Nostalgia & History > Valley & Siletz GE 70-tonners

Here are two pictures of V&S 70-tonners. The gray one #7, is at Hoskins OR,(5 14 1978) just hanging out in the yard with other pieces of misc. stuff. The green #5 (in Boise Cascade colors) is actually working, pulling some SP chip gons that look way to big for it to move. This was on 5 18 1978. The railroad went through Polk and Benton counties in Western Oregon. One end was at Independance, the other at Valsetz, a company lumber town. About 33 miles apart. Believe they bought three of this little units from GE. These two in 1954, and #11 in 1955. Also had 10 different steam engines over the years, the last one being scrapped about 1957.
Todd Montgomery

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Well ya made me pull out the Valley & Siletz Railroad book, written in 1958 by Edwin Culp. He states, in the locomotive roster, that #5 and #7 were purchased in 1954, and #11 was purchased in 1955 (as you said). They were purchased new from GE. I had never known there was a V&S #11, until today, and have never seen any pictures of it. I have found a couple of pictures of a GE 44-tonner (V&S #8), but it isn't mentioned in Culp's book (purchased after the book was published?).

If anyone has any additional info on V&S #11, please post up. Pictures would be great!

I'm glad to see that the V&S hasn't been forgotten; I used to cross the tracks on my way to school, and occasionally would see a train go by. But I digress...

Regards, Mike Richards

No one who visited the Valley & Siletz will ever forget the operation there. This was the most "back woodsy" railroad operation in the West for decades. Here are a few photos to show what I am talking about.
The shops at Hoskins were a collection of old buildings with cowhide belt driven machines dating from the teens.
The old parts of cars and locomotives scattered about along with the various speeders and other rail vehicles were simply a modelers dream.

Martin

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After the V&S announced their plans to abandon I made a special trip down to visit her and photograph everything in sight. I met one of the last employees of the line and he was good enough to open up the shops and enginehouse to me for my photography.
This was a day well spent and here are a few of the results. This was in 1978 - 30 years ago!!

Martin

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44-tonner #8 was used to pull the "sled" when the track was removed...it later went to the Stimpson mill near Gaston to replae the GE 25-tonner. I believe it is still there stored unserviceable being replaced by a GE 45-tonner.

My understanding of the numbering of the 70-tonners was done by the railroad's superintendent and were the ages of his grandsons at the time.

After some searching in the records, I find the # 11 went to the Prescott & NW in Prescott,AR as
their # 24. As their other units are orange, I'm guessing this might be V&S paint. Photog. unknown.
I do not know when it was sold off from V&S, and I never saw it in my visits starting in 1969.

next pix; I think it is #40, and can only guess it might be a weed sprayer. It looks cobbled
together from a fuel tank and windows off a building and who knows what else. At Kings Valley 9-69.


third shot is caboose 303 at Independence,OR 9-69. It was later repainted in white and green trim.

last is a boxcar that must have been on line service only. No door, but two timber posts help
keep stuff from falling out. This RR was a real make do with what you got operation.

Keith A

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the car

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The 44-ton #8 arrived in 1959. It previously worked for the Almanor Railroad in California and the Big Creek & Telocaset in far eastern Oregon before going to the V&S.

Thanks to all for the posted pictures.

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

LoggerHogger,

Is this the shop that was used for the "Roundhouse" fight in Emperor Of The North?

No to the Emperor of the NW. They used the yards at the OP&E in Cottage Grove, OR.

Martin