Oregon Electric

Locomotive #21

This electric steeple cab locomotive has come full circle

It started its life as an electric freight locomotive for the Oregon Electric Railway in 1912. It ran from Portland to Eugene and out to Forest Grove.

OE discontinued passenger service, but electric freight operations continued until 1946, and #21 was renumbered as 961. BCERwy became BC Hydro, and #961 continued to move freight into the 1970s

In 1980, the locomotive was sold to Edmonton Transit and renumbered to #2001. It was used to move materials for the expansion of Edmonton’s light rail system. The roof of the cab was lowered for the light rail tunnel.

In 1998, #2001 was retired and donated to Fort Edmonton Park for possible operation on its trolley line. However, that was not to be.

In 2014, it moved again to the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway in Cloverdale, BC. Upon its return to BC, it was renumbered back to  BCER #961. However, in 2016, the group at Fraser Valley required additional space for another BCE Interurban.

The OERHS raised the necessary funds to purchase and relocate the locomotive back to its original home in Oregon. The Oregon Electric Railway Museum is a mere stone’s throw from the original OE Line. So it’s home now.

Car Facts

Year Built: 1912

Builder: General Electric

Year Retired: OE: 1945, BC: 1970s; Edmonton: 1994

Museum Acquired: 2017

Track Gauge: Standard

Motors: 

Status: To Be Restored

Car when it was in service in Portland:

In BC Electric Colors – 1950s

In the OE Coach yards in Portland.