- All three locomotives were donated to the city of Portland in 1958. For decades the Southern Pacific 4449, the Spokane, Portland & Seattle 700, and the Oregon Railway & Navigation 197 sat in the weather at Oaks Amusement Park. Starting in 1980 each moved for restoration to the Brooklyn Roundhouse in southeast Portland. It took three decades and thousands of volunteer hours for Portland to be the only city in the U.S. to own two operating steam locomotives, with the third currently under restoration. Both the SP 4449 and SP&S 700 are part of the rare group of the six largest steam locomotives operating in the world today.
-
Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway #700This beautiful example of the latter years of steam locomotive development pulled the famous Empire Builder until that train was dieselized in 1947. She continued to faithfully provide passenger service from Portland up the Columbia River Gorge to Spokane until 1956, and in 1958 the 700 was ultimately placed on permanent display at Oaks Park in SE Portland. Returned to operation in 1990, she is lovingly operated and maintained by the all-volunteer >Pacific Railroad Preservation Association. -
Southern Pacific #4449The only remaining operable "Streamlined" steam locomotive of the Art Deco era, this locomotive pulled Southern Pacific "Daylight" coaches from Los Angeles to San Francisco over the scenic Coast Route and then on to Portland until 1955. In 1974 she was completely restored specifically to pull the 1976 Bicentennial Freedom Train throughout the US to the delight of over 30 million people. She is arguably one of the most beautiful locomotives ever built—and kept that way by the all-volunteer Friends of the SP 4449. -
Oregon Railroad & Navigation Railway #197This jewel of the early 20th Century era of steam locomotives arrived in Portland just in time for the 1905 Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition, 2 years after the Wright Brothers first flew, and 3 years before Henry Ford rolled out his first Model T. She then went on to serve Portland commerce for over 50 years before retirement in the 1950s. Residing in Oaks Parks like her sisters since 1958, she was also moved to the Brooklyn Roundhouse and undergoing restoration today by the all-volunteer Friends of the OR&N 197.
