By Eric Berger
It’s not every day that drivers share the road with a Baldwin diesel, but August 14 was one of those days as the former Weyerhaeuser DS4-4-750 101 was trucked from Klamath Falls, Ore., to a new home at the Train Mountain Railroad Museum in Chiloquin. The unusual six-stack switcher has been on display in Klamath Falls for more than 30 years but is likely to be seen and appreciated by more people at the new location.
The locomotive spent its entire career with sister 102 hauling timber on the Weyerhaeuser-owned Oregon, California & Eastern to its mill in Klamath Falls, which closed in 1992. The OC&E was quickly railbanked. The 101 was saved by a private collector who put it on display at the west end of a walking trail over a portion of the former OC&E route. After his death, ownership of the engine passed to the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, which ultimately sold it to long-time Train Mountain member Frank Bartholomew who spent more than a year preparing it for the move to Train Mountain.
Located 30 miles north of Klamath Falls, Train Mountain boasts a large collection of cabooses and historic railroad equipment along with the largest miniature railroad in the world, totaling 36 miles of 7.5-inch track. Weyerhaeuser’s rail operations are represented by three short log cars, a water car and a caboose. Its rolling stock roster also includes several interesting pieces of full-size snow clearing equipment. But no locomotives. Until now.
“We’ve never had a (locomotive) on the mountain before. It seemed long overdue,” Bartholomew told the Klamath Falls Herald & News. “We’re proud to be able to preserve this part of history. Weyerhaeuser 101 will be a prominent feature on the mountain for generations to come.”
The engine is one of five known surviving examples of the DS4-4-750, a 750 hp model produced between 1949 and 1951. It and two others were built as DS4-4-750 demonstrators in late 1950. Two of them, numbered 750 and 751, went out on the road while the third unit remained as a shop switcher until Baldwin closed in 1956, when it was sold as Texas South Eastern 301. That engine also survives and was sold to Baldwin haven SMS Rail Services earlier in the summer.
When Weyerhaeuser tested the pair of Baldwins in Klamath Falls, they were impressed enough to buy them both. Renumbered as Weyerhaeuser 101 and 102, they were soon joined by a pair of Baldwin S-8 switchers, which allowed the retirement of the entire local steam fleet.
Plans call for the complete cosmetic restoration of 101 with Weyerhaeuser yellow paint and logos.
