Oregon Pacific Railroad 602
Last Update:  July 23, 2010
Oregon Pacific Railroad No. 602
Photo on the left is courtesy of  Matt Wolford, taken in 2000 in Liberal.   Photo on the right was taken by me in May, 2002 and shows # 602 at
Liberal, in the background.
The 602 at Liberal, Oregon   Photos: August 2007
The 602 was purchased by Mr. Samuels in approximately 1994 at auction when the Oregon Pacific & Eastern Railroad closed
down and was abandoned that same year.    It is one of two surviving OP&E locomotives, which were the last two diesels to
operate on that line.    

Prior to the OP&E, it was operated by the Yreka Western RR and the Bamberger Railroad also as their 602.   Bamberger
purchased it new 1952, then sold it to the Yreka Western in 1958.   It was transfered to Yreka's sister railroad, the OP&E in
1978 and used by the OP&E through it's final days.

Build date is July, 1952, serial number 17230.

For several years after being purchased by Mr. Samuels, the 602 operated on the Molalla Branch.   By 1996, the No. 803
arrived and was put into service, augmenting the No. 801.   As the 801 and 803 operated, the No. 602 remained mostly in
back up service.   In recent years, the No. 602 has not be used and remained in storage in the Liberal Yard largely as a parts
locomotive.

Here is a photo of the 602 while it was operating on the Yreka Western in 1977.  And another from 1963.

This photo was taken of the 602 in 1986 while operating on the OP&E.
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The 602 at Liberal, Oregon   Photos: September 2008
The 602 at Liberal, Oregon   Photos: May 2009
The No. 602 has been SOLD to Western Rail.  It is now WRIX No. 602

In May of 2010, the 602 was sold to Western Rail, along with No. 803 as part of a deal to aquire the 1201/1413.  In late June,
2010, the 602 was lifted onto a flatcar and was prepared for shipment to its new owners.   It finally departed OPR property on
July 22, 2010 on its way to the new owners.

It's not known what Western Rail's plans are with the 602, but the 602 is a rebuildable core in good shape and its possible it
may get a new lease on life and serve elsewhere.   

Below are photos of the 602 and it's trucks being lifted onto flatcars in preparation for shipment to Western Rail Inc.
602 being prepped by the crane crews to lift.   Two heavy duty cranes were used to lift the entire 602 at once.  Crew briefs before job.
Cranes lift the 602 into the air, off of the trucks which were already pre-disconnected.
Trucks are pulled out from under the 602.  They will be loaded onto a separate flat car.
Trucks are set aside, 602 hangs in mid air, an 89 foot heavy duty flat car is shoved under the 602.
Installing the blocking that will shore up the 602 as it rests on the flat car.
Loading the second truck onto the flat car.
Loading the first truck onto the machine flat car.
602 rests on the flat car and is tied down.   It will be further secured prior to departing OPR property in a few weeks.
602, pictured the following weekend, July 4, 2010, at RSG Forest Products.   Further preparations will be done before it is shipped from OPR
property.
Other Photos of the No. 602
Photos of the 602 being shipped from Liberal Yard to the Canby Interchange on July 16, 2010
Photos of the 602 being shipped from Canby by the UP Oregon City Switcher on July 22, 2010
Craig Samuels Photos