Oregon Pacific Railroad 4501
Last Update:  April 4, 2010
Oregon Pacific Railroad No. 4501
I saw 4501 parked on a siding in Portland in 2004.  Today, this siding and street track no longer exist as the City has torn up most of the extra
track for development and the OPR runs on a single standard tie/rails track through here.   Photos:  Spring, 2004
The OPR 4501 was purchased by Mr. Samuels in 1994 for use on his SamTrak passenger service railroad that operated on
the East Portland division from 1993 through approximately 2001.    SamTrak began in 1993 with a 25 ton locomotive, but
after adding a caboose, the train became too heavy for the small locomotive.    Mr. Samuels set about looking for a bigger
locomotive and found this one for sale at the Chelatchie Praire Railroad.

This 45 ton diesel was originally built for the U.S. Army Cornhusker Ordnance Plant in Nebraska, serial No. 15713.  It later
served on the Alaska Railroad as a switcher before being sold to the Cheletchie Prairie Railroad in Washington as their No.
007.  Mr. Samuels painted it in SamTrak colors, rebuilt the engines and made other major repairs before it became the
primary SamTrak locomotive.

The 4501 is unique in that it was remote control equipped.  One of the only 45 ton remote control equipped locomotives
anywhere.  Mr. Samuels installed and customized the remote control equipment himself in the mid 1990s, making this the first
common carrier remote control locomotive in the Northwest.

Engines are two 150 h.p. Cummins diesels.

Here's a photo of the 4501 when it operated for the Chelatchie Praire Railroad as their No. 007.

The 4501 had been regulated to back up status as of 2001.   It was rarely used and was usually in storage at the Milwaukie
shops.

In September 2008, the 4501 was sold to the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad.   The POTB was looking for a light locomotive
that could be trucked to different sections of its line to help with the major repairs that will soon be underway.   In the winter of
2007, the POTB suffered massive storm damage to its railroad and has been shut down ever since.  Plans are underway to
make repairs and hopefully reopen the line by the spring of 2009.

The 4501 was loaded onto a low boy truck on October 1, 2008 and shipped to the POTB at Timber, Oregon.

See the bottom of the page for numerous photos of this crane lift and move of the 4501.
"Samtrak 4501"
The 4501 at the OPR shops in early 2005.   Photos:  January, 2005
Brian R Sopke photos taken while he was a conductor for Samtrak.  These photos were taken at or near Sellwood station and show the
Samtrak train when it was in operation between 1993 and 2002.   These photos were taken in the later years of operation.
Brian R Sopke photos, 1998, 2000, 2001
Some detail photos.
photos: 2007
Photos of the interior.   The far photos shows the electrical cabinet, where much of the custom remote control servos are located.  Mr. Samuels
built and installed the remote control system entirely himself.
photos: 2007
Some photos of one of the two engines.  The engines are Cummins engines were later replaced by Mr. Samuels.   Making about 150 h.p. each
for a total of 300 h.p.
photos: 2007
A few more pictures can be found here.
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Some of the last photos of the 4501 while still on OPR property, since it was sold in September, 2008 to the POTB.
photos: September, 2008
Move of the 4501 to the POTB in October, 2008
The 4501 was shipped by a low boy truck to Timber, Oregon and its new owners, the POTB.  This required a huge mobile crane, which was
brought onto the OPR property at the south end of the McBrod Street spur.  The 4501 was brought down from the shops under its own power.
The 4501 was then moved into position under its own power and aligned for the crane.   A low boy from Rick Franklin Corp was then moved into
position for loading.
Attaching the crane cables to the 4501, using a spreader bar.  In the far right picture, you can see the 4501's frame has specific attachment points
just for this type of lift.
Lifting the 4501 into the air and over the low boy trailer.  The crane had no problem lifting the locomotive.
Lowering the 4501 onto the lowboy and aligning the wood blocks.
Mr. Samuels steps down from the 4501 for the last time and final chain up and preparations before departure.
Rick Franklin Corp truck is all loaded with the 4501 and ready to depart to Timber, Oregon.  The 4501 arrived within a few hours without incident
and was loaded onto the POTB railroad where it will soon begin repairs on the 2007 storm damage.
The first photo of the 4501 with its new owner, the POTB.  This one taken on the POTB between Timber and Cochran on a test run in October,
2008 and is the first time a locomotive has run on this section of track since the storm damage of 2007.
Photo courtesy of Aaron Zorko, POTB.
These pictures of the 4501 were taken by Kevin Novak in late December, 2008 and show the 4501 at Timber, after several weeks of snow in the
area.    Between October and December, 2008, the 4501 was put to use clearing out a major tunnel on the POTB and completing the first stage of
getting the POTB back into full service.
Photo courtesy of Kevin Novak
Update 2-1-10

In December, 2009, the OPR learned that the POTB sold the 4501 to a private operator, S & S Railroad.   S & S Railroad has
a contract to switch stored cars on the south end of the Nevada Northern, near Shafter, Nevada.   When the POTB officially
closed the line down and decided NOT to rebuild the damaged sections, the 4501 no longer served a purpose and was put
up for sale.   While it is sad to see the 4501 leave the state, the little engine looks like it will still be put to use and see
continued service elsewhere.
Special thanks to Jeff Moore for sending these photos in of the 4501.   The OPR sold the 4501, in September 2008, to the Port of Tillamook Bay
Railroad.   The POTB subsequently sold the 4501 to private operator, S & S Railroad in late 2009, after the POTB decided to not finish repairing
the Samonberry River washouts.    Photos were taken by Jeff on March 30th near Shafter, Nevada.   It appears S & S Railroad contracts with the
Nevada Northern Railway to store cars south of Shafter.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Moore