E.G. of Roseburg wants to know ...

Every day that I walk by the old train engine in Stewart Park, I wonder, how long has it been there and how did they move it to that spot?

Answer:

The old No. 1229 train was one of 10 class S-11 switch engines built in 1914 by Lima (Ohio) Locomotive Works. According to local train buff Chuck Lee, the train was used by Southern Pacific in the Los Angeles area for about 40 years. In the ’50s, SP began switching out the steam-powered locomotives in favor of modern diesel engines, and the rail company, which still ran local freight trains through Roseburg at the time, donated No. 1229 to the city of Roseburg in March 1958. Lee said they had to haul the train across the South Umpqua River on what is now Interstate 5 and down Garden Valley Boulevard to avoid using the city street bridges because of weight restrictions. There have been several attempts by outside groups to buy and take the train out of the park, but those have been rejected. The expired 1997 Parks Master Plan calls for its removal as a safety hazard. On Jan. 4 of this year, the bell that sat atop the locomotive was stolen. Roseburg Police have yet to get any substantial leads. “We’re going to find it eventually in someone’s backyard,” said Sgt. Aaron Dunbar.