Some time ago I ran across a reference to a logging company near LaGrande, Ore. with a NG railroad. I didn't follow this discovery up in any way until I was going through a friends Climax Locomotive book making some notes before returning it. I discovered that the obscure logging line had operated a Climax!
Here is what I was able to find out. The name of the company was the Masters Ewold Lbr. Co. They bought out a company called the Wilcox Lbr. Co. They operated from about 1910-1914. I am not sure whether this includes the lifespan of both companies. Their sawmill and planing mill were at Lonetree East of LaGrande. This location still has a sign board along the UP mainline, but as far as I can recall there is nothing but farm fields in the vicinity. Hwy US30 runs parallel to the UP formerly OWR&N and may overlay any industry that was located track side 95 years ago. The railroad was reported to be at least 7 miles long extending to company timber in Ladd Canyon. Ladd Canyon today is where Interstate 84 leaves the Grande Ronde Valley headed South. The freeway diverges from Ladd Crk. a few miles up, so it is ever so remotely possible that some evidence could remain of the rr on Ladd Crk. Below this point in Ladd Canyon the Interstate would most assuredly overlay the route of the rr. Some field exploration next summer or Spring may be in order none the less. As to their engine it was Maters Ewold Lbr. #1, Climax C/N 1219, a class B23 36" Ga. blt 4-1913. Certainly a tiny engine. The engine per the Climax book roster lived on to be owned by Bay Logging of Raymond, Wa. in 1922 and Niagara Logging also out of Raymond in 1925. If anyone has any additional info on this company or the engine it would be interesting to hear about.
2nd obscure N.E.Ore. RR logging line also with a Climax was the Sumpter Lumber and Timber Co. of Sumpter, Ore. I believe I have seen a reference somewhere to a Sumpter Land and Timber, so perhaps they could be one in the same. I have no information on the company or the extent of rr they may have operated, but again from the Climax book they had a 36" Climax class B30 of unkown C/N., built 1910. It is odd that this engine doesn't fit into any known rosters of 36" logging engines around the area.
Here are the 36" Climax Engines of N.E.Ore.:
#Unkn B30 36" 1910 Sumpter L.and Timber Co.
#1079 B30 36" 4-1911 Baker White Pine #1
#1085 B33 36" 9-1911 WH Eccles Lbr. #1, later sold to Cavenaugh Lbr.
at Bates, Ore. and then to Oregon Lbr.
#1199 B35 36" 2-1913 Baker White Pine #2
#1219 B23 36" 4 1913 Masters Ewold #1
#1355 B45 36" 8-1915 Baker White Pine #3
#1533 B30 36" 7-1919 Halleck and Howard #6 LaMadera NM., later sold
to Oregon Lbr. of Baker as their #105, scrapped
1949.