The Ryan Construction Company needed a locomotive to help construction activities after winning the bid to build the line. They found this little Heisler geared steam locomotive from a lumber outfit at Marcus, Washington. Here is it, pictured near the yard at Electric City, on very freshly laid track. Note that there is no form of ballast between the ties, having been laid directly on the coulee floor.
Dennis Thompson sent along the following information about this locomotive:
75 ton Heisler s/n 1444, blt 9/1920 for Union Lbr. Co., of Packwood Spur, WA.
to Hedlund Lbr. & Mfg. Co., Marcus, WA
to David Ryan Construction Co., Coulee Dam, WA
(Ryan Siding RR)
to Eugene Enloe, (Dealer), Spokane, WA
to U.S. War Department, Fort Peck, MT
Emblem on side of oil tank is a dead ringer for a Masonic Lodge.
