J. Craig Thorpe (American, B. 1948) "Oregon Locomotive" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Paper.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting is the original which appeared on the Fleetwood Legendary Locomotives of the 50 States Oregon Commemorative Cover postmarked November 11, 1994.

In 1882, the Union Pacific was expanding into the Pacific Northwest, and one of its goals was to establish the first direct route from Omaha to Portland. The Union Pacific's plan called for two of its subsidiaries, the Oregon Short Line and the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Co., to link up at Huntington, Oregon. Leaving the parent track at Granger, Wyoming, the main stem of the Oregon Short Line reached the Idaho border in June of 1882. Following the Snake River drainage, this line was continued across southern Idaho until it reached Huntington. At roughly the same time, the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Co. extended its branch from Pendleton, Oregon, into the Blue Mountains and on to Huntington. The two roads joined in Huntington on November 11, 1884. And on January 1, 1885, the first direct passenger train ran between Omaha and Portland. Shown at the Snake River bridge, the two 4-6-0 engines featured on this Cover are doubleheading a drag, a practice that some train and engine crews disapproved of. Excess-tonnage freight trams that required two engines often caused the cars' draft gear -- designed to withstand the pull of just one locomotive -- to fail, resulting in dangerous separations. If this occurred on a train not fitted with air brakes, the detached section could run away or crash into the forward portion of the train. Needless to say, most crews preferred lighter, more manageable trains.

Image Size: 14 x 12 in.
Overall Size: 18 x 15 in.
Unframed.
(B14882)

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