The group restoring Oregon Railroad & Navigation 4-6-2 197 announced recently that work on the locomotive’s boiler was “95 percent” complete and that new tubes and flues were on the way for installation. 

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. In the decades since a small group of volunteers has been working to restore the locomotive. In 2023, that effort was kicked into high gear thanks to a matching grant from the “UP in Smoke Foundation.” The group is presently halfway to its fundraising goal. As part of the renewed effort, FMW Solutions was hired to assist with the restoration, most notably the boiler. 

When restored, locomotive 197 will be an ideal addition to the operating fleet at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center. In 2023, 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 short trips, but railroad officials have asked that the use of the heavy Northerns be limited to preserve the track.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. —Justin Franz