Reflections of gold country narrow gauge. A Sumpter Valley mixed heads east from Sumpter toward McEwen and Baker City among some pretty fall foliage. The power today is a little unusual for a mixed freight on this line. Normally, one of the railroad's oil-burning Mikados would be doing the honors, but with trusty Number 19 in the shop for an overhaul, the 1915-vintage, wood-burning, W.H. Eccles Lumber Company Heisler #3 doing the heavy lifting. Although lettered for the lumber company that owned her, this 40-ton, 2-trucker did in fact operate on the original Sumpter Valley line in logging service. On the rebuilt line between McEwen and Sumpter, she's one of two operational engines and she really is the back-up for Mikado #19. The train you see here is actually the railroad's annual fall photo train, taking full advantage of some nice morning light.
