Steam & Excursion > Finnish Locomotive at Junction City, Oregon

Finland donated locomotive 418 (built in 1904 5-foot gauge-donated to Oregon) displayed at Junction City, Oregon.  She is under a roof near former Depot along Portland & Western street running line.  March 20, 2017.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/17 05:55 by cozephyr.

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Some of the significance of this locomotive being located in Junction City is because of the locally well-known "Scandi Fest", or Scandinavian Festival.  It is held in August of each year to celebrate the various heritages of Scandinavian descendents in the area.

mopac1978 Wrote:
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> Some of the significance of this locomotive being
> located in Junction City is because of the locally
> well-known "Scandi Fest", or Scandinavian
> Festival.  It is held in August of each year to
> celebrate the various heritages of Scandinavian
> descendents in the area.

Thanks for this. I was curious why Oregon.

a very interesting story documented in the Oregonian at the time....the loco came to Oregon as part of the city of Portland's push to establish a transportation museum near Oaks Park in SE Portland.  the Parks director at the time was a Finn.   this loco and all the others sat and rusted away because the Museum didn't get off the ground and the Finns "took it back" and went looking for another site that would take care of it.  the good folk in Junction City stepped up and it resides under cover.  I believe a fund raising effort paid for the transport of the loco from Finnland.  Probably the only foreign loco in Oregon.    thanks for posting all the great pictures of your trip to our DAMP state.    Arlen

Thanks for all of your recent coverage of the Northwest, CZ.  I tried to PM you but the mailbox is full.

asheldrake Wrote:
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  Probably the only foreign loco
> in Oregon.    thanks for posting all the great
> pictures of your trip to our DAMP state.  
>  Arlen

There are hundreds of foreign lcocos in Oregon. They have "Union Pacific" wrttten on them.

Very cool locomotive and story. Thx for it.

Posted from iPhone

asheldrake Wrote:
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> a very interesting story documented in the
> Oregonian at the time....the loco came to Oregon
> as part of the city of Portland's push to
> establish a transportation museum near Oaks Park
> in SE Portland.  the Parks director at the time
> was a Finn.   this loco and all the others sat
> and rusted away because the Museum didn't get off
> the ground and the Finns "took it back" and went
> looking for another site that would take care of
> it.  the good folk in Junction City stepped up
> and it resides under cover.  I believe a fund
> raising effort paid for the transport of the loco
> from Finnland.  Probably the only foreign loco
> in Oregon.    thanks for posting all the great
> pictures of your trip to our DAMP state.  
>  Arlen

If I remember correctly, that dilapidated narrow gauge ten wheeler (a Pacific as built) is American made but spent its working life in Mexico. So it kind of has dual citizenship. As for the Finnish engine, I've heard that when it arrived in Oregon it still had some scars from the war between Finland and the Soviet Union, does anyone know if this is true or just rumor?

Posted from Android

the plaque is correct....war scars are there.