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| Sumpter Valley water tank https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4242 |
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| Author: | L Beckman [ Thu Oct 24, 2002 11:24 am ] |
| Post subject: | Sumpter Valley water tank |
There is a photo in Ron Brinton's new BRIEF showing Heisler #3 approaching a water tank. Is this an authentic SV water tank? Or is it a reproduction of an authentic SV tank? Thanks! midlandblb@cs.com |
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| Author: | J.B.Bane [ Thu Oct 24, 2002 4:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sumpter Valley water tank |
> There is a photo in Ron Brinton's new BRIEF > showing Heisler #3 approaching a water tank. > Is this an authentic SV water tank? Or is it > a reproduction of an authentic SV tank? > Thanks! Answer: Yes and No. Smart answer: Of course it's a SVRy water tower because we are using it. I believe this water tower came from Bates, which was a company town and sawmill on line of the old SVRy. The Ore. Lbr. Co. had a logging mainline from this location that went down the middle fork of the John Day R. The tank may have been used by SVRy engines at Bates, but my impression is that it was for the logging line. I believe it had the lower timber structure rebuilt about 6 yrs. ago. We have a similar tank structure that is to be rebuilt and installed at Sumpter in conjuction with the new depot. jamesbane@hotmail.com |
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| Author: | Casey Carlson [ Thu Oct 24, 2002 7:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sumpter Valley water tank |
I've been told by a very reliable source that the tank in Sumpter was on top of Dixie and later on the O.L.C. Middlefork line. So at least with that one there isn't as much uncertainty as with the one in McEwen. kendepot@att.net |
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| Author: | dan [ Thu Oct 24, 2002 7:55 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sumpter Valley water tank |
> I've been told by a very reliable source > that the tank in Sumpter was on top of Dixie > and later on the O.L.C. Middlefork line. So > at least with that one there isn't as much > uncertainty as with the one in McEwen. We are discussing right now what to do with the water tower at Sumpter. It will eventually be placed directly across from the new depot. Assuming it will someday be functional (or maybe it won't?), folks can watch as we water up while loading passengers (here again this is a maybe). I think we will be able to move it (it is now in two pieces) across Austin St., and after clearing some trees, park the pieces across from the Depot. The water tower in Sumpter has to be moved because we will begin building up and compacting the ROW from current end of track to Austin St., and it is in the path of the ROW construction. Hopefully this will begin next week. I want us to get some compacting done before things stay frozen 24hr per day. The goal here is to have the line extended to Austin St. in time for the Depot opening. Depot completion is scheduled for May 1, 2003. We WILL NOT cross Austin St. I want to emphasize this in case ODOT Rail Division is listening. dan svry@attbi.com |
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| Author: | L Beckman [ Thu Oct 24, 2002 9:20 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sumpter Valley water tank...thanks! |
> We are discussing right now what to do with > the water tower at Sumpter. It will > eventually be placed directly across from > the new depot. Assuming it will someday be > functional (or maybe it won't?), folks can > watch as we water up while loading > passengers (here again this is a maybe). I > think we will be able to move it (it is now > in two pieces) across Austin St., and after > clearing some trees, park the pieces across > from the Depot. > The water tower in Sumpter has to be moved > because we will begin building up and > compacting the ROW from current end of track > to Austin St., and it is in the path of the > ROW construction. Hopefully this will begin > next week. I want us to get some compacting > done before things stay frozen 24hr per day. > The goal here is to have the line extended > to Austin St. in time for the Depot opening. > Depot completion is scheduled for May 1, > 2003. > We WILL NOT cross Austin St. I want to > emphasize this in case ODOT Rail Division is > listening. > dan Gentlemen: Thanks for the information! midlandblb@cs.com |
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| Author: | James Hefner [ Fri Oct 25, 2002 12:45 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sumpter Valley water tank |
Just wondering, how is the tank filled now, and how was it filled in the past? Did they ever use a steam pump? -James Hefner Hebrews 10:20a > We are discussing right now what to do with > the water tower at Sumpter. It will > eventually be placed directly across from > the new depot. Assuming it will someday be > functional (or maybe it won't?), folks can > watch as we water up while loading > passengers (here again this is a maybe). I > think we will be able to move it (it is now > in two pieces) across Austin St., and after > clearing some trees, park the pieces across > from the Depot. > The water tower in Sumpter has to be moved > because we will begin building up and > compacting the ROW from current end of track > to Austin St., and it is in the path of the > ROW construction. Hopefully this will begin > next week. I want us to get some compacting > done before things stay frozen 24hr per day. > The goal here is to have the line extended > to Austin St. in time for the Depot opening. > Depot completion is scheduled for May 1, > 2003. > We WILL NOT cross Austin St. I want to > emphasize this in case ODOT Rail Division is > listening. > dan Surviving World Steam Locomotives james1@pernet.net |
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| Author: | Taylor Rush [ Fri Oct 25, 2002 2:03 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sumpter Valley water tank |
James, Curently the tank is filled with a little Honda gasoline pump that pulls water from a nearby dredge pond. The set up works pretty well when the pump feels like cooperating. As to how the tank was origionally filled, I'm not really sure. There is a photograph of when it was in use in Bates, but I have never looked closely to see if there are any clues to the water source. I'll do some investigation and let you know what I find, if anything. Sumpter Valley Railway thrush@smt-net.com |
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| Author: | Taylor Rush [ Fri Oct 25, 2002 2:45 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sumpter Valley water tank |
The history of our water tank is cloudy at best, but I'll try and fill everyone in on what I've been able to piece together. The tower actually didn't come from the Sumpter Valley Railway, but from the Oregon Lumber Company. A dead give-away is its distinctive shape. All the "newer" Sumpter Valley tanks were built as octagons, while the OLC and many other logging lines favored a square housing with peaked roof. The Sumpter Valley tanks were also traditionally much larger than those of the logging railroads due to the larger engines used, simple. The tower in McEwen follows this formula, but is a giant among the sqaure tanks I've seen in the woods. The reason for this is that this tower was not built for logging use, but for mainline service. Around 1920, the Oregon Lumber Company was building an extension out of Bates along the John Day river with a projected length of around twenty miles. The idea behind the line was that branches would radiate from it, and the small geared engines would bring the trains down to the main where they would be turned over to large road engines for the trip to the mill, pretty basic idea. Mikado locomotive numbers 101 and 102, later the 19 and 20, were ordered from Alco in 1920 as the road engines for the line, and since they were far larger than any other engines the OLC had, larger than average water towers were needed. In the end, the extension didn't work out as planned, and the 19 and 20 went into service on the OLC owned Sumpter Valley Railway and probably never turned a wheel on the line out of Bates. Consequently our tank was used in the mill yards at Bates, oddly without it's housing for many years, and served until the end of operations. It's doubtful the Sumpter Valley used this tower often since only two miles away in Austin was a standard 8000 gallon octagon tank. But anyway, even though, our water tower was not officially built for the Sumpter Valley, it is still considered a Sumpter Valley tank due to its corporate lineage and service on the rebuilt line. It's kinda ironic when you think about it, it took nearly 80 years to finally play the roll it was origionally built for, filling the tenders of the 19 and 20. Thanks For Your Interest, Taylor Sumpter Valley Railway thrush@smt-net.com |
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| Author: | Taylor Rush [ Fri Oct 25, 2002 2:47 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sumpter Valley water tank |
Dan, I hope the tree clearing can be kept to a minimum, this is the first time we've ever actually had a chance at some greenery around a depot, save all we can! Talk to You Soon, Taylor Sumpter Valley Railway thrush@smt-net.com |
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| Author: | Chris Coleman [ Fri Oct 25, 2002 8:53 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sumpter Valley water tank *PIC* |
Are there any octagonal tanks or other SV mainline tanks left? Is the current SV considering retreiving any of the square tanks 'in the woods' for future use on line extentions, or even just to save them? You guys do a grea job out there. The East Broad Top Railroad Homepage  ebtrr@spikesys.com |
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| Author: | J.B.Bane [ Fri Oct 25, 2002 11:28 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sumpter Valley water tank |
> Are there any octagonal tanks or other SV > mainline tanks left? Is the current SV > considering retreiving any of the square > tanks 'in the woods' for future use on line > extentions, or even just to save them? > You guys do a grea job out there. To correct a minor glitch in Taylor's post, the OLC did build 20 miles or so of mainline down the middle fk. I had heard that 19 or 20 were occasionaly used on it, but this could be false. There is some tank remains at Carrol. The timbered tank base and platform along with the frost box and feed line comming down from a spring are still there. Nothing remains of the tank itself or the oct. structure around it. I assume it was salvaged years ago. The only other remains of SVRy tanks are concrete peirs at Mason and Crawford Crk. There are a couple other tank sites I've not been to, but have been told by others nothing remains. jamesbane@hotmail.com |
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