Owen Oregon Lumber Company 2-8-2 "Mikado" Locomotives in the USA
The California Western Railroad was originally called the Fort Bragg Railroad and was built as a narrow gauge logging railroad in 1985. It ran from Fort Bragg CA, 40 miles east to Willits, CA. The line began as a vehicle for moving redwood logs to Mendocino Coast sawmills from the rugged backcountry. Steam passenger service was started in 1904, extended to the town of Willits in 1911, but was discontinued in 1925. It was renamed the California Western Railroad & Navigation Company in 1905 and in 1947 the name was shortened to the California Western Railroad. The railroad was initially operated as a division of the Fort Bragg mill.
In the mid 1960s, the Kyle Railways began managing the railroad, and purchased
it in 1987. In Augus1996, a group comprised entirely of local Mendocino Coast
investors purchased California Western.
The California Western acquired a second-hand "Mikado" type locomotives in 1964 from the Medford Corp. It was restored in 2003 and has been operational since.
Today the California Western is run as a tourist railroad and 2-8-2, number 45 is still operational and used on many weekend excursions.
Roster
| Qty. | Road Numbers | From Other RR | Year Acquired | Year Built | Builder | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 44 | Lamm Lumber Company | 1944 | 1930 | Baldwin | Scrapped in 1952. |
| 1 | 45 | Medford Corp | 1964 | 1924 | Baldwin | Medford Corp. bought it from Lamm Lumber Company. Number 45 was restored in 2003 and has been operational since. |
Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media
Class 3 (Locobase 14937)
Data from DeGolyer, Vol 73, pp. 328. See also the Rogue Valley Model Railroad Club's website article "The Pacific & Eastern, Medco Logging Railroad and Related History" at [
]; and the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places nomination form for the John F and Mary Reddy House at [] (last accessed 5 February 2014) . Works number was 58045 in September 1924.
Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media | |
|---|---|
| Class | 3 |
| Locobase ID | 14937 |
| Railroad | Owen Oregon Lumber Company |
| Country | USA |
| Whyte | 2-8-2 |
| Number in Class | 1 |
| Road Numbers | 3 |
| Gauge | Std |
| Number Built | 1 |
| Builder | Baldwin |
| Year | 1924 |
| Valve Gear | Walschaert |
| Locomotive Length and Weight | |
| Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | 12.08 / 3.68 |
| Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 28.50 / 8.69 |
| Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | 0.42 |
| Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | 50.35 / 15.35 |
| Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | |
| Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 120,000 / 54,431 |
| Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 150,000 / 68,039 |
| Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | 86,000 / 39,009 |
| Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | 236,000 / 107,048 |
| Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | 4000 / 15.15 |
| Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | 1500 / 5678 |
| Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 50 / 25 |
| Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | |
| Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 44 / 1118 |
| Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 180 / 12.40 |
| High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 19" x 24" / 483x610 |
| Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 30,127 / 13665.39 |
| Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 3.98 |
| Heating Ability | |
| Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | 169 - 2" / 51 |
| Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | 26 - 5.375" / 137 |
| Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | 12.42 / 3.79 |
| Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 158 / 14.68 |
| Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 29 / 2.70 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 1700 / 157.99 |
| Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 356 / 33.09 |
| Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 2056 / 191.08 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 215.74 |
| Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | |
| Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 5220 |
| Same as above plus superheater percentage | 6107 |
| Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 33,275 |
| Power L1 | 9538 |
| Power MT | 700.92 |
- Medco 3 (CWR 45) (1959 Butte Falls, OR by Jack Dystra, provided by Tony Howe, courtesy Stephen Low)
- 45 (2004 Fort Bragg photo courtesy John Garbutt)
- 45 (Unknown photographer)
