Portland, Oregon, in 1981, with UP 3203 and SP&S 700 still there:

http://craigsrailroadpages.com/ptc/images/oakspark.jpg

I can't comment too much on the photo and I know nothing about Mr. Bass but I can guarantee the photo wasn't taken in August. Those trees would be full of green leaves and most likely there would be sunshine - yes even in Oregon.

The 700 was pulled out in 1990 or so; the 3203 in 1996.

Scott

Isn't it somewhat of a rarity to have two steam locomotives in a park together?

What's the history behind them both ending up there?

Kelly Lynch

Kelly:

At one time there were three as the SP 4449 was here as well. Oaks Park was at one time an "amusement park" in the grand tradition and there were evidently plans to establish a railroad museum area in the park.

The plans fell through and the three locomotives sat there on a hill somewhat above the rest of the park. Then one by one they were removed for restoration. The 3206 is still a work in progress but the other two are legendary ambassadors for the City of Portland.

Historians on this site can no doubt provide more detail.

Scott

Kelly:

I meant to include this link. See the newsletter.

Scott

http://www.orhf.org

Oaks park was even more rail oriented. It was originally built by the company that ran the streetcars, to increase the otherwise low ridership on weekends and use the power generated for the system to run the park at a profit.

Jack Anderson and I visited there in about 1974, and went through the deteriorating fence and brambles. We climbed up into the cab of 4449 and thought, as decrepid as it looked, that it would be declared an eyesore and danger, and soon scrapped. We no more than got home, when it was announced that it was being removed for restoration and Freedom Train fame!

Thanks, Scott. I'd forgotten the '49 was in that very same park prior to removal and hadn't known it was an amusement park either.

Of course, with lthe ocomotives either operational or under restoration, they beat any amusement ride anyplace!

I'll be in Portland next week and have made arrangements to see these ambassadors in person for the first time...especially that Lima baby ;)

KL

A 5' gauge Finnish 2-8-0 was also there. This is now in Junction City, OR under a nice shelter. This was a "sister city" donation.

In 1958 it was in the press that a 4-6-6-4 had been donated, but alas it didn't come to be. A Northern Pacific Terminal 0-6-0 was also to be donated, IIRC, was repainted and kept in the Roundhouse until it was scrapped.

For what ever reason, a Willamette was never donated to the Oaks Park location. A Willamette was donated to OMSI, the former Mt Emily #3, IIRC, but when the scrappers when to the logging camp they thought the #1 was the locomotive that was to be saved. The #1 is a Shay. This locomotive is the one that later went to Cass and is now operated on the City of Prineville RR.

www.orhf.org

Smokebox

Talk about a treasure house! It's truely remarkable that such a large grouping of static "stuff and mounts" could meet with the exceptional fate of restoration to service, and with some popular acclaim. What a shame to lose the Challenger and the switcher, but one might consider, if they had been donated to that park, the overwhelming needs might have brought about a sweeping "clean up the park" move, and caused them all to be scrapped onsite.

Was this to have been a Northern Pacific or a SP&S 4-6-6-4? Either way, it's a shame that it never happened.

Les

I once read a story in Trains (can't remember the issue, it was in the early '90s) about 4449 that an elderly gentalman (who was a retired railroader) regularly went to the park and greased the rods in all three engines. This was later a deciding factor in it getting chosen for the SFT in 1974 because the bearings were in better shape than the other engines under consideration. Sadly, I guess he died before the 4449 ran.

The 700 was pulled out in 1987, 20 years ago. I remember well as I helped with the move including much work on the switch and connecting spur. Ah, yes: when my back was strong.

The newspaper clipping I saw didn't mention the railroad, it just made a big deal about the 4-6-6-4. It could've been UP, NP, or SP&S.

I'm sure someone out there has more info than I do.

Smokebox

The gentleman's name was Jack Holst. He was not that elderly from what I understand. Cancer took him much too soon. From what I read he died in 1972, just three years before 4449 was returned to steam.

Just curious, what kind of shape were these locomotives in at the time of removal? I'm thinking about rust, vandalism, and the typical issues that plague park locomotives.