Steam & Excursion > We Paid A Fitting Tribute To An Old Friend Of Steam And Of Ours!

We said goodbye to an old friend on Sunday, Jim Gertz, who saved the last Willamette locomotive ever built and who co-authored the book on the Willamette Locomotive.

Jim died a little over two years ago. He always wanted his ashes to be sent through the firebox of his engine pulling a grade. Here we are finally granting Jim’s last wish.

Thanks to Steven Butler, the CMO at Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad for helping us honor our good friend Jim.  A group of Jim's relatives and close friends rode behind his beloved #2 up to the MRSR museum at Mineral, Washington.  After arrival #2 dropped down to the bottom of the yard and then returned up grade pulling hard as Jim's ashes were sent through her firebox as we see here in this first photo and the attached video.

Thanks for saving #2 Jim.  You are now literally a part of this locomotive.  Goodbye old friend.

Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/18 01:16 by LoggerHogger.

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WOW, there is a way go out, very good that this able to be done.

Tim
Hanesworth

Did it have to be converted into a People Burner?

I used to tell my wife when I croaked, cremate me and sand 1522's flues with me going up Rolla Hill.  I won't be able to kick the bucket until she gets restored again now.

Very nice!

I want my ashes put in Cass #5 but my family is protesting.  I'll be dead so they can do whatever they want.

John Meixel
Longmont, CO

I have the same request. Prefer being sent out through NKP 765, or a Lima Shay at Cass if 765 is not available.

Posted from Android

My Dad's ashes were scattered along the U.P. mainline right in front of Multnomah Falls! My brother Bill was the hoghead and dumped him right out the cab window while pulling a heavy freight at a good clip! (Highball the gate, Old Man!)

Seems like a fitting tribute to Jim and his wishes.  Some are REALLY into steam.

I met Mr. Gertz once...and he left a positive impression.

In 1978, my family took a three week road trip in our 1955 Chevy Nomad.   The trip started in the Bay Area going to Casper, WY for the National Chevy Nomad convention.  From Casper, we headed north through Glacier to Calgary then west to Vancouver Island and then home.    My 16th birthday was celebrated in Canada to which my parents gifted me a book....The Willamette Locomotive co-authored by Jim with Steve Hauff.  In short order, I poured through the book quickly realizing that two of the remaining Willamettes were in Port Angeles, WA.     Our port of entry would be by car ferry into Port Angeles.   Dad agreed to make a brief stop at Rayonier #4.

After our stop with #4, we had to get gas.   Traveling in restored vehicles generates attention.   When paying for gas, the attendant asked about the car and why we were in Port Angeles.     The CA plates were a good indication that we were from out of state.   My father responded about our tour adding a comment about our stop in Port Angeles to see the old steam locomotive.  Hearing this the attendant slightly turns his head and yells, "Hey Jim, this family from California likes steam locomotives!". Mr Gertz happened to be in the store waiting for his wife to pick him up.

For an impressionable teenaged rail fan, this was the equivalent of meeting a rockstar...someone who wrote a book on trains AND owned a steam locomotive.    We spent a few minutes talking about Willamettes and determined our mutual schedules would not allow for a private tour of HIS Rayonier #2.

Returning to our car, I suddenly realized that I had his book.   Quickly finding the book, I returned to the store asking him for an autograph.

At that moment 40 years ago, I imagine Jim Gertz felt like a rock star.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/18 20:29 by KMiddlebrook.

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Good story. One correction, Jim was never married. He routinely Referred to the locomotive as his wife.

Martin

Posted from iPhone

LoggerHogger Wrote:
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> Good story. One correction, Jim was never
> married. He routinely Referred to the
> locomotive as his wife.
>
> Martin
>
> Posted from iPhone

Yes i remember that when we moved it.

Luke

Posted from Android

Very nice tribute!  And I loved KMiddlebrook's story.  

Nathan

Frisco1522 Wrote:
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> I used to tell my wife when I croaked, cremate me
> and sand 1522's flues with me going up Rolla
> Hill.  I won't be able to kick the bucket until
> she gets restored again now.

Maybe I can help Don, I'm almost to Kirkwood on a late RiverRunner.

Posted from Android

Photo from the Mt. Rainier Scenic in 2012, at one of Martin's photo specials.  Jim Wrinn, Steve Hauff, Jim Gertz, and Martin.  We will all miss Jim and his contributions to steam preservation, especially in the logging industry.

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