OR&N 197
Encyclopedia
Oregon Railroad & Navigation Co. 197 is a 4-6-2
Pacific type steam locomotive
built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works
in 1905.
, a subsidiary to the Union Pacific Railroad
in Oregon. It arrived from the builders just in time to celebrate the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. It continued to serve for Portland, Oregon
, when in 1923, it was given heavy modifications, a new vanderbuilt type tender, and renumbered 3203; at that time it was owned by Union Pacific. The Union Pacific used the locomotive until its retirement sometime in the 1950s, when UP donated the locomotive to the City of Portland, Oregon. It was placed on display near Oaks Parks Amusements, where it was soon joined by the larger and more powerful 4-8-4
type locomotives Southern Pacific 4449
and Spokane, Portland and Seattle 700
.
which would travel across the country during the United States Bicentennial
. In 1990, SP&S 700 left the park to begin a restoration of its own, leaving the 197 the last engine in the park.
Due to a parking lot expansion, the 197 was moved a short distance from her original 1950's resting place at Oaks Park. Otherwise she sat almost forgotten until late 1995, when a small group of individuals banded together to consider returning her to operation.
It took several months of negotiations and several more months of mechanical work to prepare the engine for movement, but by early February 1996 she was almost ready to move for the first time in nearly 40 years. On February 10, 1996, she was finally removed from Oaks Park. It was then moved to the Brooklyn Roundhouse where it once again joined SP 4449 and SP&S 700 to begin restoration. The day just happened to coencide with the height of severe flooding in the Portland area after a series of winter storms. The Willamette River was lapping at the embankment where the engine sat. The East Portland Traction Co. (now Oregon Pacific), owner of the nearby railroad right of way had to clear several mudslides the preceding day, but the engine was moved without incident. The 197 was taken to the Southern Pacific (now Union Pacific) Brooklyn Roundhouse in southeast Portland where she once again sat alongside the SP 4449 and SP&S 700
As of 2008, the restoration is about half complete and is expected to be completed by 2012. It is being restored by the all-volunteer "Friends of the OR&N 197".
Recent Updates:
The most recent restoration accomplishments on the 197 are:
Much work has been completed on the tender and plans for boiler work are already being discussed.
are committed to building a permanent home and restoration facility for Portland's three steam locomotives.
4-6-2
4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
Pacific type steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
in 1905.
History
OR&N 197 was built in 1905 for pulling passenger trains on E.H. Harriman's Oregon Railroad and Navigation CompanyOregon Railroad and Navigation Company
The Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company was a railroad that operated a rail network of of track running east from Portland, Oregon, United States to northeastern Oregon, northeastern Washington, and northern Idaho...
, a subsidiary to the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
in Oregon. It arrived from the builders just in time to celebrate the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. It continued to serve for Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, when in 1923, it was given heavy modifications, a new vanderbuilt type tender, and renumbered 3203; at that time it was owned by Union Pacific. The Union Pacific used the locomotive until its retirement sometime in the 1950s, when UP donated the locomotive to the City of Portland, Oregon. It was placed on display near Oaks Parks Amusements, where it was soon joined by the larger and more powerful 4-8-4
4-8-4
Under the Whyte notation classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-4 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles .Other equivalent classifications are:UIC classification: 2D2...
type locomotives Southern Pacific 4449
Southern Pacific 4449
Southern Pacific 4449 is the only surviving example of Southern Pacific Railroad's GS-4 class of steam locomotives. The GS-4 is a streamlined 4-8-4 type steam locomotive...
and Spokane, Portland and Seattle 700
Spokane, Portland and Seattle 700
Spokane, Portland & Seattle 700 is the only surviving example of their E-1 class 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotive. Nearly identical to the A-3 class Northerns built for Northern Pacific Railway, but burning oil instead of coal....
.
Restoration
In 1975, the SP 4449 was pulled out of the park to be restored to pull the American Freedom TrainAmerican Freedom Train
The United States has seen two national 'Freedom Trains'. The 1947–1949 Freedom Train was a special exhibit train that toured the United States in the later half of the 1940s. A similar train called the American Freedom Train toured the country for the United States Bicentennial celebration in...
which would travel across the country during the United States Bicentennial
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...
. In 1990, SP&S 700 left the park to begin a restoration of its own, leaving the 197 the last engine in the park.
Due to a parking lot expansion, the 197 was moved a short distance from her original 1950's resting place at Oaks Park. Otherwise she sat almost forgotten until late 1995, when a small group of individuals banded together to consider returning her to operation.
It took several months of negotiations and several more months of mechanical work to prepare the engine for movement, but by early February 1996 she was almost ready to move for the first time in nearly 40 years. On February 10, 1996, she was finally removed from Oaks Park. It was then moved to the Brooklyn Roundhouse where it once again joined SP 4449 and SP&S 700 to begin restoration. The day just happened to coencide with the height of severe flooding in the Portland area after a series of winter storms. The Willamette River was lapping at the embankment where the engine sat. The East Portland Traction Co. (now Oregon Pacific), owner of the nearby railroad right of way had to clear several mudslides the preceding day, but the engine was moved without incident. The 197 was taken to the Southern Pacific (now Union Pacific) Brooklyn Roundhouse in southeast Portland where she once again sat alongside the SP 4449 and SP&S 700
As of 2008, the restoration is about half complete and is expected to be completed by 2012. It is being restored by the all-volunteer "Friends of the OR&N 197".
Recent Updates:
The most recent restoration accomplishments on the 197 are:
- fabrication of new cab
- new fuel tank enclosure
- painted the drivers
- installation of the side rods
Much work has been completed on the tender and plans for boiler work are already being discussed.
Disposition
OR&N 197 and Portland's other two steam locomotives are stored in the last remaining roundhouse in Portland which is located in an active Union Pacific freight yard. Despite being in a crumbling building and prone to damage and theft, plans call for the freight yard in Portland to be expanded to make way for increasing intermodal traffic. This means the roundhouse, turntable and nearby facilities would have to be torn down. Of the three steam locomotives in the roundhouse, the 197 is in the most danger because it is halfway through restoration and half taken apart. The volunteers of the Oregon Rail Heritage FoundationOregon Rail Heritage Foundation
The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation is a registered non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Composed of several all-volunteer groups dedicated to maintaining vintage railroad equipment, the ORHF is committed "to secure a permanent home for the City of Portland’s steam...
are committed to building a permanent home and restoration facility for Portland's three steam locomotives.