Saturday, February 18, 2012

Auxiliary Locomotives of the Pacific Northwest

Steam Dummy Albany c.1900
Steam dummy pulling a horsedrawn streetcar in Albany, Oregon, circa 1900.
The horsedrawn car of the 1890s was replaced with a steam dummy (pulling the same car) about the turn of the century. Then progress brought the small steam engine pulling one railroad passenger car. And this was followed by an electric car. 
Culp, Edwin. Stations West, the Story of the Oregon Railways (1972). p. 226.
Steam dummys are awesome because they are tantamount to homebrew steam locomotive-powered trolleys - no two look alike. This is in Albany. Note the dirt roads. Operators and/or patrons look a bit rough and tumble.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Auxiliary Locomotives of the Pacific Northwest

Railcar Milton Creek to Nehalem Valley 1916

A short line railroad built from Milton Creek on Scappoose bay along the Columbia River south to the Nehalem valley, penetrating one of the finest forest regions of the coastal region. Pasenger service was used here to reach some of these remote areas. This photograph was taken about 1915.
Culp, Edwin. Stations West, the Story of the Oregon Railways (1972), p.249.

Gorgeous railcar out of Scappoose, Oregon. The fella on the left appears to be a guard or something, judging by his danger flag there.