A Brief History: Pacific Northwest Chapter
National Railway Historical Society
The following items highlight the 50+ years of PNWC activity. It is the intent of the Board of Directors to continue to maintain and publish this list, forward updates to any Board member.
| 1959 | Members help build the Portland (now Oregon) Zoo Railway steam locomotive Oregon designed by Chapter member George Burton to help celebrate Oregon's Centennial. First Portland Zoo Railway trip June 9th. |
| 1965 | Incorporated, State of Oregon, July 21st, by Miln D. Gillespie, Walter R. Grande, & John (Jack) M. Holst. |
| 1965 | Hosts the first west coast NRHS annual convention that included a field trip to Oaks Pioneer Park to view Portland Park Bureau's transportation exhibit (UP 3203, SP 4449 & SP&S 700) & a rail fan trip to Seaside. |
| 1966 | First public excursion, Portland to Goldendale, 253 miles, $6.95 adult, $3.95 child. |
| 1968 | Offices established in Portland's Union Station. |
| 1968 | August 27th, Chapter receives Determination Letter from the IRS granting 501(c)(3) Educational Charity tax-exempt status. |
| 1969 | Railcon '69, 3rd annual NW (Northwest) railfan conference hosted by PNWC and Pacific Northwest Live Steamers. |
| 1971 | Major restoration work begun on Stimson Lumber Company's #1 42-ton 2-truck Shay Peggy damaged by the 1964 Old Forestry Building fire, subsequently moved to Oaks Park. Hydrostatic test passed in May. Moved and given in 1972 to Western (now World) Forestry Center. Peggy was also damaged in 1939 Tillamook Forest fire. |
| 1972 | Emperor of the North Pole filmmakers enlist the Chapter's help to locate 1930's era rail cars. |
| 1972 | BN (Burlington Northern Railroad) celebrates donation of SP&S Mount Hood #600 & #76 baggage/dorm cars, at June 16th Union Station ceremony. |
| 1972 | Junction City centennial commemorated with PNWC co-sponsored display of railroad development materials. |
| 1973 | Peggy, former Stimson Lumber Company Shay locomotive, June 2nd ceremony celebrating permanent display at WFC (World Forestry Center). |
| 1973 | BN donates several SP&S, GN (Great Northern Railway), NP (Northern Pacific Railway) and OE (Oregon Electric Railway) emblem signs from various bridges & Burlington Oregon station sign. |
| 1973 | UP 1887 Albina smokestack designated Portland historical landmark as referred by Landmarks Commission & Chapter. |
| 1974 | Thousands of hours of volunteer labor restoring the SP 4449 for the American Freedom Train. |
| 1974 | Board of Vernonia, South Park and Sunset Railroad donates $25 per month for 12 months toward office rent. |
| 1975 | Baggage-dormitory car #76 leased to American Freedom Train Foundation & will be the SP 4449 crew car. |
| 1975 | Portland's SP 4449 restored to operation and with PNWC #76 baggage-dormitory car goes to Chicago to join the American Freedom Train. |
| 1978 | Hosted the NRHS annual convention “inter/rail78” which included excursions to Yakima, Seattle, & B.C. |
| 1979 | SP 4449 & PNWC #76 at Swan Island for Oregon Transportation Week celebration. |
| 1980 | Chapter 25th Anniversary celebrated with Airport Holiday Inn banquet March 21st. |
| 1981 | Excursion pulled by SP 4449 to Sacramento for the grand opening of the California State Railroad Museum. |
| 1981 | SP 4449-Railfair Sacramento Slide Show, Lloyd Center Auditorium. |
| 1981 | SPMW 328 Flanger (wood body) donated by Southern Pacific Transportation Company. |
| 1983 | Organized the 75th anniversary of the SP&S Golden Spike; special train, ceremony & sign at Sheridan's Point. |
| 1983 | Membership authorizes $1.10 million on July 15th for SP 4449 restoration and trip to Louisiana World's Fair |
| 1984 | SP 4449 7,477 mile 51-day excursion to Louisiana World's Fair in New Orleans with cars Mount Hood & 3300 |
| 1984 | Chapter joins with Oregon Association of Railway Passengers to restore neon UNION STATION / GO BY TRAIN signs on Union Station clock tower. Signs originally installed 1948, turned off 1971 |
| 1985 | See the Neon Be On! Union Station clock tower September 20th neon sign restoration dedication. |
| 1985 | Special SP train to Toledo with 3300 containing Walt Grande picture display celebrating 100th anniversary of the first passenger train arrival. |
| 1985 | American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners hosted at Union Station, passenger sheds restored. |
| 1985 | Chapter supports proposal to City of Portland from Pacific Railroad Preservation Association (PRPA) to be designated the official custodian of the SP&S 700 and UP 3203 (OR&N 197). |
| 1985 | Deschutes River Rail Excursion, day 1 passenger count 800 |
| 1986 | SP 4449 & 3300 used in the movie Tough Guys starring Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster. |
| 1986 | First Day of Light Rail Operation, September 5th, celebrated with NRHS-TriMet special envelope and USPS cancellation. |
| 1986 | Chapter hosts exclusive member premiere of Tough Guys movie on September 24th at the Music Box Theater. |
| 1987 | SP 4449 management moves from Chapter to the City of Portland and advisory committee. |
| 1987 | 76 converted to Museum car & goes to Ashland with exhibit for Oregon & California Railroad completion centennial. |
| 1987 | $5,000 donated to Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society to preserve SP Jefferson line for trolley operations. |
| 1988 | Chapter's “Museum Train” (Mount Hood & 76) to Salem for the 50th Anniversary of Oregon's Capitol building. |
| 1988 | 3300 & 6800 leased to newly re-formed Mount Hood Railroad. |
| 1988 | Closed Victoria Station Restaurant artifacts donated to Chapter. |
| 1988 | Chapter lease of Brooklyn “roundhouse” is replaced by a City of Portland lease. |
| 1989 | 3300 & 6800 leased to Rimrock Excursions to run on the City of Prineville Railroad. |
| 1990 | Mount Hood, 3300 & 6800 go to Wishram behind SP&S 700 |
| 1990 | Wigwag crossing signal on loan to Columbia Gorge Model Railroad club. |
| 1990 | SP switch crew runs cars through a miss-aligned switch, 3300 derailed & heavily damaged. |
| 1990 | Astoria Jazz Festival special train, October 6-7th. |
| 1991 | Oregon and Northwestern Railroad Baldwin, built September 1950 as SP 5239, AS-616 purchased. |
| 1992 | Regional Light Rail System resolution supporting a 20-year completion schedule. |
| 1993 | Rail Sensation '93, an official Rose Festival event, co-sponsored with OreARP (now AORTA – Association of Oregon Rail and Transit Advocates) & PRPA. |
| 1993 | RELCO donates two Portland Terminal Company ALCO S-2 (# 36 & # 39) locomotives. |
| 1994 | Semaphore signal loaned to Willow Creek Railroad for display at Western Antique Powerland. |
| 1994 | Chapter moves out of the Brooklyn “roundhouse” area. |
| 1994 | Lathe donated to Vernonia Restoration and Preservation Association for work on their Oregon-American Lumber Company Shay #102. |
| 1996 | 100th anniversary of the February 14, 1896 opening of Union Station celebrated, NRHS Historic Plaque Commission plaque placed indicating placement on the National Register of Historic Places by U.S. Department of Interior; “one of the oldest continuously-operated railroad stations in the US”. |
| 1996 | Internet Web presence established. |
| 1997 | Railroad history display at the Washington County Historical Society. |
| 1997 | Hosted Spring NRHS National Board of Directors meeting including touring the under-construction WestsideMAX (Metro Area Express) light rail tunnel. |
| 1997 | Display at OMSI's (Oregon Museum of Science & Industry)“Holiday Junction”. |
| 1998 | ex-NP Speeder goes on loan to Canby Historical Society for cosmetic restoration and display. |
| 1998 | Six sold-out mini-excursions operated on 3-days between St. Mary's and Hopmere. |
| 1998 | Wilsonville-Beaverton Commuter Rail demonstration, 22 runs (5,996 passengers) during Westside MAX opening. |
| 1998 | Display at OMSI's “Holiday Junction”. |
| 1998 | Union Pacific Baldwin AS-616 sold to the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis. |
| 1999 | Jordan Spreader arrives in Astoria in front of the first train since 1996 |
| 1999 | Two coaches provided for Morse Brothers/Portland & Western Railroad rock train dedication. |
| 1999 | Taste of Beaverton excursions carry more than 2,500 behind PRPA operated SP&S 700 |
| 1999 | Display at OMSI's “Holiday Junction”. |
| 2000 | Mission Santa Ynez sold to Jim Davis who plans to restore the railcar. |
| 2000 | Mount Hood and staff help with the grand opening of the St.Helens-Scappose Chamber of Commerce housed in the refurbished ex-BN/SP&S depot in St. Helens. |
| 2000 | Research materials donated from noted author and member (1957-1999) Walter R. Grande who died in 1999 |
| 2000 | Fall Colors excursion on PNWR (Portland & Western Railroad) over Cornelius Pass to North Plains and to Clatskanie October 14th. |
| 2000 | Continued working with Western Antique Powerland to establish railroading as part of their development. |
| 2001 | Joined Oregon Steam Heritage Foundation (now Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation) to site a permanent home for a museum & Portland's locomotives. |
| 2001 | Passenger support functions provided for PRPA's historic SP&S 700 4-day Homecoming Excursion. |
| 2001 | Chartered trip on Mount Rainier Scenic Railway and Chehalis & Centralia Railroad September 14th. |
| 2002 | Dust Factory movie production uses 3300, 6200 and Mount Hood at Bowers Junction, PNWR. |
| 2002 | Chapter adopts Union Station clock tower as official logo. |
| 2002 | Private tour of Artrain USA in Hillsboro July 4th. |
| 2002 | Banks to Salmonberry excursion with: 6200, 6800, Mount Hood, Gordon Zimmerman, Plum Creek & Casper Mountain. |
| 2002 | Selected to host the 2005 NRHS Convention (Go By Train 2005). |
| 2003 | West to Wheeler 185-passenger excursion in beautiful weather on the POTB Railroad May 31st. |
| 2003 | Springwater on the Willamette Trail grand opening, SP 4449 & SP&S 700 excursions, 4,000 passengers (tickets/car hosts). |
| 2003 | Lewis & Clark Explorer RDC (rail diesel car) trip to Astoria with 67 members & guests. |
| 2003 | Portland & Western Railroad 240-employee special with 6200 & 6800, Albany to Toledo. |
| 2004 | Jordan Spreader delivered to MOW (Maintenance of Way) exhibit at Antique Powerland Museum on February 14th. |
| 2004 | Banks to Salmonberry POTB 197 passenger excursion May 22nd. |
| 2004 | Exhibit at Amtrak's Empire Builder 75th Anniversary event at Union Station June 10th & 11th. |
| 2004 | 1996 Commemorative Painting & Plaque commissioned by Rail Sensation Events dedicated, Union Station October 29th. |
| 2004 | Membership meeting held at the World Forestry Center with program on Peggy's relocation and new cover. |
| 2004 | Evening picnic on Washington Park & Zoo Railway featuring steamer Oregon August 14th. |
| 2004 | First annual Holiday “Train Toys for Tots” event garners 81 toys and books for deserving children. |
| 2005 | Meyer Memorial Trust grant received to pay for the Flanger move to Antique Powerland Museum. |
| 2005 | New Web site launched February 24th quickly gains top rankings on popular search engines. |
| 2005 | Hosted the Go By Train 2005 NRHS Convention, July 5-9th, highlight: SP&S 700 & SP 4449 Wishram excursion. |
| 2005 | Exhibit at Multnomah Falls for first annual June 18-19th U.S. Forest Service family days event. |
| 2005 | Train Mountain activity September 9th – 11th. |
| 2005 | Flanger SPMW #328 delivered to MOW exhibit at Antique Powerland Museum on November 10th. |
| 2005 | ORHF Holiday Express thrills 5,000+ with Chapter providing Mtount Hood, 6200, 6800 & Car Hosts. |
| 2006 | Vision developed & adopted with assistance from Alice Parman, Ph.D. outlining challenges & directions. |
| 2006 | Mission Statement adopted. |
| 2006 | Tillamook Turn excursion from Banks to Tillamook with 140 passengers on September 16th. |
| 2006 | Evening picnic on Washington Park & Zoo Railway featuring steam locomotive Oregon September 9th. |
| 2006 | ORHF Holiday Express II thrills just under 9,000 with a fully steam heated consist operating out of Oaks Park. |
| 2007 | Collections Policy adopted March 16th. |
| 2007 | Commissioned Historic Preservation Northwest Perrydale Station Condition Assessment in partnership with Northwest Rail Museum. |
| 2007 | Alco S-2 Portland Terminal Railroad (PTR) #36 moved via PTR-BNSF-P&W (Burlington Northern Santa Fe), w/Nickel Plate Alco RSD-5 #324 on August 5th. |
| 2007 | Flanger wood siding replacement project completed with new paint and lettering applied in October. |
| 2007 | A Strategic Action Plan (ASAP) proposal developed with consultant Howard Lovering, LOGIC Inc. |
| 2007 | ASAP option #1, a land-based destination, adopted by unanimous vote at November 16th membership meeting. |
| 2007 | ORHF Holiday Express III thrills 9,238 again on Oregon Pacific Railroad out of Oaks Amusement Park. |
| 2007 | Fourth annual “Train Toys for Tots” garners 143 train oriented toys for the U.S. Marine Corp program. |
| 2008 | S-2 #36 delivered February 17th to Antique Powerland via Grippin-Cascade “house move” from S.S. Steiner siding. |
| 2008 | Total of 5,527 volunteer hours logged for 2007 |
| 2008 | PNWC Red River 6800 in TriMet Safety Train Westside Express Service consist February 25th. |
| 2008 | Grass roots effort put together for Amtrak's first annual National Train Day May 10th at Portland's Union Station. |
| 2008 | Special Trainmaster published celebrating the June 9th golden anniversary, Washington Park & Zoo Railway. |
| 2008 | Train Mountain Excursion May 30th-June 1st reflects the move into a different type of PNWC fund raising trip. |
| 2009 | Starting January 5th the Observation Platform is on long term display in Union Station compliments of Amtrak. |
| 2009 | History booth at the January 30th Westside Express Service commuter rail grand opening in Tigard. |
| 2009 | Total of 7,023 volunteer hours logged for 2008 |
| 2009 | Amtrak National Train Day at Portland Union Station attracted 5,000+ with chapter booths & Mount Hood. |
| 2009 | Special Trainmaster published celebrating the June 13th golden anniversary, WP&Z Railway (Washington Park & Zoo) locomotive Portland. |
| 2009 | Start of Trainmaster Archiving/Scanning/OCR Project June 2009 |
| 2009 | Joined the Oregon Zoo to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the building of the locomotive Portland. |
| 2009 | Alco S-2 #39 scrapping completed in July. |
| 2009 | New permanent interpretive signs installed on Flanger & Spreader for Steam-Up at Antique Powerland Museum. |
| 2009 | Sixty members and guests tour the Brooklyn “roundhouse” & surrounding equipment on October 24th. |
| 2009 | 2 for 1 admission to The West the Railroads Made exhibit at the Oregon History Museum October 30th – November 1st. |
| 2009 | Booth at Oregon History Museum November 21st Railroad History focus family day. |
| 2009 | Major participant again in ORHF's annual Holiday Express held on two 3-day weekends in December. |
| 2010 | Special Trainmaster, Rail trips in the Pacific Northwest …and beyond, published for public outreach. |
| 2010 | Amtrak National Train Day at Portland Union Station again attracted thousands w/chapter booths and Mount Hood. |
| 2010 | Two very successful 5-day Glacier Park Centennial Excursions via Amtrak and staying at Izaak Walton Inn were conducted. |
| 2011 | First Year, 1956 Trainmasters, uploaded to PNWC Website and released into the world in January |
| 2012 | Members only section created on PNWC Website for access to current years of Trainmasters in April |
| 2014 | Finished Trainmaster Archiving/Scanning/OCR Project in January |
| 2014 | All Trainmasters uploaded to PNWC Website and released into the world on February 9th. |
| 1955 | C.J. Jefferson (Jeff) Keenan * | 1988 | Auburg/Hoffman |
| 1956 | Stephen E. Donohoe | 1989 | George R. (Bob) Hoffman |
| 1957 | C.J. Jefferson (Jeff) Keenan | 1990 | George R. (Bob) Hoffman |
| 1958 | George R. Burton | 1991 | G. Charles (Chuck) Bukowsky |
| 1959 | George R. Burton | 1992 | G. Charles (Chuck) Bukowsky |
| 1960 | Walter R. Grande | 1993 | George R. (Bob) Hoffman |
| 1961 | Walter R. Grande | 1994 | M. Robert Terkelsen |
| 1962 | Walter R. Grande | 1995 | M. Robert Terkelsen |
| 1963 | E.D. (Ed) Culp | 1996 | M. Robert Terkelsen |
| 1964 | Miln Gillespie | 1997 | George N. Hickok |
| 1965 | John M. (Jack) Holst | 1998 | George N. Hickok |
| 1966 | John M. (Jack) Holst | 1999 | George N. Hickok |
| 1967 | John M. (Jack) Holst | 2000 | George N. Hickok |
| 1968 | Charles W. Storz, Jr. | 2001 | Arlen L. Sheldrake |
| 1969 | Charles W. Storz, Jr. | 2002 | Arlen L. Sheldrake |
| 1970 | Roger W. Phillips | 2003 | Arlen L. Sheldrake |
| 1971 | Roger W. Phillips | 2004 | Ronald J. McCoy |
| 1972 | John D. Holloway | 2005 | Ronald J. McCoy |
| 1973 | John D. Holloway | 2006 | Arlen L. Sheldrake |
| 1974 | Roger W. Sackett | 2007 | Arlen L. Sheldrake |
| 1975 | Edward E. Immel | 2008 | Arlen L. Sheldrake |
| 1976 | John D. Holloway | 2009 | Keith Fleschner |
| 1977 | William D. Bain | 2010 | Keith Fleschner |
| 1978 | William D. Bain | 2011 | Keith Fleschner |
| 1979 | Edward E. Immel | 2012 | Keith Fleschner |
| 1980 | Edward E. Immel | 2013 | Keith Fleschner |
| 1981 | Ben Fredericks | 2014 | Keith Fleschner |
| 1982 | Ben Fredericks | 2015 | Keith Fleschner |
| 1983 | Fredericks/Duane Cramer | 2016 | Keith Fleschner |
| 1984 | Richard A. Carlson | 2017 | Keith Fleschner |
| 1985 | Richard A. Carlson | 2018 | Keith Fleschner |
| 1986 | Richard A. Carlson | 2019 | Mark Reynolds |
| 1987 | C. Douglas Auburg | 2020 | Mark Reynolds |
* Jeff is credited with being the founding “father” of the Chapter.