Steam & Excursion > A Big Week With Skookum & McCloud #25 & Polson #2!

Well, I am back from a long but enjoyable week putting many of the finishing touches on Skookum at Oregon Coast Scenic Railorad.  Team Skookum assembled and worked all week to finish the boiler jacket, and may mechanical projects on Skookum.

The other purpose for the week was to host a Lerro Productons charter for a number of photographers arround the world.  With the wonderful fall weather they all had a great time and the photos they got are wonderful.

The Baldwin banner is an ORIGINAL Baldwin delivery banner that was donated to us by Ed Immel.  This is what Baldwin put on their steam locomotives when they were bing delivered to their new owners.

We stil have some timing issues to deal with on Skookum.  We discovered this the first times we moved her under her own power this week.  We will be addressing those issues in the next few weeks.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/18 07:47 by LoggerHogger.

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It was lots of work, but still a fun week.

Martin



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/18 03:56 by LoggerHogger.

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Martin -  Great looking photos and I really like the fact that someone took the time to make the Baldwin sign that is featured on the first photo.  That is a GREAT touch in my opinion!

Ron

Great lineup there.   The little girl looks fantastic!     What are the timing issues?
TO needs a "Like" button.

Nice smile on your face glad that all went well and you had a good time. Boyd in Chiloquin

The banner is an original Baldwin delivery banner used by Baldwin on their steam locomotives when they were shipped across the country to thier new owners.

Martin

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What an awesome group of guys doing fantastic work--I've got to get up there and spend a weekend riding these trains and seeing the local sights.  Just great looking engines and you can "feel" the great morale of the operation.

Beautiful work guys, quite a sight to behold. I have read several times that after some photo trips next year, Skookum will head to a new home in California; but I have not seen the name of the operation it is going to. I hope it will be somewhere that the public will be able ride behind her.

You guys did great!  The OCSR is becoming the most active steam restoration place in the west.  I recognize some of the folks in the group shot, but not all.  Can you identify them?

Left to Right:  Troy James, Scott Wickert, Luke Johnson, Scotty Hutton, George Lavacot, Dan Volker, Steven Butler, Chris Baldo, Tim Thompson, Loggerhogger.

Martin



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/18 14:47 by LoggerHogger.

Thanks, Martin.

Restorations pretty much don't surprise me anymore but that one does, I'm really glad that Chris has the financial means
to get it done and that there's such a talented group still around on the West Coast, massive props to all.

Out

It is unfortunate that Railroadreader got ahold of a photo that was not to be shared publicly and has chosen to spread it on the internet to cast such a negative attack on what is an  amazing restoration project.

The parts in the photo are quite repairable and they will be straightened and machined in short order. 

Remember, the first photo attached is what we started with and the second photo is what we have now.  We can certainly fix this valve issue.

Steam restoration work is not simple and these types of teething issue often happen with the first runs of an extensively restored engine.

We will not let this one mechanical issue stop the completion or Skookum.

We certainly will not allow the petty attacks from Railroadreader, who clearly enjoys attacking steam restorations, to slow us in complteing the project.

Martin

From the Webmaster this morning about "Railroadreader":

Author: webmaster
The account that posted the photo was opened up the day the posting was made.
The name on the account appears to be a made up name.  
The photo was posted without permission of the owner and is a violation of copyright law.
If the photo was made by a member that followed our terms of membership by not using a made up name, and was the owner of the photo or had permission to post I would have allowed it to remain. 



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/18 09:11 by LoggerHogger.

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Thank you, Martin; for the clarification...

Yes, these things occur.
The engine is a teaching machine, too.
Skookum has several more tricks to show the guys.

Better ways of doing things are a natural result of a careful restoration.

Its a wonderful restoration...from belly-up in a ditch, to a shiny green jacket...
That gang in the “crew shot” can be REALLY proud of their team’s results...

Keep up the good work.

Wes

 

While the damage to the engine is unfortunate and most likely can be fixed I find it more unfortunate that all of the photos on all of the different forums have been taken down. What's there to be ashamed of...stuff happens!

During one of the very earlly seasons of the ORHF's Holiday Express the Oregon Pacific managed to derail BOTH the SP&S 700 AND the SP 4449 at the same time on a broken rail caused by torch cut bolt holes and a few bad ties. A few lengths of rail; a  couple ties some manual labor (by many of the same volunteers as volunteer on the OCSR) and all was good again until next time! That's just what we do to keep on going.

So....come on guys.... don't let your pride and/or egoes get in the way....crap happened again so don't be afraid to admit it...let's see pics of the damage as well as the progress with the repairs.

Dick Samuels
Oregon Pacific Railroad



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/18 22:17 by EMDSW-1.

WELL DONE to Team Skookum!

Martin, thank you for posting your great photos of this event.  And, WOW, what a show!  And what a scenic and photogenic train riding experience as well!

All the folks in Martin's photo, and many more as well, went all-out to have three beautiful logging lokies in steam for us photographers and riders.  And Peter Lerro did a fine job with the photo specials out to the great sites that were prepared in advance.  It couldn't have been easy clearing out the thick Oregon underbrush to make safe and accessible photo sites for the charter patrons; that alone took a heck of a lot of hard work and weeks to get done.

Chris Baldo sure has a beautiful locomotive in "Skookum".  Scott Wickert and his team have my admiration for the amazing resurrection of this historic engine. My only hope is that Mr. Baldo will keep it at OCSR for a year or two so we all can see and hear that powerful mallet climb the grade out of Wheeler up to Batterson perhaps, before he moves "Skookum" to her new home in Willits, California.

One of the joys of an OCSR excursion is staying across the street from the shops, at the Garibaldi House Inn.  My wife and I got a kick out of watching from our third floor window as the locomotive and yard crews across the street put trains together, coming and going several times each day, and listening to the the sounds of whistles, bells and chuffing steam as we drifted off to sleep each night.  Talk about a total immersion experience!

It was wonderful to see "Skookum" steamed-up  and looking delivery-ready in her Baldwin green paint; and that banner was a crowning touch.  While we all wish there hadn't been teething issues that kept her side-lined for this particular set of excursions, it does show just how difficult it is to restore a machine as complex--and old--as is "Skookum".  I have no doubt the OCSR folks will have her repaired, dialed-in and ready to go before her next excursions.  Anyone throwing darts from their armchair about this temporary challenge isn't worth the wasted thought. I'd much rather recall Pete Lerro's night photo shoot that produced shots like Martin posted....why listen to whining when I can listen to "Skookum"?!  And let's not forget the beautiful Polson #2, nor the historic McCloud River #25, either--amazing restorations in their own right.  Like I said: what a show.

For me, the only thing missing was our friend nycman...hey Jim, Maureen wanted to buy you a beer after the day's run-bys, so in your absence I was 'forced' to fill in for you, ha ha ha!  Next time, my friend.

Thank you Chris, Martin, Peter, Scott and all the skilled and wonderul OCSR folks who made this happen!

-Tom



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/18 13:07 by Sasquatch.

EMDSW-1 Wrote:
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> While the damage to the engine is unfortunate and
> most likely can be fixed I find it more
> unfortunate that all of the photos on all of the
> different forums have been taken down. What's
> there to be ashamed of...stuff happens!
>I could not agree more with the above statement, as Dick says things happen.          So lets see the photos.

 Malcolm
New Zealand.
> During one of the very earlly seasons of the
> ORHF's Holiday Express the Oregon Pacific managed
> to derail BOTH the SP&S 700 AND the SP 4449 at the
> same time on a broken rail caused by torch cut
> bolt holes and a few bad ties. A few lengths of
> rail; a  couple ties some manual labor (by many
> of the same volunteers as volunteer on the OCSR)
> and all was good again until next time! That's
> just what we do to keep on going.
>
> So....come on guys.... don't let your pride and/or
> egoes get in the way....crap happened again so
> don't be afraid to admit it...let's see pics of
> the damage as well as the progress with the
> repairs.
>
> Dick Samuels
> Oregon Pacific Railroad

Railroadreader:  Booooooo!

Can’t hide from the truth, I don’t think anyone is trying to destroy the efforts of the OCSR guys by posting that photo. It is simply showing the world what DID happen, and I find it really sad that they want to ignore it and say that it was a “normal” issue.........
It’s not hard to just say “look, it did happen, we are currently figuring out why, and repairs are always under way.” From that you can move on, but when you try to censor people it does make you look too good.......

Posted from iPhone

Talked to Ed Immel  yesterday.  There was a tube in his basement, because he couldn’t get in to it and didn’t know what was in there he finally cut it open.  lo and behold, there was the banner in good condition.  He donated it as he had no use for it himself.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/18 06:52 by Jsporseen.