Bradley-Woodard Logging Co.

The two things this article is missing are any historical photos of the Bradley-Woodard Railroad and additional information. If you know of any
additional photos or information that you can share or give me a lead to follow, I would sincerely appreciate it. To best of my knowledge, this
article is the only major source of history on the Bradley-Woolard Logging Co. and I would like it to be as complete as possible.
Email me.

Please note that logging and railroad items found in the woods are rare historical artifacts. We believe that they should not be scavenged for personal use. It is our
policy to discover, record and photograph artifacts, but leave behind what we find, unless the artifact will be put in a museum or on public display. We ask that you
respect this as well in an effort to preserve our history.

Last Update: November 17, 2006

The Remains of an Abandoned Shay

I have decided to not make the exact location of the Shay water tank and other remains public or at least too obvious on the website. That doesn't mean I won't
disclose the location. Simply email me if you are really interested in knowing where it is.   I only ask that you assure me that you will not remove artifacts or
significantly disturb the site.

In the woods are the remains of a Lima Shay Locomotive. They include a fully intact water tank, the crushed remains of an air tank a bits and
pieces scattered above and below ground in the general area of the tank. The major components, frame, trucks, boiler and cab all appear to
be gone.   Locomotive tender water tanks are not entirely uncommon in the woods. Many were used in logging camps to store water, or to
supply water for steam donkeys. What makes this tank unique that is that I'm confident it's the remains of a wrecked Shay that was scrapped
here at this site.

The Shay tank was probably known by the occasional hunter that explored this area in years past, but it would be revealed for all to see when
loggers cut the area a few years ago. They notifed the Oregon Department of Forestry, who's land it was located on and they made note of it
as well as few other historical remains in the area.    However, it was Lloyd Biddlecome who found the tank and then told me about it.

The water tank is from a Shay Locomotive. Based on measurements, it appears to be a 1560 gallon standard Shay water tank that most
likely came from a class 37-2 Lima Shay. (37 tons, 2 trucks.)   These particular Shays were built between 1903 and 1907 with the 1560
gallon water tank.    Special Thanks to George R. Kadelak and Rick Henderson of Shay Locomotives.com for the info.

Unfortunately, we haven't been able to determine which Shay was scrapped here.

The Bradley Company did employ three Shays in his Cathlamet, Washington operation through the mid 1920s.   Serial numbers 671, 1631,
and 2176.    However, none of them appear to have operated on either the Oregon T & L Co. or Bradley-Woodard Nicolai Mountain area line.
They were all transferred over to Crown Willamette when they took over his logging operation and remained in Washington State.

Kramer Adams Logging Railroads of the West indicates the Bradley-Woodard Company owned 3 geared locomotives. We know that
Bradley-Woodard Co took ownership of at least one and possibly two locomotives from the Oregon T & L Co.   Shaylocomotives.com
indicates that Shay serial number 1742, a 1906 class B 45 ton Shay was owned by the Oregon T & L Co. and was transferred to the
Bradley-Woodard company in 1931. However, it survived and was sold to the Standard Logging Company in Cochran, Oregon in 1939 at the
end of the Bradley-Woodard operations. Also the tank's dimensions do not match up with one of that class, so it has been ruled out as the
likely Shay that this tank came from. The most likely candidate is the second Shay was the originally employed by the Oregon Timber &
Lumber Co. But so far, we haven't been able to find any information on it's shop number or history.

I've gone over the online records of Shaylocomotives.com and so far have come up with nothing conclusive.   As far what happened to this
Shay, that is also somewhat of a mystery, but there's one possibility. Robert Snyder told me that when he was a kid, Blanche Bradley, the
wife of Fred Bradley, told him that a Shay locomotive dropped through a trestle and caused a bit of a delay in the logging operation.   While
details are lacking, the accident sounds like it fell through a low level trestle and that nobody was killed.    This could be consistent with the
tank shown here as damage to the tank is minimal. However, the Shay might have sustained enough overall damage to warrant scrapping it
out on site.   That might explain why the water tank, air tank and smaller pieces were left behind in the woods.    The rest being taken down
the mountain to its final resting spot in a scrap yard somewhere.

Many people have suggested that the Shay tank may simply have been brought up here from a locomotive scrapped elsewhere, having
nothing to do with the Bradley-Woodard locomotives, to hold water for the camp here.   That's certainly a plausible explaination, but the other
parts that surround the tank, including the airtank, smaller bits and pieces and information that an additional tank (most likely the oil tank)
used to be located here before being stolen by a scrap dealer 10-20 years ago, all indicate a locomotive was in fact scrapped here on site.

Drawing showing the approximate dimensions of the Shay water tank. It's been suggested this might be a 1560 gallon Shay tank from a
37-2 class Shay.

This is the Shay water tank. Everything that I can see confirms that it is a tank from a 2 truck Shay, however if anyone can shed any additional light or correct me,
please Email Me. Photos: September, 2005

Rust has definitely taken its toll over the 70 years or so since its been abandoned. In the first photo, a lip on the side curtain is all but rusted away. In the next
picture shows one of the brackets that held the tank to the frame of the locomotive. The middle photo shows what appears to be the fitting hole where the water
was pumped from the tank into the boiler. The next photo shows the rear headlight brackets. The final photo is rather interesting. I lifted up a board that was
lying on top of the tank to find that underneath was soaked in fuel oil or creosote. Photos: September, 2005

The fill lid was nowhere to be found. I noted a couple of interesting things.   First, the tank was not full of water, although a few inches appeared to still exist at the
bottom of the tank. It obviously leaks now.   Second, the tank wasn't full of dirt, or debris.   I stuck the camera inside the tank and shot these photos which show the
cross bracing and baffles built inside the tank when it was originally made.   Photos: September, 2005

The left photo shows the front mounting bracket of the tank where it used to bolt to the frame. The intereting part is that the tank mounting bracket was either
broken off or torched off. It was not just unbolted. Further indicating that it was part of a wrecked locomotive. This break in the fill neck was also kind of
interesting. I'm not sure what could have cause this. Something crashing down on it perhaps, like pieces of a trestle?
Photos: February, 2006

The eye bolt in the side curtain in the left photo was kind of strange. It's not regular equipment. It was installed by the loggers who used this Shay, but for what?
The middle photo shows the auxilery fill pipe inside the tank that was standard Shay equipment. This allowed the water tank to also be filled from under the tank
such as from a Creek, or low level water source.
Photos: February, 2006

We noticed metal object sticking out of the ground near the Shay tank. At first we had no idea what it was, but after digging around it, the shape became more
clear.   It is likely the remains of a locomotive air tank.   Just like the one that would normally be found hung on the side of a Shay locomotive.    At some point, the
tank had rusted and was crushed, with the end, seen here, folded over on itself.   Finding this in addition to other small parts highly suggests that the Shay water
tank wasn't brought up here to be used as a water tank. It was most likely scrapped up here on site after a wreck.   Photos: September, 2005

Another picture of the air tank taken a few months later.
Photos: February, 2006

Near the airtank we found this spike. One of several in the area. In the right photo, you can see that same spike (pictured right) next to a modern day railroad spike
after it was cleaned off of all it's rust. In keeping with our motto to never take anything for ourselves, we plan to donate this spike to a local museum in honor of
the Bradley-Woodard Railroad and Logging Company.
Photos: February, 2006

If anyone has any further information or pictures related to this article and railroad, please
let me know. You can Email me anytime. Thanks.

Copyright © 2005, 2006 Brian McCamish, All Rights Reserved

Note about the photos on this site:
Most photos were taken by me, except for those that are otherwise indicated.   I usually allow people to use my photos for personal use or
websites. Simply Email me.   I may not have authority to grant permission regarding some photos that were only loaned to me by others
specifically for this website.   Every effort has been made not to include other's photos without the proper permission and credits, however, if
you see any photos which belong to you and that I don't have permission to use, I apologize.   If you send me an Email, I will remove the
photos immediately or give proper credit, which ever you wish.

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This is currently a 3 part Article

Part 1....History of the Bradley-Woodard Logging Company & Historical photos
Part 2....The abandoned railroad grades
Part 3....The Abandoned Shay remains & loco roster

R eturn to Part 2, The Abandoned Railroad Grades

R eturn to Part 1, History of the Bradley-Woodard Logging Co.

Locomotive Roster

The Oregon T & L Co. also appears to have owned and operated at least two Climax locomotive on the Nicolai Mtn area.
Serial number 1163 and 1221. Its not clear if the 1163 was used by the Bradley-Woodard Co., but 1221 was.    It also
appears that Bradley-Woodard owned a Willamette Locomotive, serial number 28, which was later sold to the Stimson
Lumber Company in 1942.   Thanks to Eileen Brazil for that information. And finally, it appears they also owned a 1916
75 ton Hiesler, shop number 1349, which was later sold JH Chambers & Sons. Thanks to Jim Hays for that info.
However, this tank doesn't appear to belong to any of those locomotives either.