Nostalgia & History > Drum Powerhouse Tram (Incline railway) #4 of 6

Continued...

Photo 1.  The wheels and rollers that guided the cable have the name Willamette cast in them.  Inclines and overhead bucket tramways were quite the rage in the early 1900's, so I suppose the related gear was available "off the shelf".  And I wouldn't be a bit surprised to learn this Willamette is the same as the Locomotive manufacturer.
Photo 2.  This photo shows the grade we're talking about.  I didn't so much walk down the RR as climb down the RR!  I had to pack my camera between each shot- I needed both hands free.
Photo 3.  Approaching the final drop to the powerhouse.  The line has 3 distinct drops, each punctuated by a slight, short, leveling.  (Probably where everyone put their hands up in the air- if they did that sort of thing in 1912...  )
SR



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/17 20:18 by BoilingMan.

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Thanks,
I love finding stuff where no man has gone before.VBG

Uncle Joe
Seffner,Fl.

Thanks so much for this information. I've driven by the Drum/Forebay off ramp on I80 many times. Is this an access point?
Also, is the hydro plant  in use today?
George Andrassy

Yes, the Drum Forebay exit, and all of this is North of I-80.  There is now a PG&E locked gate at the Drum townsite, but the walk to the top of the tramway is short, level, and pleasent..
The entire Hydro-Electric system is very much alive and well, having recently marked 100yrs of operation. 
The Drum Powerhouse was half buried by a slide in about 1997 (?) and the damage was dire enough that abandonment was considered, but I guess the numbers worked out and they dug it out.  At the time I walked in (the road was wiped out too) to have a look- I went down the penstock, and back out the same way. A 1000ft climb in maybe a half mile!  Tylenol stock holders may have noticed a small spike in profits that year.  The powerhouse was buried in gravel about 10ft deep!
SR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/17 13:26 by BoilingMan.

Route of the ultimate speeder excursion...

- L.F.

Well...   fastest & shortest anyway!
SR