Trains in Liberal, Oregon, in September, 1998

On our way to visit the Pacific Northwest Live Steamers' Shady Dell Train Park in Molalla, Oregon, in September 1998, my dad and I stopped in nearby Liberal, Oregon, to photograph some locomotives on the Molalla Division of Dick Samuels' Oregon Pacific Railroad. My dad's pictures came out underexposed, but I am including them anyway.

 

Locomotive #602 is an 800-horsepower SW8, built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1952 as Bamberger Railroad #602. After the Bamberger shut down it was sold to the Yreka Western in 1958. It was transferred in 1978 to the Oregon Pacific & Eastern, which was under the same ownership as the Yreka Western.

Photo by Cliff West

The locomotive was purchased by Dick Samuels after the Oregon Pacific & Eastern shut down in 1994. It may have been intended to be painted in Oregon Pacific colors as #802, but that never happened and #602 still wore its OP&E paint and herald on the cab.

Locomotive #803, "Spirit of Canby," is an SW8 built by EMD in March 1953 as Texas & New Orleans (a Southern Pacific subsidiary) #13. In the systemwide renumbering of 1965, it became Southern Pacific #1105. 

Photo by Cliff West

Southern Pacific retired the locomotive on February 7, 1983, and sold it to Chrome Crankshaft on November 28, 1984. It was resold to Northern Railway Services in April 1987, and was assigned #80. In January 1989, it was sold to the Lewis & Clark Railway as #80. It was purchased by Dick Samuels in August 1995.

Photo by Cliff West

This locomotive was briefly numbered East Portland Traction Company #802, but was given #803 when painted in Oregon Pacific colors.

Photo by Cliff West

Here is a view of the two locomotives together, with the RSG Forest Products mill in the background.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #803

Oregon Pacific SW8 #803 in Liberal in September 1998

Locomotive #803, "Spirit of Canby," is an SW8 built by EMD in March 1953 as Texas & New Orleans (a Southern Pacific subsidiary) #13.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #803 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

It was later renumbered to Southern Pacific #1105.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #803 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

It was sold to the Lewis & Clark Railway as #80 and was purchased by Dick Samuels in 1996.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #803 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

This locomotive may have briefly been numbered #802, but was given #803 when painted in Oregon Pacific colors. This may have led to some confusion with the current #802.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #803 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

#803 was assigned to the Molalla division and as of 2007 appeared to be a backup locomotive. As such, it could usually be found in Liberal.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #803 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

In 2010 the locomotive was sold to Western Rail (WRIX) along with ex-OP&E #602 in order to acquire GMD-1 #1413.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #803 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

Historical Photos:
SP #1105 in San Jose, CA in 1980 (Espee Modelers Home Page)
"EPTC #802" in Milwaukie in February 1996 (Western Rails). The number on the locomotive is not readable in this photograph. It could be numbered #802 or the picture could be mislabeled. In either case, this would appear to be the locomotive that is the current #803. It is a former LINC locomotive that must be #80, as explained below.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #803 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

A note about locomotives #802 and #803: There is a lot of confusion among online roster sources about these two SW8 locomotives and which was LINC #80 and which was LINC/LMLX #81. Some even list #802 and #803 as the same locomotive, with #802 being renumbered to #803. The current #803 may have been briefly numbered as #802 when first acquired, years before the current #802 was purchased. The current #802 and #803 are definitely not the same locomotive, as I have seen them sitting side by side. Also, #802 has a dynamic brake housing while #803 does not. The current #802 is definitely the former LINC/LMLX #81, as the remains of the old number can be seen wearing through on one side of the cab. Roster sources are fairly consistent in saying that #803 was formerly Southern Pacific #1105, originally T&NO #13, and that it came from the Lewis & Clark Railway, and its appearance is consistent with that. LINC had four SW8s, #80-83; #81, #82 and #83 all had dynamic brake housings, and are all accounted for (#82 & #83 are still on the former Lewis & Clark line), leaving #80 to be the only possibility for #803.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #803 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

Continue to Oregon Pacific SW900 #901…

East Portland Traction Company SW8 #802

SW8 #802 in Canby on May 11, 2007

Locomotive #802 is a dynamic-brake-equipped SW8 built by EMD in January 1954 as Southern Pacific #4622.

SW8 #802 in Canby on May 11, 2007

It was renumbered to #1127 after 1965.

SW8 #802 in Canby on May 11, 2007

It was sold to become Lewis & Clark Railway (LINC) #81 in 1984.

SW8 #802 in Canby on May 11, 2007

The locomotive was sold to Livingston Mountain Locomotive Works (LMLX) in 2003 and the LINC leased it back.

Former owner info on SW8 #802 in Canby on May 11, 2007

It was purchased by Dick Samuels in 2004.

Old number showing on SW8 #802 in Canby on May 11, 2007

It still wears the remains of the Lewis & Clark Railway's Northern Pacific-inspired paint scheme.

NP-inspired Monad on SW8 #802 in Canby on May 11, 2007

It was initially assigned to the East Portland Branch, but by 2007 was transferred to the Molalla Branch where it became the primary locomotive, and could be found in either Liberal or Canby.

SW8 #802 in Canby on May 11, 2007

With the newly acquired SW900 #901 assigned to the Molalla Branch in 2008, and SW8 #801 restored to regular  service, #802 was moved to the Milwaukie shops in 2010 for eventual restoration to its Southern Pacific colors.

SW8 #802 in Canby on May 11, 2007

Historical Photos:
SP #1127 in Santa Clara, CA in 1980 (Espee Modelers Home Page)
LINC #81 in February, 2002 (Wikipedia)
LMLX #81, Battleground, WA, Oct. 2003 (Western Shortline Rosters)

SW8 #802 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

SW8 #802 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

SW8 #802 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

SW8 #802 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

SW8 #802 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

Continue to Oregon Pacific SW8 #803…

Oregon Pacific SW8 #801

Oregon Pacific SW8 #801 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

Locomotive #801 is an SW8 built by EMD in June 1951 as Great Northern #99.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #801 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

It became Burlington Northern #99 after 1970.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #801 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

It was retired in April 1982 and was sold to General Metals in May.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #801 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

In January 1984 it was sold to Pacific Transportation Services as #81.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #801 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

It was later sold to the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #801 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

It was purchased from Pete Replinger by Dick Samuels in 1993 and repainted as Mollala Western #801, in a paint scheme similar to the one it now wears.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #801 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

When repainted for Oregon Pacific it was named "Myron A. Satrum."

Oregon Pacific SW8 #801 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

It is assigned to the Molalla branch and can be found in Liberal, where as of 2007 it appeared to be stored.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #801 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

In 2009 the engine was rebuilt and #801 returned to regular service on the Molalla branch, allowing #802 to be moved to the Milwaukie shops for restoration in 2010.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #801 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

In 2013, #801 was taken out of service to have its engine replaced with the engine that was removed from scrapped NW5 #187.

Oregon Pacific SW8 #801 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

Historical Photos:
BN #99 in Portland, OR in July 1979 (Fallen Flag Railroad Photos)
BN #99 in April 1982 (Fallen Flag Railroad Photos)

Oregon Pacific SW8 #801 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

Continue to East Portland Traction Company SW8 #802…

Ex-Oregon Pacific & Eastern SW8 #602

SW8 #602 in Liberal in September 1998

Locomotive #602 is an 800-horsepower SW8, built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1952 as Bamberger Railroad #602.

SW8 #602 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

After the Bamberger shut down it was sold to the Yreka Western in 1958.

SW8 #602 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

It was transferred in 1978 to the Oregon Pacific & Eastern, which was under the same ownership as the Yreka Western.

Oregon Pacific & Eastern lettering on SW8 #602, July 19, 2007

It was purchased by Dick Samuels after the Oregon Pacific & Eastern shut down in 1994.

SW8 #602 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

It may have been intended to be painted in Molalla Western/Oregon Pacific colors as #802, but that never happened and eventually another locomotive was acquired and given that number.

SW8 #602 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

#602 still wears its OP&E paint and herald on the cab and appears to have been cannibalized for parts for the other SW8s on the Molalla branch.

Oregon Pacific & Eastern lettering on SW8 #602, July 19, 2007

Old Oregon Pacific & Eastern herald on SW8 #602, July 19, 2007

It was stored in Liberal, Oregon until 2010, when it and SW8 #803 were sold to Western Rail (WRIX) in order to acquire GMD-1 #1413.

SW8 #602 in Liberal on July 19, 2007

Historical Photos:
Yreka Western #602, Montague, CA, Aug. 1963 (Western Rails)
OP&E #602 in August 1986 (Western Rails)

Continue to Oregon Pacific SW8 #801…