Oregon Pacific Railroad 187
Last Update:  Sept 19, 2014
Oregon Pacific Railroad No. 187
Number 187 in storage at Milwualkie
Photos: Jan. 2005
The OPR No. 187 was a EMD NW5.   One of only 3 or 4 known to still exist.   A total of only 13 were built.  This made the OPR
187 a fairly rare locomotive.   This particular unit was one of 10 that was built in December, 1946 for the Great Northern
Railroad, Serial No. 3480, frame No. E687-2.   It looks like a switcher, but is actually a road engine.

The NW5 is basically an NW2 switcher with additional hood to house a steam generator used to heat passenger cars.  The
frame was extended to house larger road fuel tanks and water tanks.   The 187's steam generator was later removed and the
water tanks converted to hold extra diesel fuel.

In 1970 the Great Northern merged with Burlington Northern and at some point the 187 was repainted in Green BN colors and
later renumbered BN 987.

The then 987 was sold by BN to Pacific Transportation Services sometime after 1982 and Numbered 1001.  It was later sold
to Pete Replinger and renumbered back to its original 187.    Mr. Samuels purchased it in the early 1990s with the intention of
running it on the Molalla division.  

The original diesel prime mover was an EMD 12-567A making 1000 h.p.    Because the 12-567A  was worn out and not
economical to rebuild, being an A block engine, he installed a rebuilt EMD 8-567B, that makes 800 h.p.   That engine was
later installed in the OPR's 801 when the No. 187 was finally sold for scrap.

Scrappers heavily damaged the No. 187 around 2008 when they cut the traction motor cables.  They later cut out windings
from the main generator and have since destroyed the electrical cabinet and numerous other parts of the locomotive.  
Attempts were made to secure the locomotive inside a fence, but its derilic appearance drew the attention of metal thieves
who believed they could remove parts without causing attention and they used every means possible to gain access to it.

This damage made the restoration of the locomotive completely uneconomical.   An attempt to sell the 187 to a restorer was
unsuccessful and instead the 187 was sold to a scrap dealer who will begin scrapping the locomotive soon.

Another NW5 known to survive was the
Great Northern No. 192, which is currently in service with the North Shore Scenic
Railroad.

Here is a older
photo of the 187 while serving with the Great Northern.


Reference these pages for more general information on EMD NW5s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_NW5

http://yardlimit.railfan.net/emd/nw5/index.html

More photos of the North Shore Scenic Railroad 192 for reference.  01, 02, 03, 03, 04

Also a photo of the 3rd NW5 known to exist operated by the Mass Central Railroad.
Thanks to James Draper for this link
This is an EMD builder photo of the 187 taken upon delivery to the Great Northern in 1946.
Number 187 in storage at Milwualkie
Photos: June, 2007
Cab of the 187
Photos:  Oct. 2007
Number 187 in storage at Milwualkie
Photos: Oct. 2007
This is the former steam generator compartment that is the short hood of the NW5.   Once the steam generator was removed, this compartment
was left empty.  Mr. Samuels built battery boxes to store the starter batteries in here when in use.
Photos: Oct. 2007
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Brian McCamish
In Search of History Expeditions
Active & Abandoned Railroads of the Northwest
Webmaster
Photos of the 187 on display near the shops in June, 2009
Photos:  June 2009
Photos of the 187 when it was working as No. 987 for the BN, at Westminster, BC in April, 1981.
Photo courtesy of Mark (dieselman on Trainorders.com)
The No. 187 was sold for scrap and as of Spring 2014 was completely
scrapped.   RIP.