:: Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation ::

Facts about Portland's Steam Locomotives
In the 1950's several of the major railroads serving Portland donated steam locomotives to the City, with the vision of creating a transportation museum. For many years the three engines languished in obscurity at Oaks Park in Southeast Portland, exposed to the elements and receiving minimal care. Starting in 1974 all three locomotives moved to the Brooklyn Yard to be restored by volunteers at the last remaining roundhouse in Oregon.

It's been nearly 50 years these treasures have gone without a permanent home. These three engines are the most under-recognized part of Portland's cultural heritage even though they have been seen by tens of thousands of people across the country. The SP 4449 and SP&S 700 are part of the rare group of the six largest steam locomotives operating in the world today. All restoration and maintenance has been done by volunteers for over 30 years.

Oregon Railroad & Navigation #197
Built in 1905 by Baldwin Locomotive Works as a 4-6-2 "Pacific" type locomotive for the E. H. Harriman rail empire that later merged into the Union Pacific, she's 79' long and, with 200 psi boiler pressure and 76" diameter drivers, is capable of sustained speeds of 80 mph.

This treasure of the early 20th Century era of steam locomotives arrived in Portland just in time for the 1905 Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition, just 17 months before the Wright Brothers first flew at 9.8 mph, when Teddy Roosevelt was President and 3 years before Henry Ford rolled out his first Model T. She then went on to serve Portland commerce for over 50 years before retirement in the 1950s. Residing as only a display piece in Oaks Park like her sisters since 1958, in 1996 she was moved to the Brooklyn Roundhouse where she is undergoing restoration today by the all-volunteer Friends of the OR&N 197.

Spokane, Portland & Seattle #700
Built in 1938 as a 4-8-4 Northern Pacific Class A design, she is close to 111' long, 10' wide and almost 17' tall. With locomotive and tender weighing almost 440 tons and a boiler pressure of 260 psi, her 77" diameter drivers can apply 5,000 horsepower to the rails and exceed 80 mph. It's oil fired, and features design specified roller bearings throughout which was quite advanced for the era.

This beautiful example of the latter years of steam locomotive development pulled the famous Empire Builder until that train was dieselized in 1947. She continued to faithfully provide passenger service from Portland up the Columbia River Gorge to Spokane until 1954. In 1945 she was honored to pull a "special" of United Nation Delegates. One of the largest steam locomotives still operable today, she is lovingly operated and maintained by the all-volunteer Pacific Railroad Preservation Association.

Southern Pacific #4449
Built in 1941 as a 4-8-4 GS-4 "Northern" type locomotive, she is 110' long, 10' wide and 16' tall. With locomotive and tender weighing 433 tons and a boiler pressure of 300 psi, her eight 80" diameter drivers and unique firebox truck booster can apply 5,500 horsepower to the rails and exceed 100 mph. Retired to Oaks Park in 1958 for display only, in 1974 she was completely restored specifically to pull the 1976 Bicentennial Freedom Train throughout the United States to the delight of over 30 million people.

The only remaining operable "streamlined" steam locomotive of the Art Deco era, this grand Lady of the High Iron pulled Southern Pacific "Daylight" coaches from Los Angeles to San Francisco over the scenic Coast Route and then on to Portland until 1955. She is arguably one of the most beautiful locomotives ever built -- and kept that way by the all-volunteer Friends of the SP 4449.