Oregon Pacific RR SW1 #100 was the first diesel locomotive purchase for OPR predecessor Portland Traction, and still shows off its as-delivered paint scheme 60 years after its 1952 delivery.

The 100 is lettered for the Portland Railway and Terminal Co., and was one of two SW1s purchased for the company, which at the time still included electric interurban operations on two Portland-area routes.

The diesel is in operation on the OPR East Portland Branch during the company's July 4, 2012 open house. It was used to provide public cab rides between Oaks Park station and the Sellwood neighborhood of southeast Portland.

It is shown with former Union Pacific caboose #25198, which has been restored to operation by Chris McLarney, a Portland-area railfan and railroad employee, and former SP business car "Santa Rosa", now owned by OPR.

The 100, during its long history, was the locomotive used to deliver the city of Portland's three donated steam locomotives -- SP GS-4 4-8-4 #4449, SP&S 4-8-4 #700, and ORW&N (UP) 4-6-2 #197 -- to their display site at Oaks Park in the late 1950s.

It was also the locomotive used to retrieve the three steamers -- the 4449 in 1974, the 700 in 1987, and the 197 in 1996 -- when they were brought out of the park for restoration.

In June 2012, it made local rail history again by being the first locomotive to operate into the new enginehouse facility being built by the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation to replace the former SP Brooklyn Yard roundhouse as the home for the city's steam locomotives.

On June 26, the 100 was on hand to switch the three steam locomotives and other rolling stock into the new Oregon Rail Heritage Center facility after they had completed their ferry move from Brooklyn Yard.

Photographed by Thomas McCann, July 4, 2012.
Added to the photo archive by Thomas McCann, July 9, 2012.

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