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Oregon Railroad and Navigation No. 197

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Oregon Railroad and Navigation No. 197 (then Union Pacific No. 3203) is a 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotive that was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in May 1905, for the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company (OR&N) (and later transferred to the Union Pacific Railroad).

History[]

Beginning[]

Built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in May 1905, No. 197 was designed for pulling passenger trains on E.H. Harriman's Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company, a later subsidiary to the Union Pacific Railroad, in Oregon. It ran in service even into the days of Union Pacific and was renumbered as Union Pacific No. 3203, until it was retired in January 1958.

Retirement[]

The Union Pacific Railroad had donated No. 197 to the City of Portland. Where it was placed on display near Oaks Amusement Park on land the city purchased for a future transportation museum, then named "Oaks Pioneer Park", where it was soon joined by two examples of the larger and more powerful 4-8-4 "Northern" type locomotives, those two being Southern Pacific No. 4449 and Spokane, Portland and Seattle No. 700 as well as some other historic railroad and interurban equipment.

It had sat almost forgotten by the public until late 1995, when a small group of individuals banded together to consider restoring the locomotive back to operational condition.

Restoration[]

It took months of negotiations and mechanical work to prepare the engine for movement, but by early February 1996, No. 197 was almost ready to move for the first time in nearly 40 years. On February 10, 1996, it was finally removed from Oaks Pioneer Park (now called Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge) and it was then moved to the Southern Pacific (now Union Pacific) Brooklyn Roundhouse, where it once again met up with two fellow engines from Oaks Park, those two being Southern Pacific No. 4449 and Spokane, Portland & Seattle No. 700 to begin restoration.

That day just happened to coincide with the height of severe flooding issues in the Portland area after a series of winter storms had slammed into the Portland area. The Willamette River was lapping at the embankment where the engine sat. The East Portland Traction Co. (now Oregon Pacific Railroad), owner of the nearby railroad right-of-way, had to clear away several mudslides the following day, but the engine was moved without any incident.

In 2008, the restoration was about half complete and was expected to be completed as volunteers and funds are available. It was being carried out by the non-profit all-volunteer group called the "Friends of the OR&N 197".

Present Day[]

As of 2023, OR&N 197 is still in the Oregon Rail Heritage Center (ORHC), being restored to operating condition by volunteers.

In Films[]

  • While No. 197 was in Oaks Amusement Park, it was seen in the 1993 film "Free Willy".

Gallery[]

Locomotives of the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation
Owned: SP #4449 • SP&S #700 • OR&N #197
Visited: PLCo No. 2
Preserved Union Pacific Locomotives
UP Class 700 No. 737
UP Class C-2 No. 237 • No. 264 • No. 561 • No. 616 • No. 618 • No. 6051 • No. 6237
UP Class C-57 No. 407 • No. 421 • No. 428 • No. 437 • No. 460 • No. 477 • No. 480 • No. 481 • No. 485
UP Class MK-1 No. 2005
UP Class MK-7 No. 2537
UP Class MK-9 No. 2295
UP Class MK-10 No. 2564
UP Class T-57 No. 1242 • No. 1243
UP Class P-1 No. 3206
UP Class P-2 No. 3203
UP Class TTT-6 No. 5511
UP Class S-4 No. 4420
UP Class S-5 No. 4436 • No. 4439 • No. 4442
UP Class S-6 No. 4455 • No. 4466
UP Class FEF-1 No. 814
UP Class FEF-2 No. 833
UP Class FEF-3 No. 838 • No. 844
UP Class 9000 No. 9000
UP Heavy Challengers No. 3977 • No. 3985
UP Big Boys No. 4004 • No. 4005 • No. 4006 • No. 4012 • No. 4014 • No. 4017 • No. 4018 • No. 4023
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