Traction engine in Portland OR

Although I live in NY, I spend quite a bit of time in Portland OR. I know there are a few of you living in Oregon and I wonder if anyone has ever noticed the steam traction engine that sits in front of the Steamer Bar which is part of a motel on Sandy Blvd. near NE 82nd. Dont know the builder, I've only passed it in the car. The machine appears quite complete and in rrelatively good condition, although it sits unprotected in the parking lot and I know it wont be long before time and the elements take their toll. Hope it doesn't end this way for a great old machine that's managed to survive this long.

Tom B.

These fine machines without a shed! Maybe folks could add to the thread with their favorite exposed antique machine that is begging for cover.
My favorite is a Buffalo-Pitts steam traction engine at the Thorp, Washington exit of I-90 near Cle Elum. It's in the fruit stand parking lot, has been there for years and looks to be near complete.

I've looked at the one in Thorp. She is prety much rotting in place unfortunately. The smokebox bottom is prity much gone, and the rot seems to have extended past the front flu sheet. Too Bad.

That's about four blocks from my house. I can go have a look, if you'd like more info on it.

Andrew

Andrew:

Thanks, but I'll be back in Portland over the Thanksgiving break. Maybe I'll stop and have a look then. Just curious really. Sad to see something as beautiful and rare as that deliberately left to the elements with no regard for its preservation.

As an aside, being a New Yorker who has spent much of a career seeing that the local roads get a good helping of 50/50 sand-salt mix in the winter, I'm always amazed at the older rust-free cars and trucks surviving in your roadsalt-less environment.

Tom B.

Engine retired to Powerland Heritage Park, 3395 Brookland road NE, Salem OR 97303

Riderusty said:

Although I live in NY, I spend quite a bit of time in Portland OR. I know there are a few of you living in Oregon and I wonder if anyone has ever noticed the steam traction engine that sits in front of the Steamer Bar which is part of a motel on Sandy Blvd. near NE 82nd. Dont know the builder, I've only passed it in the car. The machine appears quite complete and in rrelatively good condition, although it sits unprotected in the parking lot and I know it wont be long before time and the elements take their toll. Hope it doesn't end this way for a great old machine that's managed to survive this long.

Tom B.

Click to expand...

Tom,

I first saw this Advance engine in a field near I-5 and Talbot road near exit for Jefferson Oregon in June 1973. It was rusting away with a companion Russel traction engine.



I would appreciate any photos or information about the engine during it's tour of duty at the now defunct Steamers restaurant


Thanks Larry

I posted on Smokestak and got history on both.
Need help identifying Traction engine | Smokstak(R) Antique Engine Community

They gave lots of help in identifying the engines and provided their history

Steamer Steam Engine History



The attached pictures are of this traction engine in 1973 when it was standing in a wheat field along I-5 and Talbot road exit near Jefferson Oregon. The owner had died in a train accident and the engine was moved to Portland shortly after. It is a Russell of about 18 HP. There was another engine, an Advance parked next to it.

The Russell was painted and put on display at Steamers. The Advance went to Powerland Heritage Museum, Brooklake RD, Salem OR.

When Steamers closed the Russell was sold and partially restored. It is in a private collection.

The information mostly came from the Smokestak forum:

Need help identifying Traction engine | Smokstak(R) Antique Engine Community

I would appreciate any information or pictures of this engine.

Larry

Hi Larry. My original post was back in 2005. Sometime, perhaps a year after writing it, the engine disappeared. I've wondered what happened to it, hoping it found a good home. From what I recall, it does not resemble the pictures in your post. It was much more complete and had the typical canopy roof.

By the way, Antique Powerland in Brooks just off I5, shown in your photo, is a great assemblage of museums focusing on just about anything with wheels. I've been there twice, a great place to visit if that's where your interests lie.

Tom B.

Youll never see an old engine in a field here ......prices for junk are astronomical.....any US engine like a Buffalo Pitts will be $25k,in rolling condition,needing boiler work ,any kind of English engine ,you are talking six figures,and at that price,it will be going back to UK.

Please forgive my mistake

Riderusty said:

Hi Larry. My original post was back in 2005. Sometime, perhaps a year after writing it, the engine disappeared. I've wondered what happened to it, hoping it found a good home. From what I recall, it does not resemble the pictures in your post. It was much more complete and had the typical canopy roof.

By the way, Antique Powerland in Brooks just off I5, shown in your photo, is a great assemblage of museums focusing on just about anything with wheels. I've been there twice, a great place to visit if that's where your interests lie.

Tom B.

Click to expand...

Tom I am so sorry,

The story and pictures were of the wrong engine! Must have been a senior moment! There were two traction engines near the I-5 Talbot RD exit for Jefferson OR. I took pictures of both. I posted on Smokestak to ask for information. The attached picture is the Russell that I think was at Steamers.
Need help identifying Traction engine | Smokstak(R) Antique Engine Community

I got the following reply:
Larry,

These engines were actually located a fair bit farther north than Medford/Grant's Pass. This was right near the Talbot Rd. exit near Jefferson Oregon. The guy who owned the property was hit and killed by a train and then the family who know nothing about them sold them off. They were actually sold and moved off in about June of 1973, so your photo's were likely just before they were sold and moved.

The second engine is indeed an Advance. This is the engine that sits at the entrance to Powerland Heritage Park (Antique Powerland) which hosts the Great Oregon Steam Up the last weekend of July and the first weekend of August each year. To the best of my knowledge it went directly here after it was sold,

The Russell is an 18hp. and was next sighted at a used car lot on 82nd Ave. in Portland. Here is was getting cleaned and painted before being placed outside Steamer's Restaurant on the corner of 82nd and Sandy Blvd. in Portland. This is where it sat until 2009 when it was purchased and removed from the site after the restaurant closed in late 2008. The company selling the property saw it as a liability and was happy to get it off the property. From there it was moved to a machine shop in NW Portland and had the basic mechanics worked on along with a new set of tubes. It now resides in a private collection in Portland and while it is not cosmetically restored (it still has what's left of the canopy in your photos) it is mechanically functional and gets run occasionally. A few years back somebody broke into the building and stole the brass off of it, so an injector and a couple other things still need to be found to make it operational again.

-Kyle

I hope that this straightens out my misdirection.

I would be very happy for any further information or pictures of either of these engines.

As Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot said: "Eet was putting thee square hole een thee round peg."

Thank you for your help and patience,

Larry

The Brits are over here too, buying anything to do with steam...Phil