Historic Hood River
MHRR #36
12-1-2020
Notes
Here’s locomotive #36 of the Mt. Hood Railroad. We have a series of photographs including locomotive #1, #16, and #36 which appear to be from the 1940s. I’m surprised to see such a large locomotive for the MHRR, but I’m sure Arlen and company will fill us in on the details.
nails
From that little pony in Cascade Locks to this behemoth in how many years?
American ingenuity.
L.E.
When I opened this up I thought, "boy, that’s a behemoth!". I see nails used the same descriptive word.
Did it pull heavy loads of logs?
ArthurB
I think this is about 80 years ago, and the Oregon Pony was another 80 years behind that.
nails
So many fascinating things on that huge locomotive. Wish Arlen would check in to explain some of that rolling power machine.
ArthurB
Turns out there is a great story behind this "behemoth". Arlen sent me this research:
information from UtahRails.net….pretty reliable information source..as are.both noted sources below.
Original purchase from Baldwin Locomotive Works 4/1911 by OWRR&N (UP) as 2136. It is a 2-8-2 configuration; weight 208,450 lbs. Sold to MHRR 5/1951.
Sold to Zidell Machinery Company for scrap in July 1954 (Switchback to the Timber, by Clem Pope).
"The engine weighed almost twice as much as the little engine it was to replace. The purchase was a fiasco. The monster sat in the Hood River yard for seven years until it was sold for scrap." Switchback to the Timber.
"Mt. Hood never really put #36 into operation. The engine was too big for the line and laid over rail each time they tried to take her out of Hood River. the engine never even made a successful trip up to the switchback. She sat in the yards in Hood River for a number of years and was scrapped about 1951." Martin E. Hansen, Trainorders.com posting 8/7/2014.
In other words, this is a great picture of a MHRR whoops.
Nellie
So sad that it wasn’t just put on display somewhere.
Arlen L Sheldrake
Nellie…..thousands of these work horses went to the scrapper….a very small percentage are still with us today on display and an even very smaller percentage are operational….communities with steam locos on display struggle to keep them maintained….the 1727 in Dunsmuir is an example. We can all help maintain the operating steam locomotives by buying a ticket(s) and then thanking those that have or develop the talent to operate and maintain them (not a skill I have). Organizations like the World Forestry Center here in Portland need to be reminded that their preservation of steam locomotive use in the logging industry is appreciated….along with the Oregon Zoo, etc. We can’t save it all but we sure need to save some of our history!
And thanks Arthur…this posting helps.