterday. (We got the 3rd truck and tender shipped to Oregon a couple years ago.)

The rebuild of the tender has already begun and work on the engine itself will get started as time permits at OCSR.  She will provide plenty of pulling power for our trains along the Oregon Coast and up the Salmonberry Canyon for years to come.


Martin



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/15 04:54 by LoggerHogger.

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The first photo in this series shows Pickering Lumber Corp #1 in the backshop at Standard just after the big Heisler was completely rebuilt.

The next photo shows her in storage in Monterey, CA on Cannery Row where she sat for many years untouched.

Finally, in the last photo we see #1 stopped for the night in Corning, CA on our way home yesterday.


Martin



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/15 04:51 by LoggerHogger.

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Did you figure out what happened with the driveline to the third truck, Martin?

I, and many others, have been watching this enigne rust away there for many years.  It's good to see it's on it's way to a happy ending.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,3345003,3345342#3345342

Gerry

Yup, the trips to the Aquarium weren't exactly highlighted by the fate of the poor Heisler. Mass
props to all (including Martin) who are helping to get this locomotive back under steam.

Out

Well, as usual, Mr. Hansen beat me out on this historic report !  However, here are some better photographs from "moving day" for that old 85-ton Heisler which has been rusting away for many years at the old Alameda County property on Shinn Street in Fremont, CA.  All photographs courtesy of Stephen Coon (04/21/2015) ...

This locomotive is headed to the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad at Garibaldi, OR .  From appearances, it will take a LOT of money and labor to restore her !
Cheers.

KRK

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A few more Heisler photos...

KRK

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Fascinating.  As usual, very thankful to Martin for posting this and taking interest in this general topic.  So glad that the rusting hulk from Cannery Row will be back in action!

Stan

I like the ex-cop car as the wide load vehicle.

-M

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

Harlock Wrote:
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> I like the ex-cop car as the wide load vehicle.
>
> -M

He's there to prevent "Metal Thieves", the continued bane of modern (?) existance.

William Jeffers, P.E.
San Dimas, CA

Congratulations.  Moves like these take ALOT of time to set up and pull off.

I can recall going by to see this locomotive in Monterrey many times when I visited my sister.

Glad she's on the way to a new and better home.

Martin, do you have any details of what caused Pickering #1 to flip the tender over in 1956?  Was this common with Heislers, or did Shays flip tenders over also?

> Built in 1913, #1 is one of only 2 85-ton Heislers
> ever built.  

For quite some time I believed that as well.  However, according to "The Heisler Locomotive:  1891-1941,"  there were at least five 85-ton Heislers constructed (c/n 1268, 1272, 1376, 1433 and 1438).  The book's list of locomotives has quite a few "unidentifed" entries, so there may have been more.

Brian