The Portland Traction Co. was purchased jointly by the SP/UP in 1962. Portland Traction was operated with two SW-l's #100 and #200 built in February 1952 and March of 1953. At that time PTC had the East Portland-Golf Junction-Linneman Jct/Gresham/Boring and the line from Golf Junction to Oregon City where the large paper mill was located.

SP did the bridge work as well as the crossing signals where UP did the legal and equipment maintenance. PTC ran a "day yard" which switched the many industries as far as Milwaukie, a "local freight" that went to Gresham/Boring and a "night yard" job that went to Oregon City. As such, both units were in daily use.

Whenever one of the PTC units went to Albina for maintenance the UP furnished a NW2 or SW9 which they charged the PTC for by the day which made UP in no hurry to get the PTC unit back to them.

To make a long story shorter...the bean counters at 1 Market Street decided that the UP was screwing them and the search began for a "cheaper" unit, which...you Guester Chester...was a 70 tonner!

Soon to show up on the property on February 4, 1963 was the SP 5118 on which motorman "Lloyd Baker (according notes in the operators manual that I removed from the cab) broke in to operate 8 pm to 9:15 pm by GL Higgs (Master Mechanic) and Baker operated to Oregon City 5 days".

The 5118 was not too successful on the PTC due to its 30 tons lighter weight and higher gear ratio which made it "slippery". Where the SW-1 often doubled the hill at Oak Grove the 5118 tripled.

The experiment was short lived and the 5118 sent back to the SP where 1 Market Street realized the UP rental, though more costly and more horsepower than needed, was more bang for the buck!

The SW-1's continued to serve until the late 70's when they were replaced with a single SW-1500 supplied by the SP from Brooklyn switcher pool.

SW-1 #100 survives today and sees regular service on the Oregon Pacific where it began its life over 60 years ago.

Dick Samuels