In addition to several steam locomotives, the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in Portland, Oregon has exhibits of railroad memorabilia.
About the Oregon Rail Heritage Center:
“Portland’s industrial heritage is entwined with being at the crossroads of many different railroads for over a century. The east-side Brooklyn Yard hosted one of the last remaining roundhouses with a turntable. Since the Yard was converted to intermodal transport, the City’s three historic steam locomotives and most of the machinery necessary to maintain them was moved to the Oregon Rail Heritage Center. Here we also host a variety of vintage passenger cars, diesel locomotives, and other rolling stock.”
Shown above are rule books.
Shown above is a carman’s packing iron
According to the Museum:
“The carman’s packing iron was used by ccarmen to lift the lid on a journal box on the end of a car’s axle having plain/journal bears and to check the pad under the axle to make sure it was packed tight enough to press against the bottom of the axle enabling the pad to carry the oil in the journal box up to lubricate the bearing.”
Model of the 1941 Four Stall Brooklyn Roundhouse
Southern Pacific Caboose Stove
According to the Museum:
“The Estate Stove Company, located in Hamilton, Ohio, was the predominant supplier of cast iron coal stoves to the railroad industry. Adopted as standard by over sixty railroad companies, they also licensed their designs to individual railroads who would then cast their own stoves.”
The stove shown below was cast by Southern Pacific Railroad and is identical to the Estate Model #240 Smoke Consumer. According to the Museum:
“Stoves designed for use in a caboose differed form other pot belly coal stoves of the time and are now very rare. Instead of being balanced on four spindly legs, the base is broad and designed to be bolted to the floor of the caboose. The second major difference is a lip around the cooking surface o keep pots from sliding off the stove.”
Fairbanks Morse-Sheffield Speeder
This speeder was built in the mid-1920s and was used by the track crews in maintaining the railway. According to the Museum:
“The motorcar has a two-stroke gasoline engine and no clutch thus requiring it to be push started. The Sheffield motor is a dual-fuel motor, it would be started on gasoline, then shifted over to kerosene after it was running as kerosene was cheaper.”
REA Baggage Cart
Shown above is a Railway Express Agency Messenger Trunk which carried needed supplies, forms and instructions, serving as a desk and file cabinet for the messenger.
According to the Museum:
“Along with filing out proper forms and checking shipments, the messenger might have to feed and change hay beds for live animals, ice fresh fish, and defend against robberies.”
Hydro Test Pump
The Hydro Test Pump was used to find leaks in a steam engine after replacement of the engine’s tubes and flues.
Milk Can #1291
The number identified the farmer so that the can could be returned to its owner.
Scale Model of Northern Pacific 4-8-4 Locomotives
Note: These photos were taken on September 11, 2025.
