Steam & Excursion > An Engineer & His Locomotive - A Timeless Portrait Of Pride!

How many of us today are asked to pause in our work by a passing photographer so we can be photographed performing our daily job?  Even if we would be asked, would we oblige the cameraman?  For a locomotive engineer in the days of steam, such a request was not only a common occurrence but it was routinely met with no hesitation let alone any reluctance.

The pride that most hoggers had for their jobs and for the steam locomotives they were in charge of was motivation enough to pose for many such portraits while they tended to the the care of their locomotives.  Inn this portrait we see engineer Chamberlain posing beside his locomotive for the day, Cowlitz, Chehalis & Cascade RR #25.  This big Baldwin 2-8-0 had been built originally for the Whitney Company for their logging operations in Northwest Oregon.  She was given the name "Big Jack" by Whitney and only was assigned #25 later in her career.

By the early 1950's when Engineer Chamberlain stopped for a moment from his oiling around #25 in the yards at Chehalis, Washington, #25 had only a few more years service ahead of her.  Fortunately, not only did the crews take pride in #25 but the railroad as well saw her as something that should be preserved for future generations.  After her service with the CC&C RR was over, #25 was placed on display in near-by Centralia, Washington for the next 50 years.  Today she has been removed from display and is awaiting restoration to service on the Chehalis Centralia Railroad Museum track out of Chehalis, Washington along with sister CC&C engine #15.

If all goes right, some day in the future another engineer for #25 will be asked to stop his work for a minute to have his portrait taken just like Mr. Chamberlain did.

Martin



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/19 03:56 by LoggerHogger.

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Great photo with pride exhibited. Thanks Martin.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

That rear sand dome looks like it was built by the boys out in the shop.

Huh...  I do not see a second sand dome...

Peter

Has any solid planning or progress been made on ol' 25? A doubleheader with 15 would look great!

Posted from Android

steamdoc Wrote:
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> Huh...  I do not see a second sand dome...
>
> Peter

There is a second sand dome in front of the dynamo.  It is indeed shop-built and is square.

Martin



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/19 15:25 by LoggerHogger.

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OK...

The first photo led me to believe that it was an aux steam turret.

The second photo clearly shows a second sand dome, not a steam turret.

back to my cave....

Peter