The Last Steam Locomotive To Leave South Baker

This scene marks the end of about 72 years of steam locomotives on the rails of the Sumpter Valley Ry. in South Baker, Oregon. Earl Emlaw took this photo on Feb. 9, 1962. While it had been a few years since this engine which is Oregon Lumber Co. #7 had been under steam, it had been stored serviceable. The Oregon Lumber Co. operation in South Baker which was owned by Edward Hines Lbr. Co. shut down at the end of Nov. in 1961, so it didn't take long for the process of dispersing anything of value to begin. #7 is loaded on a UP flat car for the trip to the Black Hills Central in South Dakota. It was picked up the following day by an east bound UP train with its route going to Sidney, Nebraska where it was handed off to the CB&Q for the final leg of the journey to Hill City, S.D. The scan is from the SVRR Archive.