Steam & Excursion > This Locomotive May Look Ready To Roll, But Looks Are Deceiving!

At first glance, this big Pacific Coast Shay parked at Feather Falls, California looks to be ready to resume her logging chores.  However, on close inspection an entirely different story emerges. Once we see that her air Westinghouse cross compound air pump is gone and there is no sign replacing her, we start to see the real story here. 

Retired in 1956 by Rayonier #91 was still quite serviceable at her logging line north of Hoquiam, Washington.  She simply was no longer needed as the tank mallets that had arrived from Weyerhaeuser Timber had replaced her and her sister Pacific Coast Shay #191 on the branch lines out of Railroad Camp.  Rather than scrap #91 (as was done with #191) Rayonier decided to put #91 up for sale.

Soon the Feather River Ry came along to inspect her.  The FRRy needed to replace their 3-truck Willamette #5 that had developed boiler issues.  The inspection of #91 check out and as she had a current Washington State boiler certificate, FRRy made the purchase and had #91 shipped to their shops in Feather Falls to enter service on that logging line.

Unfortunately, what FRRy had not anticipated was that the California State boiler inspector used a different set of boiler rules than that of Washington State.  Once the California boiler rules ere applied to the #91 boiler she failed immediately.  The work that would be required to certify #91 in California was even more work than had been needed by the now-scrapped Willamette #5.

FRRy quickly decided they would simply soldier on with the 3 Shays they still had in service that they had inherited from the Hutchinson Lumber Co.  That decision left #91 simply as a parts source for these other 3-truck Shays.  Slowly over the years #91 was picked clean for parts until no more usable parts were left and finally #91 was scrapped at Feather Falls.

A sad end for what should have been a further lease on life for #91.

Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/18 02:57 by LoggerHogger.

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Not only is the air compressor missing, but there are no drive shafts.

The line shafts were never re-connected after the move by rail to Feather Falls from Rayonier.

Martin