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Western Rails - Oregon, California & Eastern

Oregon, California & Eastern




A Brief History


The OC&E extended 65 miles from Klamath Falls, OR, east to Bly. Construction began in 1922 and was completed to Bly in 1930. It was purchased jointly by the Southern Pacific and Great Northern in 1933, and operated alternately by the two roads for five year periods.

The line was sold to the Weyerhaeuser Company on January 1, 1975, and began independant operation. Weyerhaeuser had an extensive network of logging lines extending north from Sycan, about 50 miles east of Klamath Falls, and both operations were based out of Sycan, where the shops were located.

The OC&E ran its final log train to Klamath Falls on April 29, 1990. Two locomotives were kept in Klamath Falls to switch some local industries, all other equipment was stored at Sycan. On September 10, 1991, all locomotives and rolling stock were moved from Sycan to Klamath Falls, and the line was soon abandoned.

For a complete history of the OC&E, please read the file Twilight for the OC&E by Donovan Gray. This excellent article was published in CTC Board magazine, June, 1990 (Issue #167), and sent to me by Mr. Gray for use here. This is a Rich Text Format file that should be readable by most browsers by clicking on the link. You can also right-click on it and select "Save target as...". It is a pretty long article, you may want to print it and read it in a comfortable chair. Revised file posted 7/30/02.

Modeling the OC&E?


I have never had any plans to model the OC&E or any of it's equipment, but on Jan. 27, 2005, I found TWO sets of no longer available HO scale Herald King decals for the OC&E's MK TE53-1-4E'a and S3-3B slugs at The Whistle Stop in Portland, OR. (Herald King quit producing decals several years ago).

So, now I need to locate one or two Stewart U25B's to kitbash some OC&E units, though I suppose I could kitbash one of the slugs out of an Athearn U28/30/33B. I certainly can't let these decals go to waste!



Oregon, California & Eastern
Baldwin RS-12 #7908

Sycan, OR
May 12, 1980


Sheldon Perry collection 		Oregon, California & Eastern
Baldwin RS-12 #207

date & location unknown


Sheldon Perry collection 		Oregon, California & Eastern
MK TE53-1-4E #7601

Klamath Falls, OR
June 1979


Sheldon Perry collection 		Oregon, California & Eastern
MK TE53-1-4E #7603

date & location unknown


Sheldon Perry collection 		Oregon, California & Eastern
MK TE53-1-4E's #7604 and 7605

date & location unknown


Sheldon Perry collection 		Oregon, California & Eastern
MK TE53-1-4E #7605

Klamath Falls, OR
June 1982


Sheldon Perry collection 		Oregon, California & Eastern
MK S3-3B slug #7606

Sycan, OR?


Sheldon Perry collection 		Oregon, California & Eastern
MK S3-3B slug #7607

Sycan, OR?


Sheldon Perry collection 		Oregon, California & Eastern
Baldwin RS-12 #7908

Klamath Falls, OR
1981


Sheldon Perry collection 		Oregon, California & Eastern
Baldwin RS-12 #7910

Klamath Falls, OR
Sept. 1983

Photos

New! Added 7/31/02
New! Added 7/31/02
New! Added 7/31/02
New! Added 7/31/02
Great Northern Geeps
Klamath Falls Yard
Keith Ardinger photo
July? 1969

RSD-12 #2958
Sycan, OR
Keith Ardinger photo
August? 1975

Baldwins on log train
Klamath Falls, OR
Keith Ardinger photo
July 7, 1978

Baldwins on log train
Klamath Falls, OR
Keith Ardinger photo
July 7, 1978

DS-4-4-750 #101
Klamath Falls, OR
Aug. 19, 1995 		TE53-1-4E #7604
Klamath Falls, OR
Sept. 1978
Don Hall photo 		TE53-1-4E #310
Sycan, OR
Jan. 13, 1984
Jim Bryant photo 		Baldwin RS-12 #7908
Sycan, OR
Jan. 13, 1984
Jim Bryant photo
Klamath Falls, OR
Summer 1983
Jim Bryant photo 		Klamath Falls, OR
Summer 1983
Jim Bryant photo 		Klamath Falls, OR
Summer 1985
Jim Bryant photo 		Caboose #2007
Klamath Falls, OR
Summer 1985
Jim Bryant photo

Links to OC&E photos

  • "Lassen Logger's" very nice Loggers, Railroads and Pine site has a gallery of photos taken by Jim Bryant at Sycan shops on January 13, 1984. This is a very nice collection of photos, with good captioning and commentary, on a very well-done site.

  • Clint Chamberlin's North East Rails site has a very nice photo of OC&E TE53-1-4E 7605 by J. Hunt, in fresh paint and very clean. The NE Rails site has many photos of diesels on it, not all from the Northeast. A very nice site, worth a look.

  • Northwestrails.Com Klamath Falls in the Late1970's by Dan Haneckow includes numerous photos of the OC&E from 1976 through 1980. Unfortunately, this is a "thumbnails" only page, there are no links to full-size images

  • Northwestrails.Com Klamath Falls in the 1990's by Greg Brown features numerous photos of the OC&E. Including is a photo of the last loaded log train on April 29, 1990, and the final move of locomotives and rolling stock from Sycan shops to Klamath Falls on September 10, 1991.

  • I located these images of OC&E (or former OC&E) locomotives on George Elwood's wonderful Fallen Flags and Shortlines site. These photos were "lost" in the "Misc (letter)" indexes. If you enjoy these images, please visit his site, certainly one of the best resources for diesel locomotive fans on the internet. Dates and locations below are directly from George Elwood's site.

    Port of Beaumont (Texas)
    TE53-1-4E 7603 - BEAUMONT TX - 01/00/1995 - (NORM SCHULTZE Photo){Gary Stuebben Collection}
    TE53-1-4E 7603 - BEAUMONT TX - 01/00/1995 - (NORM SCHULTZE Photo){Gary Stuebben Collection}
    TE53-1-4E 7603 - BEAUMONT TX - 01/00/1995 - (NORM SCHULTZE Photo){Gary Stuebben Collection}
         Former Oregon, California & Eastern locomotives

    Oregon, California & Eastern
    RS-12 7910 - K Falls OR - 04/25/91 - {Bill Navari Collection}
         The date on this photo cannot be correct - see roster below

Locomotive Roster

No. Builder Model Serial Built Notes
101
102
104
105

Baldwin
Baldwin
Baldwin
Baldwin 		DS-4-4-750
DS-4-4-750
S-8
S-8 		    Four Baldwin switchers acquired for use on the Woods Line out of Sycan, and not considered OC&E units. See Woods Line roster (coming soon) for information on these units.
310 GE/MK TE53-1-4E 35535 8/62 Transferred from Longview, WA, operation in 1979. Remanufactured 12/75 by MK from ex-UP U25B 637. Engine destroyed from low water in 1986, retired and stripped at Sycan.
311
312
314

EMD
EMD
EMD 		GP9
GP9
GP9 		    Three ex-BN GP9's assigned to the Woods Line out of Sycan, and not considered OC&E units. See Woods Line roster (coming soon) for information on these units.
2904 Alco RS-11     Acquired in 1975, ex-SP 2904. Out of service by L/76, disposition unknown.
2950
2954
2958
2959

Alco
Alco
Alco
Alco 		RSD-12
RSD-12
RSD-12
RSD-12 		83640
83644
83838
83839 		2/61
2/61
2/61
2/61 		Acquired 3/75, ex-SP 2950, nee-7000. Sold to MK 3/76.
Acquired 3/75, ex-SP 2954, nee-7004. Sold back to SP 1/76.
Acquired 3/75, ex-SP 2958, nee-7008. Sold back to SP 1/76.
Acquired 3/75, ex-SP 2959, nee-7009. Sold back to SP 1/76.
7601 GE/MK TE53-1-4E 34537 9/62 Remanufactured 6/76 by MK from ex-UP U25B 639. Sold in 1992 to Econo-Rail, resold in 1997 to Longhorn Railway Co. (Texas), same#.
7602 GE/MK TE53-1-4E 34239 2/62 Remanufactured 7/76 by MK from ex-UP U25B 633, nee-GE Demo 2501. Sold to Econo-Rail in 1992.
7603 GE/MK TE53-1-4E 34538 9/62 Remanufactured 7/76 by MK from ex-UP U25B 640. Sold to Econo-Rail (Texas) in 1992. Was assigned to Port of Beaumont, TX, 1/95 - see notes.
7604 GE/MK TE53-1-4E 34228 8/61 Remanufactured 9/76 by MK from ex-UP U25B 628. Sold to Econo-Rail (Texas) in 1992.
7605 GE/MK TE53-1-4E 34536 9/62 Remanufactured 8/76 by MK from ex-UP U25B 638. Sold to Econo-Rail (Texas) in 1992, then to (sold or leased?) Union Carbide Corp. (Seadrift, TX), same#.
7606 GE/MK Slug 34238 5/62 Remanufactured 6/76 by MK from ex-UP U25B 629. Sold to Econo-Rail (Texas) in 1992.
7607 GE/MK Slug 34237 2/62 Remanufactured 7/76 by MK from ex-UP U25B 636, nee GE Demo 2504. Sold to Econo-Rail (Texas) in 1992.
7908 BLW RS-12 75475 5/52 Acquired in 1979, ex-SCL 207, nee-SAL 1466. Sold by 9/84 to E&LS.
7909 BLW RS-12 75477 5/52 Acquired in 1979, ex-SCL 209, nee-SAL 1468. Sold by 9/84 to E&LS.
7910 BLW RS-12 75478 5/52 Acquired in 1979, ex-SCL 210, nee-SAL 1469. Sold by 9/84 to E&LS.
7911 BLW RS-12 75479 5/52 Acquired in 1979, ex-SCL 211, nee-SAL 1470. Sold by 9/84 to E&LS.

Roster Notes

  • The four RSD-12's were acquired from the SP in poor condition. Two units were placed into service by the Sycan shops, in the meantime the OC&E leased an NW2 and four F7's from the BN. The F7's were operated in two pairs and were leased from October 1975 to September 1976, when the "new" power from MK was placed in service.

  • Morrison-Knudsen TE53-1-4E's were remanufactured from former Union Pacific GE U25B's using EMD 16-567BC engines and D12B or D14 generators from retired Baltimore & Ohio EMD F7's.

    The UP U25B's carried interim MK road numbers prior to rebuilding:

    OC&E MK UP GE Demo
    7601 7 639  
    7602 1 622 GE 2501
    7603 10 640  
    7604 14 628  
    7605 2 638  
    7606 4 629  
    7607 6 636 GE 2504

  • Econo-Rail is a contract switching service, based in Houston ,TX.

    Econo-Rail's home page has a photo of the 7603, a slug, and another TE53-1-4E, lettered for Port of Beaumont: http://www.tgsgroup.com/econorail.htm

  • Abbreviations:
    E&LS = Escanaba & Lake Superior
    SAL = Seaboard Air Line
    SCL = Seaboard Coast Line

Credits

I would like to thank Keith Ardinger, Don Hall and Jim Bryant for contributing the photos on this page, and Donovan Gray for contributing the text to his excellent article he wrote for CTC Board magazine.

The images and text on this page are used here with written persmission of the owners. Please do not reproduce, publish, or otherwise distribute these images. You are welcome to save any images on your computer for reference or personal enjoyment.

Bibliography

  • CTC Board magazine, June 1990, an outstanding feature article on the OC&E by Donovan Gray, which included an all-time locomotive roster.
  • Tall Timber - Short Lines magazine, August-October 1996 and April-May 1997 issues, Diesel Logging Locomotive rosters. .
  • Extra 2200 South magazine, July-Aug-Sep 1976 issue, SP Diesel Roster part IV
  • "American Shortline Railway Guide 3rd Edition" by Edward A. Lewis, Kalmbach Books 1986.
  • "Union Pacific Motive Power Review 1968-77" by F. Hol Wagner, Jr., Motive Power Services 1978
  • Western Shortline Rosters OC&E roster: http://www.trainweb.org/rosters/OCE.html

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This page was created on October 29, 2001 and last updated on July 31, 2002