Schafer Brothers Logging Company 2-6-2 "Prairie" Locomotives in the USA

Class 7 (Locobase 15314)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Vol 73, pp.338+. See also photograph and extended caption at the University of Washington Libraries Digital Collection at []. Works numbers was 58010 in September 1924.

The SBLC originated as a family logging company headed by Peter, Albert, and Hubert Schafer. The small scale of the timber harvest six miles up the Satsop River from its mouth in the first two decades can be gauged by the use of oxen and horses to skid the logs to the sawmill.

The operation steadily grew, however, especially after the company bought a 45-ton Heisler geared locomotive in 1913. "At the peak of operation," says the Digital Collections caption, "the Schafers were running one of the largest logging, milling and shipping concerns in the lumber industry of the Pacific Northwest." Rail lines totalled 100 miles (161 km) served by 18 locomotives that included this oil-burning logging Prairie saddle-tank. Its specification noted the SBLC's 60 lb/yard (30 kg/metre) rail, curves of a maximum 40 degrees, compensated and ruling grades of 2% (some tram-road grades in the system reached 6-7%

Barbara Aue, writing in the South Beach Bulletin (archived by The Daily Record of Grays Harbor, WA on 6 March 2013 at []), reported that "The brothers attributed their unprecedented success through the Great Depression, a Wobblies invasion and two world wars to a mother who insisted that they borrow nothing and never buy on credit, but instead, use only profits from timber sales to finance the companys next big move or property acquisition."

The company would be sold to Simpson Timber in 1955.