Braemer Charitable Trust Grant: The Braemer Charitable Trust has awarded the PRPA with a $15,000 grant to repair the feedwater pump on the SP&S 700. Thank you, Braemer Chartible Trust, for your support of our favorite cultural treasure!
02/15/2023
Drummac Chris McLarney Memorial Award and Donation: Each year, Drummac recognizes one of its employees for exhibiting the characteristics of PRPA founder and former Drummac supervisor Chris McLarney by "significantly contributing to
the success of [their] team, working with integrity and passion, and... always looking for opportunities to help others along the way." The 8th annual award was announced in December 2002. In addition to a bonus and a plaque given to the awardee, Drummac makes a donation to the PRPA in honor of the winner. Thank you, Drummac, for honoring our founder in this way and for your continued support of the PRPA!
01/31/2023
The PRPA Annual Meeting will be Saturday, February 4th, 2023 at 10am. For the first time, the annual meeting will be held at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center. Please join us if you can!
01/20/2023
Preserving Oregon Grant The PRPA wishes to thank the Oregon State Parks Department for awarding us our recent Preserving Oregon grant. This $18,300 grant is a matching grant and will be used to repair the 700's feedwater pump.
08/07/2022
Oregon Parks Department Grant The PRPA is sincerely thankful to the Oregon Parks Department for their recent grant of $8,000. This grant is earmarked for bodywork and painting of the #105 Gregory Kamholz car.
06/27/2022
The SP&S 700 has passed it's hydro! The 700's boiler passed a hydrostatic pressure test with the locomotive's new super heaters installed and firebox work completed! This is a big milestone on the path back to steam.
The PRPA would like to specifically thank SP 4449 crew members Neil Ferris, Bob Frazeur, Gary Oslund and Pat Tracy for their extensive help on test day.
05/24/2022
Emery Rail Heritage Trust Grant! The Emery Rail Heritage Trust recently awarded us a $29,000 grant. Funds from this grant will be used for outfitting the SP&S 700 with new jacketing and lagging, and for a repair in the steam chest.
Thank you Emery Rail Heritage Trust for your major role in helping us to complete our FRA 1472 inspection!
03/21/2022
The PRPA Annual meeting will be Saturday, January 29th, 2022 at 10am via Zoom. The Zoom link was sent in an email to the membership on January 13th, 2022. Please join us if you can!
01/15/2022
The PRPA would like to thank the Autzen Foundation for awarding a grant in the amount of $5,000. This grant will go to install Head End Power (HEP) in the Kamholz Car (PRPX 105). Since 1951, the Autzen Foundation has supported charitable work in Oregon. Grants are awarded to smaller non-profit organizations; most often to groups involved with social services, education, environmental, arts and culture, and youth-centered missions.
03/8/2021
2021 Annual Meeting Successfully Held Online The PRPA's annual membership meeting was hosted by Zoom on Saturday January 23. It was an upbeat meeting covering our progress and successes in spite of the challenges posed by 2020. D&O elections were also completed as well as our outlook for 2021.
02/10/2021
2021 Annual Meeting Will Be ONLINE ONLY The PRPA's annual membership meeting will be held on Saturday January 23 at 9:30 am. Due to the pandemic surge, we have decided to hold the meeting only online, with no in-person event. Zoom meeting links will be sent to the email addresses we have on file. Members and guests welcome. We hope to see you "there"!
1/16/2021
2021 Annual Meeting Announced The PRPA's annual membership meeting will be held on Saturday January 23 at 9:30 am at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center (click here for directions). Our facility is large enough for social distancing, but we are setting up a Zoom meeting for those who prefer to attend from home. Members and guests welcome. We hope to see you there!
11/27/2020
Emery Rail Heritage Trust Grant The Emery Rail Heritage Trust and the Pacific Railroad Preservation Association are pleased to announce the award of a special mid-year grant of $35,000 to complete the boiler inspection and repair for the 4-8-4 SP&S 700. Thank you Emery Rail Heritage Trust!
8/10/2020
Oregon Cultural Trust Grant The Oregon Cultural Trust has awarded the PRPA a grant of $12,869 to continue the 15-year rebuild and restoration of the SP&S 700, an important piece of history and cultural attraction. Thank you Oregon Cultural Trust and citizens or Oregon!
8/10/2020
2020 Annual Meeting Announced The PRPA's annual membership meeting will be held on Saturday, January 25, at 10am. The venue will once again be the Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 Southwest Capitol Highway, Portland (see map at lowe-right or click here to view a larger map or get directions). Members and guests welcome. Hope to see you there!
Preserving Oregon Grant Awarded The Oregon Parks & Recreation Department's State Historic Preservation Office offers matching grants for rehabilitation work that supports the preservation of historic resources listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The PRPA was once again awarded their Preserving Oregon Grant in the amount of $20,000 for the purpose of rebuilding the boiler of the SP&S 700! We greatly appreciate this grant, and thank the State of Oregon for their support of the SP&S 700. Because it is a matching grant, we need you, our friends, to demonstrate their support for this cultural and historical project by making donations or volunteering their time. Now is your time!7/11/2019
NPRHA Grant Awarded The Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association awards a limited number of grants in the areas of railway history and the preservation of railway heritage including structures, publications, research and educational projects. This year they have chosen to help us with the SP&S 700's boiler rebuild. Thank you NPRHA!
6/5/2019
NRHS Heritage Grant Awarded The National Railway Historical Society supports train, railway and station preservation projects with hundreds of thousands of dollars awarded in Heritage Grants, as well as education, photographic archives, events, publishing, standards definition and shared resources. This year, they awarded the PRPA with a grant of $8,000 to rebuild the two air pumps used in the locomotive braking system of the SP&S 700. Thank you NRHS!
In addition to their grant to the PRPA, the NRHS awarded a grant of another $8,000 to the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation for the refurbishment and installation at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center (our home!) of the 102 ft. turntable that was saved from the former Southern Pacific Brooklyn roundhouse. Thanks again NRHS!!
3/28/2019
The PRPA Annual Meeting Announced The PRPA's annual membership meeting will be held on Saturday, January 5, at 10am. As in recent years, the venue will be the Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 Southwest Capitol Highway, Portland (see map below right). Members and guests welcome. Hope to see you there!
12/5/2018
Remember the 700 during Donation Season! As the tax year comes to a close and Christmas reminds us to be generous, please consider showing some love the SP&S 700 by donating to the PRPA. The 15 year rebuild is going great, but there is still much to do and much to buy to get her running again. This is your chance to be part of the team that keeps The Lady running long into the future! And if you do give, remember to check if your employer will match so you can multiply your impact.
12/5/2018
Support the SP&S 700 While You Shop at Amazon Did you know that your purchases at Amazon can help maintain and operate the SP&S 700 locomotive? Amazon donates a portion of their profits to us whenever you shop through the AmazonSmile link below. You will still receive the same great prices, discounts and free shipping that you are used to and you'll get the same prices, so please consider bookmarking and using the following link for all of your Amazon shopping: smile.amazon.com/ch/93-0884555.
11/7/2018
Major milestone in the 15-year inspection is completed! The PRPA has completed all ultrasonic thickness testing of the boiler and firebox! This is a huge task and the locomotive is found to be in great shape overall.
9/8/2018
The PRPA Annual Meeting is Announced The PRPA's annual membership meeting will be held on Saturday, January 20, at 10am. As in recent years, the venue will be the Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 Southwest Capitol Highway, Portland (see map below right). Members and guests welcome. Hope to see you there!
1/8/2018
Oregon Trust Grant! The PRPA has received a giant boost from the Oregon Cultural Trust for the SP&S 700 steam locomotive rebuild/inspection project, supplying $17,818 towards work done through August 2018!
11/12/2017
Major New Grant! The PRPA has been awarded a grant of $17,818 by the Oregon Cultural Trust for the SP&S 700's rebuild!
8/22/2017
Intel Matches Employee Giving! Intel matched a $900 donation to the PRPA from one of its employees through its Benevity matching system! Thank you, Intel!! Will your employer also match donations? If so, can you give a little more to multiply your impact? Said our donor, "I sponsored a superheater early in 2016 and just figured I'd pick another one up in 2017, but when I found out that Intel would match, I knew I had to ask myself (and my wife) if I could dig a little deeper. Happily she agreed, and the 700 is getting double the benefit!"
3/29/2017
PRPA Annual Meeting The PRPA Annual Membership Meeting was held on February 11th, 2017, at the Multnomah Arts Center. As a result of membership elections, Mark Siegel returns as a Director and Randy Woehl is elected as a new Director for the PRPA. Congratulations, gentlemen!
2/11/2017
Annual Meeting Rescheduled The PRPA Annual Membership Meeting will be held on February 11th, 2017, starting at 10:00am at the Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 SW Capitol Highway, Portland (same as previous years). ALL ARE WELCOME!! Click here to view a map or get directions.1/17/2017
$20,000 Matching Grant Offered!!!! Al Baker—member of the PRPA and ORHF, among other railroad organizations--has offered the PRPA an extraordinary private matching grant of $20,000!!!! Said Al, "I love Portland's locomotives, and feel it is very important they are preserved for future generations. The SP&S 700 is certainly one of the premier large steam locomotives in the country. I truly admire and appreciate all the efforts of the PRPA members who work to preserve and keep her running." Thank you, Al, for your unbelievable generosity!!! This our second match grant, and we still have a long way to go to meet our first one. We really need your support now to take advantage of these stupendous opportunities. Please donate, join, or sponsor a superheater now!!
12/12/2016
Another Grant Awarded!!!! The BNSF Foundation has donated $5000 to assist us in the 1472-day boiler inspection and rebuild for the SP&S 700! It is through gifts like this that we are able to maintain this beautiful piece of history and to preserve it for future generations. You too can join with BNSF in contributing to the SP&S 700's boiler rebuild campaign by sponsoring a superheater, becoming a member, or by making another donation of your choosing. Thank you BNSF Railway for this grant and for all of your support thoughout the years!!!
11/01/2016
The last of the superheaters are out. Next up: ultrasonic testing of the boiler while new superheaters are built.
09/22/2016
HUGE State Grant Awarded!! The PRPA has been awarded the Preserving Oregon Grant in the generous amount of $20,000 for the SP&S 700's boiler rebuild and inspection! We are extremely appreciative for the State of Oregon's offer to support the continued operation of the SP&S 700. This a matching grant, though, so we also need you to demonstrate your support in order to earn the full extent of the State's help for this monumental cultural and historical project. Please donate now!!
06/21/2016
Grant Awarded!!!! We are excited to announce that the Tom E. Dailey Foundation has awarded a $2500 grant toward the SP&S 700's boiler restoration! The PRPA is very pleased to be honored with this award, the Foundation's only grant this quarter for railroad heritage, and we heartily thank the Tom E. Dailey Foundation for their generosity. And thanks to all of you who have already chosen to support the 700.
5/27/2016
Work Progressing Steadily on the SP&S 700's Boiler Rebuild: PRPA volunteers are making good progress in preparing the engine for the FRA 1472-day inspection. All of the jacketting and lagging has been removed from the boiler, exposing the shell. The steam dome and the hatch over the superheater header and throttle have also been removed. Come on down to the Oregon Rail Heritage Center during our Saturday work days (ORHC is closed during our Wednesday sessions) to watch the progress. While you're there, introduce yourself to any of our crew to see how you can help. And you don't have to wait for the weekend to learn more about the project and support the engine... just visit the 2016 ReBuilding Steam page!
3/3/2016
The SP&S 700's Boiler Rebuild is officially underway! PRPA volunteers took the first steps to disassemble our favorite steam locomotive's boiler in preparation for the FRA 1472-day inspection. Visit our 2016 ReBuilding Steam page to learn about the project and lend your support to the engine!
2/6/2016
The PRPA launched the SP&S 700's boiler rebuild fundraising campaign as its Annual Meeting at the Multnomah Arts Center.
1/23/2016
The Oregon Pacific Railroad and the Pacific Railroad Preservation Association will be running the Chris McLarney Memorial Train on Sunday, November 29, at 2:00 pm in honor of the late PRPA founder. As is only fitting, the SP&S 700 will lead the train from the Oregon Rail Heritage Center, current home of the Lady, to Oaks Park, in which she rested when Chris first started dreaming of restoring her to service. Seating is limited to Chris's family and close personal friends (who are encouraged to indicate their intention to attend on our facebook page for the event), but the public is more than welcome to share in this celebration of Chris's life and accomplishments trackside.
11/23/2015
The SP&S 700 comes due later this year for the 15-year/1472-service-day boiler inspection mandated by the FRA's "Steam Locomotive Inspection and Maintenance Standards" CFR49 Part 230. In anticipation of this major project, we take a look at the last rebuild on a new web page. Reach it by clicking here or by going to the Gallery and selecting the "Photo/Video Essays" link near the top (which is also new).
6/7/2015
The PRPA is proud to celebrate 25 Years in Steam with the SP&S 700! The first steam-up after restoration occurred on May 15, 1990, and the Lady&s made her first test run to Longview, WA, about a month later, on June 13.
6/7/2015
Several years ago, the SP&S 700 was inspected by a recognized expert in steam locomotive operation and mechanics at the request of Amtrak. Though the engine had been passing the annual FRA certifications for decades (and has continued to do so), the detailed inspection turned up several additional needed repairs. In the ensuing years, the PRPA not only completed all the identified repairs, but also disassembled, inspected, and rebuilt every component of the running gear "back to blueprint." We are happy and proud to announce that in November 2014, the engine was re-inspected by the same individual and declared safe to operate on any railroad. Most of the repairs were related to wear which undoubtedly arose in the locomotive's final years in regular service in the 1950s, so in some ways this effort may be seen as the final stages of "restoration." Without a doubt, the "First Lady of the Northwest" is in the best shape she's been in for more than 60 years!5/30/2015
The SP&S 700 once again performed admirably for four consecutive weekends this winter, working as the sole power for the ORHF Holiday Express trains while SP 4449 continues it's 15-year rebuild and also entertaining railroad employees and the general public at BNSF's Holiday Party in Vancouver, WA, on Dec. 20.
12/30/2014
The dates have been set for ORHF's Holiday Express. The event will again span the three weekends immediately following Thanksgiving - Nov 28-30, Dec 5-7, and Dec 12-14. Make plans for your family to join Santa and his helpers on a fun and leisurely jaunt aboard vintage railcars pulled by the SP&S 700 along the Willamette River on the Oregon Pacific Railroad. Tickets are on sale now at TicketsWest. We hope to see you there!
10/23/2014
BNSF's annual holiday celebration in Vancouver, WA, will be held on December 20. Bring the kids to see Santa, pay a visit to the 700's cab, and donate a toy in support of the USMC's Toys for Tots drive!
10/23/2014
Make plans to attend the PRPA's annual business meeting, Saturday, January 10. The meeting will start at 10am and will include elections, a review of 2014, a peak at next year, and a multimedia show. The public is welcome to attend.
10/20/2014
The Lerro Productions charter went very well, with engineer Abney putting on a great show with the SP&S 700 for the dozens happy participating photographers. The 700 performed MANY snappy run-bys in both daylight and evening with the PRPA crew car, the Friends of the 4449's Travelers Rest, and the OPR's Santa Rosa, as well as some static roster poses and poses with our vintage-looking crew. Special thanks to the OPR's Dick Samuels, Brian McCamish, and crew, the several ORHF volunteers who helped us host the event, and the Friends of the 4449.
10/17/2014
Lerro Productions has arranged a photo shoot featuring the SP&S 700 steaming around the ORHF enginehouse and the OP interchange yard on Tuesday, October 14. This is a private shoot (no tresspassing!), but there are still several openings left. For more information or to purchase tickets go to http://www.lerroproductions.com/photo-charters/upcoming-charters/oregon2014. We hope to see you there!
10/7/2014
The Northwest Steam Rodeo Special mainline excursion planned for September 12 has been cancelled due to insufficient ticket sales. Those who have already purchased tickets will be receiving a full refund soon. We apologize for any inconveniences this cancellation may have caused. We are currently considering other possible events that the public and fans of the SP&S 700 might enjoy.
6/29/2014
National Train Day at Portland Union Station was once again a big success. The SP&700 was joined by NTD newcomer Nickel Plate 190, an Alco-GE PA, as well as many other historic and modern items of rolling stock.
5/11/2013
Northwest Steam Rodeo Special: The PRPA is pleased to announce the Northwest Steam Rodeo Special, a main line excursion from Portland to Pasco and return on September 10-12, 2014. The three day event begins at Portland Union Station with the SP&S 700 pulling a train of restored vintage passenger cars out of the station toward Pasco, Washington. Once at Pasco, Happy Canyon staff will treat passengers to a winery dinner. The next day, passengers will be bused to Pendleton to attend the Pendleton Round-Up and the Happy Canyon Night Show. On the final day, passengers will again be met at their hotels and returned to the train for a morning departure back to Portland. Dome, compartment, lounge, and coach seating are offered. Please visit the Northwest Steam Rodeo Special page for more details or to buy tickets.
2/10/2014
This Saturday, December 21, the SP&S 700 will once again be bringing Santa to BNSF's Holiday Party in Vancouver, WA (next to the Amtrak station). Bring the kids to see Santa, pay a visit to the 700's cab, and donate a toy in support of the USMC's Toys for Tots drive. We hope to see you there.
12/19/2013
Holiday Express has been a great success once again this year. Crowds of people came out to see the SP&S 700, and the engine performed perfectly. Thanks to all who came out to see us, to everyone who volunteered with ORHF, and to those members of the 4449 crew who helped us out by taking on a few shifts of overnight guard duty.
12/19/2013
Make plans to attend the PRPA's annual business meeting, Saturday, January 4. The meeting will start at 10am and will include elections, a review of 2013, a peak at 2014, and a multimedia show. The public is welcome to attend.
12/19/2013
Holiday Express is under way behind the SP&S 700. Come on down to Portland's Oaks Amusement Park to see us run. Visit the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation website for more details or get your tickets at TicketsWest.com. We hope to see you there!
11/29/2013
Tickets go on sale today for ORHF's Holiday Express excursions! This year's event will span three weekends - Nov 29-Dec 1, Dec 6-8, and Dec 13-15 - and the SP&S 700 will lead all the trains. Make plans for your family to join Santa and his helpers on a fun and leisurely jaunt on the Oregon Pacific along the Willamette River aboard vintage railcars.
10/1/2013
The Antique Powerland Museum is holding the 43rd annual Great Oregon Steam Up July 27 & 28 and August 3 & 4 in Brooks, OR. Bring the whole family down to enjoy this fun, interesting, and educational event. The PRPA concessions team will be in front of the Willow Creek Railroad to offer SP&S 700 paraphernalia and other railroad-related items. We hope to see you there!
07/24/2013
Union Pacific announced plans yesterday to restore Big Boy #4014 after reaching an agreement with the Southern California Chapter - Railway & Locomotive Historical Society in Pomona, CA, to reacquire the massive locomotive. Bravo and good luck in this immense undertaking!
07/24/2013
The SP&S 700 had a very successful outing to Portland Union Station for National Train Day last Saturday. The Lady was even featured in a TRAINS news wire article: http://trn.trains.com/en/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire.
05/13/2013
National Train Day is back on for Portland this year! The SP&S 700 will be steamed up and on display, and we hope to see you all down at Union Station on May 11!
03/16/2013
Unfortunately, Amtrak will not be holding a National Train Day celebration in Portland this year.
03/02/2013
Last month we had reported that the SP&S 700 would be attending Amtrak's National Train Day celebration in Portland. This announcement turned out to be premature as, due to some coordination and logistical issues involving Amtrak, it has not been fully confirmed that Portland will be included in the festivities. We apologize for any confusion our previous announcement may have caused and will keep you apprised of decisions as we become aware of them.
02/02/2013
The SP&S 700 will steam up and run to Union Station to join in Amtrak's National Train Day celebration on Saturday, May 12. We're very excited to attend and we hope you'll be there too!
01/24/2013
The PRPA's annual business meeting is less than two weeks away, 10am till noon, January 12, at the Multnomah Arts Center. The meeting will include elections for directors & officers, a vote on a proposed by-laws change, and a video presentation recapping a very successful year for the PRPA. The meeting is open to members and their personal guests, but if you are not a member and would like to join you can do so online on our Contribute page or at the door. Thanks to all who made 2012 the great year it was!
01/01/2013
The SP&S 700 will be bringing Santa Claus to BNSF's Holiday Celebration next to the Amtrak station in Vancouver, WA, with arrival at about 11:00. See The Columbian's article to learn more about this fun and festive public event, and don't forget to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to the USMC's "Toys for Tots" program. 12/14/2012
The first of ORHF's Holiday Express Trains leaves the station tomorrow!! The SP&S 700 will be leading the trains this first weekend,
Friday Nov. 30 through Sunday Dec. 2, on 40 min. excursions departing from Oaks Amusement Park.
Visit the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation website for more details or get your
tickets at TicketsWest.com. We hope to see you there! 11/29/2012
The first of ORHF's Holiday Express Trains is less than two weeks away!! The SP&S 700 will be leading the train on the first weekend,
Friday Nov. 30 through Sunday Dec. 2, on 40 min. excursions departing from Oaks Amusement Park.
Visit the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation website for more details or get your
tickets at TicketsWest.com. We hope to see you there! 11/11/2012
The PRPA Annual Business Meeting will held on January 14 from 10am till 1pm. The venue will once again be the Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 Southwest Capitol Highway, Portland. 11/11/2012
The grand opening of the Oregon Rail Heritage Center will be Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 22-23 from 10am-5pm. Come see the SP&S 700, SP 4449, and OR&N 197 in their sleek new home and enjoy prizes, live music, activities for the kids, and light refreshments! Because our opening is timed to coincide with the inauguration of Portland Streetcar's brand new "Central Loop" (Sept 22 at 10am), you can even take their new train to see our old trains. See the web pages of the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation and Portland Streetcar for more information. 9/12/2012
The deed is done! The SP&S 700 made the trip from the Brooklyn Roundhouse to our new home at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center yesterday, June 26th,
in a train powered by Alco RSD-5 DLMX 324 (in Nickel Plate paint).
Also in the distinguished consist were PA DLMX 190, OR&N 197 (looking great after a lot of reassembly this year), SP 4449 (the famous Daylight), a few passenger cars (including the PRPA crew car), and our auxiliary tender. 6/27/2012
In the next few weeks, the SP&S 700, SP 4449, and OR&N 197 will be leaving the Brooklyn Roundhouse for their new home at the
Oregon Rail Heritage Center currently under construction. Jim Wrinn, Editor of TRAINS magazine, came out for a visit and posted an
article on the TRAINS website about a month ago. The PRPA and the other groups are very busy packing up all our gear, equipment,
spare parts and materials, and we’re all excited about the new facility. See photos and more about the move and about construction progress on the
ORHC facility on our Facebook page. 6/12/2012
The PRPA Annual Business Meeting was held at the Multnomah Arts Center in Portland, OR, with very good member attendance and participation. Steve Sedaker was elected Vice President, and all other officers and directors held their seats. 1/14/2012
Our Annual Business Meeting will be at the Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 Southwest Capitol Highway, Portland, OR, on January 14, 10am-1pm. The event will include a review of the year's events and elections of officers and directors and is open to all members and their guests. 12/13/2011
We had a great time at this year's Holiday Express, and the SP&S 700 performed quite well. BNSF's Holiday Celebration also went off without a hitch! We hope those of you who saw us had a good time, and we hope to see those who couldn't make it on our next outing. 12/13/2011
The SP&S 700 is leading the Holiday Express train in Portland Oaks Park this weekend (Dec 2-4)!
Visit the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation website for more details or
to volunteer, or get your
tickets at TicketsWest.com. We hope to see you there! 11/27/2011
Amtrak's 40th anniversary exhibit train will be stopping in Portland on Oct 29-30 as part of its nationwide tour. The four-car train features historical memorabilia showcasing rail travel through the decades. Attendance is free and open to the public from 10am to 4pm each day. Kids can also visit the Chuggington Depot activity area. The PRPA and several other groups will be present to help manage the event and offer concessions. Explore amtrak40th.com for further details. 10/12/2011
Crater, long time friend and associate of the three locomotive groups at the Brooklyn Roundhouse, passed away Monday morning. Crater served for over 16 years as full-time custodian of the roundhouse, tour guide, VP of pest control, and overseer of maintenance and restoration efforts of the City of Portland's three locomotives. She will be missed! 10/12/2011
The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation (ORHF) has announced the Groundbreaking of its Enginehouse and Rail Heritage Center on Friday, October 21, at 11:30am and everyone is invited! This will be the new home of the SP&S 700, SP 4449, and OR&N 197. See the ORHF website for details and to RSVP. 10/11/2011
The PRPA is very pleased to announce two new excursions for 2011! First, the SP&S 700 will be pulling ORHF's Holiday Express train December 2-4 from Portland's Oaks Park. We hope to see you there! The following weekend the Lady will then steam over the river to attend BNSF's Employee Holiday party in Vancouver, WA. 09/10/2011
A new public events calendar is available on the Events page.
The former events page content has been combined with the photo search page to create a new Gallery page, which will be further expanded in the near future.
Be sure to update your links! 05/27/2011
PRPA crew members attended National Train Day at Portland Union Station to answer questions and help keep everyone safe,
while sister locomotive Southern Pacific #4449 was onsite to represent the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation.
This year's turnout was the biggest yet! 05/07/2011
The PRPA is now able to accept membership dues and donations online with PayPal or a credit card.
Visit our Contribute page to join or lend a hand! 04/14/2011
National Train Day is Saturday, May 7!
Southern Pacific #4449 will be at Portland Union Station to represent the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation this year,
and PRPA members will be among the volunteer staff on hand to answer questions and help keep everyone safe.
PRPA concessions will also be available. Admission is free and entertainment and prizes are available, so be sure to take part in this popular event! 04/09/2011
New Gallery Photo Search page is launched. Click here or the new link on the main menu above to
check it out. 03/02/2011
PRPA annual meeting held at Multnomah Arts Center, with new president and board selected. 02/05/2011
After an intense and sustained effort spanning most of the year, a major milestone in PRPA's project to rehabilitate the auxiliary tender was reached when the tender's frame was placed on its newly restored trucks.
There is still work to do, but the tender's "rollable" status came in time to save it from the scrapper's torch.
Union Pacific placed a 1/1/2011 deadline to clear the area where the auxiliary tender stood so they could expand their intermodal facility. 12/30/2010
PRPA elections meeeting held at Staver Locomotive in Portland. 01/30/2010
SP&S swap meet on Jan 23, 2010 will feater PRPA concessions 01/17/2010
A new DVD featuring the SP&S 700 operating as part of the 1990 Washington Steamfest has been released. View the description or purchase a copy from Concessions. 12/15/2009
The SP&S 700 will lead the 2009 Holiday Express December 4-6 and will attend the annual BNSF Employee appreciation event in Vancouver on December 12. 11/24/2009
A "v-scale" SP&S 700 model for RailWorks rail simulator has been offered for sale by G-TraX Simulations as part of its "Preservation Series" of offerings. Net proceeds from the sale of this model will be donated to the PRPA for the continued preservation of the 700. View the G-TraX website for details or to make a purchase. 08/26/2009
2009 PRPA Annual Membership Meeting held in the crew car 09/26/2009
PRPA membership dues change to $40/year. 01/12/2009
PRPA Supports Earth Day 2006 on the Oregon Pacific Railroad 04/24/2006
Following an effort spearheaded by Arnie Holden, the U.S. Department of the Interior has added the SP&S 700 to the National Register of Historic Places! Click here to see the full announcement. 01/25/2006
PRPA Receives $10,000 award from TRAINS Magazine 11/01/2004
Shannon family donates a main boiler steam gauge from their late father's collection to replace the one stolen from the locomotive. View the letter of donation and a biography of Bill Shannon. Our sincere thanks and condolences go out to Harold and his family. 08/30/2004