The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation is one-step closer to building a new home for Portland's three steam locomotives! Instead of being at an inaccessible location in the middle of an intermodal rail yard, they will now be next door to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in SE Portland, and publicly accessible. The new building will also be right next to the MAX light rail station and a streetcar stop, and of course accessible to those who are mobile impaired.

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/11/portlands_locomotives_will_get.html

Exciting times are ahead!

Congratulations! Couldn't happen to a better bunch.

Not to be a nay-sayer, but I've been hearing this for the better part of a decade now, will not pop the cork on the bottle until they're actually building the structure itself. The article used the words "loan" and "should" too many times for me to get exited about this.
That being said, I have donated money to this should it come to pass and I will be first to open my mouth if eating of crow is required!

What's different now is that we have Union Pacific, TriMet, Oregon Pacific Railroad, and the City of Portland on board and on paper to make this project happen. A huge step towards securing funds and meeting the January 15, 2012 eviction date. These things don't happen overnight, it takes a lot of planning and coordination based on how much has been taking place in that area, and what the future will bring.

Very good news to start the week. I didn't realize an actual eviction date had been given. Glad to have made it to the Fest and support the Friends.

Joshua

Does this wonderful news have any effect on the rebuilding of Doyle's PA unit?

What about the other equipment that is at the roundhouse?

Equipment other than the three steam locomotives are the responsibility of whoever owns them. ORHF is committed to building a roof for the three steam locomotives only, however they have also expressed interest in keeping the operable Holiday Express consist on site as well.

So is this the same piece of property they had previous drawn rendering of, or a new location? I know the old one was next to OMSI, but this almost sounds like it's a new location. "Larger" definitely sounds better.

What will this building look like? Will it be a fully equipped shop with overhead crane, machine tools and work space to maintain the locomotives? Will those activities prove to be less than welcome next to a science center?

Anything active and interactive and experiential should be in the very welcome category. Applied science is also science, and the kind we put to use everyday.

dave

"Next to the Science Center" is a relative term. I would say "nearby" would be a better description. The Science Center is surrounded by large parking lots.

They're also directly adjacent to Interstate 5 and also the UP mainline. The whole area is an industrial area.

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v ... &encType=1

Between the freeway noise, UP trains and the general industrial area, I don't think anyone is going to be saying "Hey Doyle, could you keep it down with that lathe!?!"

So looking at some photos I see a ALCO PA, F40PH, SP&S FA2, RSD5, and a SDP40F just to name a few locomotives never mind the rolling stock. Moving equipment isn't cheap and the UP isn't known as the nicest railroad in town. Hope we don't end up with these units getting the torch.

UP has been very accomodating for this group, and the new home isn't far from the old one, even by rail miles. I don't expect they'll have any problems they can't overcome...

My point is that the new home is for the steamers only so what will be done with everything else.