SVRR Gets Its First Locomotive

In 1971, before the SVRR organization was even a year old, it had acquired a steam locomotive. This locomotive as many are aware is the W.H. Eccles Lumber Co. #3 42 ton Heisler built in 1915. W.H. Eccles Lumber Co. was one of several companies with logging railroads that connected to the Sumpter Valley Ry. Eccles moved their operation to Cascade, Idaho in the mid-1920's taking their #3 Heisler with them. #3 apparently didn't spend too many years in actual logging service, but rather became an auxiliary steam source at the saw mill. SVRR learned of its existence and was pleased to accept it as a donation from Boise Cascade Corp. #3 was transported from Cascade, Idaho to Baker, Oregon on a UP flat car. In this interesting view taken in Dec. of 1971, we are looking up past #3's air pump at the crane boom and rigging to off load the engine at Baker. I understand that the engine's weight was considerably more than the rating of the crane, but the lift was pulled off successfully. Note that the crane hook is rigged four part. My family used to have a 30 ton crane and to do a lift at its maximum capacity took 6 parts, so that is a good confirmation that they were really pushing the limit to unload #3 as they did. The scan is from the SVRR Archive from a photo likely taken by the late Laura Hayse who was one of the founding members of SVRR.