Art & Words by
HOWARD B. TAYLOR

Ephraim’s portrait is typical of the great leaders in the logging and lumbering of the early days. I chose him for the portrait mainly because he was morally great. Also, he produced the most successful logging locomotive. He was not an Oregonian, but Oregon used more shays than all other geared engines.

The boiler of this bucket of bolts sat to its own left of center. On the right side, balancing the boiler, were the vertical compressors, the driveline, the gears, and geared drive wheels. This assemblage could push a great weight up a steep grade. It could gain speed quickly from a dead stop, thus out-performing any rod engine at switching. It could not stop “on center” as an early rod engine, but started without fail.It was copied and built in Portland as the Willamette Shay. One may be seen at Vernonia.