By Justin Franz 

A year after a major grant kicked the restoration effort into high gear, volunteers and contractors are busy working on Oregon Railroad & Navigation 4-6-2 197. The group is hopeful that If everything goes according to plan the 119-year-old locomotive will be under steam before the end of 2025. 

“We want it done and we want to run it,” said Project Manager Jon Brewster. 

OR&N 197 is owned by the City of Portland and is currently cared for by the Friends of OR&N 197 at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center. The locomotive was built in 1905 for OR&N, which eventually was taken over by Union Pacific. Under UP ownership, the locomotive was renumbered 3203. The locomotive ran until it was retired in 1958 and was put on display at Portland’s Oaks Park along with two 4-8-4 locomotives: Southern Pacific 4449 and Spokane, Portland & Seattle 700. The locomotive was removed from the park in 1996. 

Some work has been done on the locomotive since it was removed from the park, including rebuilding the air pump and fabrication of an all-new cab. Last year, Friends of OR&N 197 President Neil Ferris estimated it would take about $1 million to get the locomotive running again. Enter John J. Gray, a former UP executive who established the “UP in Smoke Foundation” to fund the steam locomotive restorations, most notably that of UP 4-6-6-4 3985 and 2-10-2 5511 in 2022. Gray has promised a 1:1 matching grant to raise the money needed to get 197 completed. As part of the renewed effort, FMW Solutions was hired to assist with the restoration, most notably the boiler. 

Brewster said a number of projects have been tackled in the last year, including repairs to the backhead, firebox and crown sheet. Recently, they dropped the rear driver to gain additional access to the firebox. Projects that will be tackled in the months ahead include work on the tender, boiler jacket and, of course, reassembly. 

Brewster said they are working on an ambitious timeline to get it running before the 2025 holiday season but that it can be done with funding and skilled labor. Of course, he notes that things could change if there are unexpected hurtles in the restoration effort. 

When restored, locomotive 197 will be an ideal addition to the operating fleet at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center. Last year, the museum began offering more frequent steam excursions on the nearby Oregon Pacific Railroad, in addition to its popular Holiday Express rides in the winter. For years, ORHC used the two 4-8-4s for the short trips, but railroad officials have asked that the use of the heavy Northerns be more limited to preserve the track. Brewster said the locomotive is also ideal for ORHC because of its connections to the region, in fact, the locomotive was long assigned to the Portland area. 

For more information and to learn how to donate to the restoration, visit the Friends of OR&N 197’s website or Facebook page.