For anyone who has not already heard, this unit is on the move. Apparently as of yesterday morning, it departed Portola, California, where it had long been stored. She is heading for Usk, Washington, on the Pend Oreille Valley RR, for cosmetic restoration. Thereafter she will move to South Cle Elum, Washington for display. Maybe some day she'll be alive again. Anyhow, photo opportunities possible. Have already seen a few. If weather cooperates, I may try to catch it in bound. A very long and nasty drive for a couple of photos, but so rare, and to finally see something I had not watched since March of 1980! Heads up, anyone in northern california, along the Inside Gateway or in eastern Washington, and north Idaho!!!
So..are they going to lay track from the old NP line in Cle Elum to the old Milwaukee ROW, or trailer it and crane it on a short piece of track?
Dunno. I am thinking most likely by rail to Cle Elum. Then not certain how to South Cle Elum. It's not far to drive from the NP side to the MILW area, but if by track panels, they'd be causing a big problem. There is only the one road bridge across the Yakima River. Locals might not be very happy having that plugged for a fair number of hours. They'd need to crane it off the NP, so might as well just load it onto a low boy. I'm waiting for the next movement update. And hoping weather holds. The quickest drive from is Highway 2. But in winter, that stinks big time! If I went down south, would add about four hours at least, one way.
I heard about this when she left. She spent the summer highly visible in the Portola yard. Word came down on another site that she was tacked on to the Canyon Crawler on Wednesday, but whether sucked and I left work after dark so I didn't see her. Unlike the SD9 that came down from Portola a month or so back, the U25 survived the brake test and UP had no problems routing her to Stockton for transfer to BNSF. So alas she's long gone from here. Now. I don't know if she's left Stockton yet, but presumably she either just did or is about to head back north to Sacramento, through on WP rails to Keddie and then on to the Inside Gateway. Ironically reversing herself for a fair chunk of mileage since alas, can't just set her out at Keddie anymore.
The 5057 is now officially back in Washington State, the first time since the Milwaukee Road retrenched in March, 1980!!
I would love to see it on the move, but since I'm in Germany, I'll have to settle for pics. Anyone got some photos of the move? Pretty please?
The page Ken linked to has some photos of the progress. Good stuff! I am curious, though, what the "POVA" stands for.
Well, here is a little story for you. As some MISTAKENLY believe, it does NOT stand for Pend Oreille Valley Authority. There is no such organization. The owner of those ex-MILW tracks is the Port of Pend Oreille. (Pronounced by we regional natives as "POND O'ray.") They operate it as the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad. Their shop is at Usk, Washington and they do contract engine work. Rebuilds, painting, etc.
An "X" would indicate a private owner. Non-operating railroad. Such as a leasing company, The POVA is a railroad, so no "X".
