New member, and I'm not sure if this is the right forum. So please be forgiving. I live in Corvallis, Oregon which has a pretty prevalent rail presence. The Portland and Western Railroad (PNWR) is a Class II (I think) road that operates within the state of Oregon. It has a rail yard in Albany (about ten minutes outside of Corvallis) that is also used by the Union Pacific and Amtrak. So, I waste my time by getting pictures and the occasional videos of PNWR freights doing their chores in and around Corvallis, Philomath, and Albany. Here are a few examples of my efforts. I'm working on a website to showcase my videos, pictures, and audio files of this busy road. PNWR #2313 is an EMD GP39-2. This former ATSF unit bears the name 'Lake Oswego' on its cab, and can typically be seen moving and hauling freight cars around Corvallis and its two major junctions. PNWR #2005 is the only EMD GP38 on the line. According to a fan site, it was actually rebuilt and converted into a GP38 from a GP35. In a previous life it belonged to the Southern Pacific, before being sold to the Utah Railroad. It still bear's Utah's red and grey scheme, and its horn has a distinctly off-key note. Its horn always lets me know when its in town. PNWR 1501 is obviously a handsome EMD SD7. Despite how dirty it is, its Southern Pacific heritage is obvious. It also bears the name of the Willamette and Pacific Railroad on its hood. The WPRR is a subsidiary line of the PNWR. On its nose is the PNWR logo. Left to Right: PNWR 2305 'Dallas' (GP39-2), 2005 (GP38), and 3005 (GP40-2). Behind 2305 is 2309 'Philomath' (also a GP39-2). These two units are usually paired up with each-other and can be seen in Corvallis doing daytime, light duty work. 3005 typically heads up the night time freight, which bombs through Corvallis around 9:30PM. Its usually leading 3001, 3002, 101, and 102. The 3000 numbered diesels are GP40-2s and the 100s are former Norfolk and Western GP18s, converted into remote controlled, cab-less "slug" units designated as EMD RP-E4Ds. I also have some low quality videos. I'm pretty poor at getting videos, but practice makes perfect eh?
YO, PNWRpower, welcome to Trainboard! I am a nearby neighbor, in Waldport. Do you ever shoot the Toledo Hauler? Are any of Doyle's diesels out on the line, like the NKP bumblebee or the former Maersk unit? Just askin' :tb-biggrin:
Welcome to TrainBoard! This forum is fine. Or, if you'd so choose, our Class II & III forum. Unless something has changed, the PNWr should still be a Class II. Anyhow, nice assortment of photos. If you have more to share, I'm certainly interested! I am curious about seeing views of switching, their local trains and anything else.
PNWR Power, I am another PNWR fan in St. Johns near the bridge to Vancouver. Welcome to TrainBoard, and as a PNWR fan you have some company here as there are other WPRR/PNWR fans. I was thrilled last year when Atlas announced SD9's 1851 and 1854 in PNWR colors. They got them mostly right, and as soon as I get my SP black widow re-lettered to be the 1801 I'll have a nice set of N scale power. I am jealous of those of you in the Corvallis/Albany area. I most often see PNWR in action in Willbridge, near Union Station, on the A-line, and sometimes out in Beaverton/Hillsboro.
That's awesome there's other PMWR fans out there! I hadn't even heard of it before moving to Oregon, but it definitely has a pretty awesome charm. I appreciate its somewhat haphazard fleet of second hand power and their variety of horn notes and paint schemes. Are there any pictures of those PNWR Atlas trains? As an o-gauge operator I'm probably going to be restricted to my other favorite roads (the NYC and ATSF), unless the PNWR becomes a national power. To everybody, thanks for the welcome! This is the first train forum I've gotten the courage to join. I'm not sure why it took me so long. I've gone to plenty of train museums, shows, model railroad seminars, etc. Can't get enough train talk!
The Toledo Hauler runs from Corvallis to Toledo over some very curvy and hilly track. It services the Georgia Pacific paper mill in Toledo. I don't know the schedule these days, so am not sure what time of the day it runs. Also not sure how to find out the schedule. Seems like when people actually get to see and photograph it, it's a big deal on the internet. Maybe you can research it for us? :tb-biggrin:
Welcome. The Toledo Hauler is the westbound from Albany to Toledo. It's usually a fairly big train and sometimes has to double over the coast range grade. The eastbound train is called the toledo patch. I currently live down in Ca, but I used to chase the Harbor Turn around Beaverton and rode the WES every day. Also, just fyi, the pnwr websites are woefully out of date in terms of train names and call times. I recommend joining the Yahoo group for PNWR.
I didn't know there were so many PNWR fans out there! I appreciate all the responses and welcomes! Regarding the information resources out there, how accurate are they all? And what does that Yahoo group cover as far as info goes?
Check out Active and Abandoned Railroads of the Pacific Northwest, especially the . There are lots of good photos there. The PNWR page is here.
All I know is that the unofficial pnwr webstie hasn't been updated for the better part of 10 years. The yahoo group is primarily going to give you spotters guide in and up to the day info. For example one of the members regularly reports on interesting moves around albany. Another on the toledo hauler. A third on movements through lake o and into tigard...
Welcome aboard; I'm New at this also but just wanted to thank you or sharing the great pictures. Thanks The Weiser River Ry. Aka Mike
