Steam & Excursion > This Is Not The Kind Of Locomotive You Expected At These Shops!

The Albina Shops of the Union Pacific in Portland, Oregon were certainly host to many varied types of UP motive power over the years that steam ruled the rails.  However, in September 1948 a visitor to Albina would certainly never expect to come across this kind of locomotive waiting by the shops.

When one would give a quick study of Union Pacific's motive power roster you could easily have missed the reference to the 3 Shays that UP purchased for use on it's Tintic Branch in Utah.  This steep mountain line called for the heaviest geared power available during it's years of operation. 

But why then is this geared monster sitting in Albina, Oregon?  Simple, this beast of a Shay we see here in the form of UP #61 has been deemed surplus by her parent road and was recently sold to the Oregon-American Lumber Company of Vernonia, Oregon. #61 has just arrived at Albina on a UP freight and is waiting to be transferred over to the SP&S who will take her on the final leg of her journey to Vernonia where the O-A shop crews will re-attach her line shafts and get her ready for logging duties.

Oregon--American and later Long-Bell Lumber would get several years of service out of #61 (which they renumbered as #107) before she finally returned one last time to Portland where this time she went to the scrap yard never to be seen again.

Martin



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/16 02:52 by LoggerHogger.

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Was this the shay with the power reverse that some of it was on the firemans side?
Luke

Posted from Android

Was the plow-device on both ends?
I would think it was for removing rocks and debris off the rail head, any other info?

That is a Ray Snow Flanger, which Lima would install as an extra for locomotives working in snowy areas.

Yes Luke, this is the Shay that had the mandatory power reverse installed on the firemen's side.

Martin

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/16 07:33 by LoggerHogger.

and the only thing remaining in this photo is the iconic UP chiminey...I was quite pleased when UP did some rehab on the ciminey a few years back.  It is on the city of Portland's historic inventory but that doesn't protect it.    another great picture of Portland's history Martin......hard to keep up with you.   thanks, Arlen

thanks for the info on the plow, using google I found the Patent, it shows the plow with mechanisn to raise and lower:No. 722,187. PATENTED MAR. 3, 1903. J. W. RUSSELL.SNOW REMOVING FL ANGER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 1902

JAMES WILLIAM RUSSELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO RUSSELL CAR AND SNO W-PLOW COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE

Arlen

One correction. The Shay's spot plate also survives. :>)

Martin

Posted from iPhone

AMAZING...what could be moved on the mainline with friction bearings and non-alignment control draft gear! Those were the days when "WE CAN hANDLE IT" was more than a slogan!

Dick Samuels

I should have known...........Arlen

Wow Martin! You've done it again! I remember similar pictures my dad took of this engine at Albina in the early 50's. He worked in and out of Albina and on passenger 'til he "bumped" on to the Bend Branch job in the early 70's!..Could this have been a Don Roberts photo? I know he stomped around the Albina Yard also during this time. Thanx for the "wayback".

Pat

I think this may be a Don Roberts photo

Martin

Posted from iPhone