Re: SP restricted branches in Oregon
Author: SP5103
Date: 09-09-2013 - 10:43
SP light rail restricted branches in Oregon, based on 1946 timetable and SP of Oregon book. Since the 1946 timetable shows them restricted to TW and smaller engines, presumably due to light rail (60#) or restricted bridges, it would be assumed that the lines would either be upgraded, abandoned or have GE 70 tons assigned to them.
Woodburn to Springfield branch* - 93 miles
Mill City Branch - Shelburn to Idanha* - 45 miles
*Trains 731/732 work Albany-Tallman-Lebanon-Shelburn-Mill City and back (50 miles one way)
*Albany to Lebanon not restricted to small engines.
Restricted between Springfield and Coburg due to Armitage Bridge.
Load limit 169,000 pounds: Springfield-Tallman; Lebanon-Geer; Shelburn-Idanha
Photos show single/triple GE 70 tons at Albany, Shelburn, West Scio, Lebanon and Lyons
Springfield-Wilkins abandoned 1976; Wilkins-Tallman abandoned 1985 (used light SD9s)
Idanha-Gates abandoned 1952; Gates-Mill City abandoned early 1970s
Wendling Branch - Mohawk Jct. to Wendling - 16 miles
Load limit 169,000 pounds
Hendricks to end of line sold to WTCo in 1961
Line abandoned 1987.
Line never upgraded. GE 70 tons used, restricted by Hayden Bridge
Toledo Branch - (Albany to Corvallis) Corvallis to Toledo - 75 miles
Load limit 169,000 pounds
Book says 1948 Baldwin DRS-6-4-1500s 5200-5202 replaced 4-8-0s; late 50s to AZ replaced by SD9s
When was line upgraded?
Baldwins 130-133 tons on 6 axles vs. SD7s/light SD9s at 169 tons on six axles
Mollala branch - Canby to Mollala - 10 miles (Attn: Shortline Sammie)
Load limit 169,000 pounds
Were GE 70 tons used out of Brooklyn? When was line upgraded?
Coos Bay Sub - (Eugene to Myrtle Point) Myrtle Point to Powers - 19 miles
Load limit - 169,000 pounds
Coos Bay Lumber 9 & 10 (2-8-2T) allowed between Myrtle Point and Coos Bay
Coos Bay Lumber 11 & 12 (2-8-2T) prohibited between Myrtle Point and Coos Bay
GE 70 tons single or double used until abandoned 1970
Myrtle to Powers owned by Coos Bay Lumber but SP had trackage rights and controlled operations?
(Coos Bay 11 and SP 5119 are both now at PSRM, Campo, CA though there isn't yet any evidence 5119 worked in Oregon for SP prior to its sale to WCTU.)
Other than the SD&AE until 1968 and trains 381/382 "Gila Tomahawk" in Arizona until late 1953, and one on the NWP for a while, I don't know of any obvious long term assignments of GE 70 tons outside Oregon, though the number of engines assigned suggests there should have been. There were many branches limited to 220,000 pounds (almost any four axle engine could work these), and I recall some SP/PE in the LA area were 169,000 until abandoned. Other possibility is they were used due to light traffic or sharp curves.