Steam & Excursion > Some Steam Locomotives Were Certainly Not Easy To Photograph!

One has to admire the the resourcefulness of some railfans.  Back when there was no internet and few if any books on shortlines and logging railroads  how were railfans able to to find some of the remote steam locomotives, hiding far off the beaten path?  Here is one such example.

The town of Willard, Washington is not easy to find, even today.  It is a very small town on the Little White Salmon River just a few miles north of the Columbia River in SW Washington State.  Back in the 1940's it did have a lumber mill in the name of the Willard Lumber Co.  That small operation happened to have a logging railroad with one of it's locomotives being this 2-truck Heisler #3. 

One intrepid railfan managed not only to go to Willard but he was able to scour the brush until he found #3 hiding deep in the trees out behind the mill.  Armed with a machete this railfan was able to clear enough brush away to get this very respectable photo of #3 with her lead truck removed for servicing. 

Today, #3 is still with us, as it is part of the collection of Heislers on the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad and is on display in Tillamook, Oregon.

Finding #3 deep in the brush at Willard, Washinton in the 1940's with no GPS, Internet or Google Maps was pretty impressive in my book.

Martin



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/20 03:41 by LoggerHogger.

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GREAT picture Martin....yet another one that, with your permission, needs to head to the Trainmaster newsletter.....this native of Hood River is familier with at least the town name of 
Willard.....Arlen

Fine withme Arlen.

Martin

What was amazing was what got identified in old Railroad Magazine, and Railroad Man Stories Magazine in the columns of letters to editor. Babcock Coal Co. and Cass were the major exceptions as they never seem to have been located.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/20 17:03 by PlyWoody.