Simpson Lumber #7 - Shelton, WA - Locomotives on Waymarking.com

The Simpson Logging Company was founded in 1890 by Sol Simpson and began operating a railroad about fifteen years later. It was part of the late nineteenth-century logging boom in the Pacific Northwest that lasted well into twentieth century. Unlike most of the others which shut down in the years following World War II, the Simpson railroad lasted into the twenty-first century. Down to running just ten miles of track in the Shelton area, Simpson finally shut down its rail operations in 2015: It was the last privately-owned logging railroad in the continental U.S.

Shay locomotives differed from conventional steam locomotives in that their pistons were not directly connected to the drive wheels. Rather they drove a crankshaft that was connected to the wheels via a series of universal and prismatic joints and bevel gears. Though not much on speed, the Shays could handle steep grades, sharp curves and poorly laid track. Also, since every wheel was a drive wheel, every ounce of its weight went into tractive effort. They became the darlings of the logging industry.

This locomotive was built by the Lima Locomotive Works in 1924 and spent its entire working career with Simpson, mostly in the Shelton area. Retired in 1957, it was donated to the city of Shelton who displayed it in Brewer Park until 1983 when it was moved in front of the post office. It was nicknamed ‘Tollie’ in honor of the wife of company founder Sol Simpson: Mary ‘Tollie’ Simpson. The complete display now contains a wooden caboose and a 1920s-era skeleton car full of logs.

Locomotive Type: (required): Steam Do you need to pay an entrance fee to view this locomotive? (required): No How accessible is this locomotive display? (Required): Only touching is allowed. If "other" what is the engine type? (optional): Not listed If a fee is required what is the approximate cost for admittance? (optional): Not listed

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