Pacific Northwest Live Steamers



In 1954 Harry Harvey had a dream. He wanted to provide a park that people could go picnic watch, ride and learn about trains.

Today that dream is still alive at Shady Dell Train Park, Originally founded in 1954, Today it is one of the first railroads of this size on the west coast, it has grown from 1 to 4 acres, Because we are a train park and not an amusement park no one is ever sure what private trains will be running on Sunday "Run-Days".

No fee is collected at the entrance or to ride the trains, but all donations are graciously accepted

History
From Live Steam Magazine, June 1982


 * A little acreage and a lot of pride for the Pacific Northwest Live Steamers


 * by Harry S. Harvey and Alice Basil


 * Along a branch of the Molalla River, two miles east of Molalla, Oregon, lies Shady Dell Park, four acres of timber and track belonging to the Pacific Northwest Live Steamers.


 * Harry Harvey, originally of Portland, Oregon, acquired the first acre early in 1954, when, with the help of other Live Steam railroad enthusiasts (Eddie Maas, Alf Clancy, Ernie Middugler, Walter Beebe, Ted Hohimer, George Burton, Gene Mole, Tome Nicholson and others), he laid about 1000 feet of 1 inch scale aluminum track. They added another aluminum rail two years later, making a dual 4-3/4 inch and 7-1/2 inch gauge track.


 * In 1958, Harry acquired an adjoining acre of land, and he and his friends extended the tracks over the second acre. Two years later a disastrous flood wrapped the light aluminum tracks around the trees and washed out the bridges.  Not easily discouraged, the group replaced the rail with 3/4 inch by 3/4 inch steel flat bar pressed into rabbited ties and replaced the fills and bridges.


 * The Pacific Northwest Live Steamers Association was formed in 1963 as the group continued to add to the diminutive railroad. Harry Harvey made a gift of the track and facilities to the Club, which in turn arranged to purchase the real estate.  In 1975, the purchase of two adjoining acres brought the park to its present four acre size.  Track size has multiplied, as well, with 4000 fee of dual 4-3/4 inch and 7-1/2 inch gauge mainline, 1000 feet of single 7-1/2 inch mainline and 1500 feet of service track now in use.


 * The members have, collectively, seventy steam, four electric, and five gas-driven locomotives, three cabooses, and numerous luxury Pullman cars for riding gondolas. To fuel the locomotives, the Club has air, deironized (Ed: de-ionized?) water, coal, stove and diesel oil.  The Club's 1-1/2 inch scale work train carries a Lincoln arc welder, three rock dumping cars, a track sweeper, ties and tools to maintain a remarkable inventory at Shady Dell Park.  They have a four-stall roundhouse, a ten-stall roundhouse, a seven track car house and steaming bays.  The bridges, all over water, include a 40 foot steel and concrete bridge and a 38 foot wood and concrete bridge (both two-track), a 150 foot steel and concrete trestle, and an 18 foot replica of Burlington Northern Crooked River Bridge in Eastern Oregon.  Three turntables include one which is hydraulically operated.  Along the track are two 1-1/2 inch scale and one 1 inch scale operating water tanks and two coaling towers.  Eleven electrically operates switches control five tracks, loading stations, automatic operating block signals and automatic crossing gates, plus the bell and lights across the driveway.


 * Harry Harvey has been acting as caretaker since 1978 when he moved from Portland to the Club at Shady Dell. There he operates a machine shop capable of building almost any 1-1/2 inch scale engine or car.

1972 Meet
The following photos are from a meet held in 1972. The slides are from an eBay auction, July 2019.

1987 Meet
The following photos are from a meet held 31 July 1987. The slides are from an eBay auction.