Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 23, 2015)
LIFESTYLES WEEKEND, MAY 23-24, 2015 Staff photo by E.J. Harris A piece of the railroad track from the mainline that ran through the area in 1881 on display at the Maxwell Siding Railroad Museum. Staff photo by E.J. Harris The Maxwell Siding Railroad Museum in Hermiston has numerous restored railcars and two rotary snowplows. Staff photo by E.J. Harris Old power line insulators rest in a pile at the Maxwell Siding Railroad Museum in Hermiston. Work crew cars called “speeders” sit on display at the Maxwell Siding Railroad Museum on Wednesday in Hermiston. Staff photo by E.J. Harris Museum caretakers hope to pass on Hermiston’s railroad legacy down to Spinet, 76, and Maret, 81. “Unfortunately time takes its Behind a chain link fence, toll,” Spinet said. They still open the museum between a 1913 dining car and a 1912 passenger coach full of on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to railroad memorabilia, a faded 3 p.m. and by appointment but wooden sign reading “West the two retired railroaders are Maxwell” can be seen from having trouble keeping up with the weeds sprouting up around Hodge Park in Hermiston. The sign is one of the last the cars and the dust collecting reminders of a time long past, on more than a century’s worth when the railroad attracted of railroad memorabilia. Spinet human inhabitants to the stretch said he doesn’t know how many of high desert that would more seasons he has left in him. “What’s going to happen someday become the largest city when I’m gone?” he asked. in Eastern Oregon. He and Maret would like to The plan was to name that settlement Maxwell, after the pass on their knowledge — and Maxwell railroad siding along the work — to other, younger the line between Hinkle and railroad enthusiasts who could Umatilla, but instead Hermiston keep the museum going. Volunteers for the museum was born. “It turned out there was are thin on the ground but it already a Maxwell, Oregon,” still has its share of visitors. On Tuesday a father and son from explained John Spinden. Few people know that bit of Canada stopped by and happened history now, but Spinden and to catch Spinet for a tour. And on fellow Maxwell Siding Railroad Wednesday Maret gave a group Museum caretaker Connie of special education students 0DUHW DUH ¿JKWLQJ WR NHHS WKH from Hermiston High School city’s institutional memory of its a railroad safety talk inside the museum’s dining car. railroading roots alive. Maret told the group about These days it’s no easy task — trains no longer run through the dangers of putting things the middle of Hermiston, and on the track, where they can booming growth in other indus- shoot out with the force of a tries has diluted the presence of EXOOHWLQVWHDGRIEHLQJÀDWWHQHG by a train. Even when the train railroader families in town. Thirty years ago a former is at a standstill, it’s not wise municipal judge named John to play around, he said. During Bennett rallied about a dozen his days as a foreman one of his citizens to create the museum coworkers heard a pounding around a handful of donated noise and discovered a young railroad cars. Now that group is boy who had been playing in a 1C By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian Staff photo by E.J. Harris Connie Maret uses a stick to point out train models in a 1913 Pullman heavy weight dining car to a group of students during a tour Wednesday at the Maxwell Siding Railroad Museum. ered rotary snowplows built after World War II and the only one of its kind still in existence. That type of history is what brings reporters from Trains Magazine and train enthusiasts to Hermiston from time to time. Not everyone is a fan, however. The city’s Commu- nity Enhancement Committee recently released a report criticizing the display as unat- tractive and expressing interest in downsizing and cleaning up the museum. Maret and Spinet hope all of the museum’s historical artifacts are preserved, but they also know Staff photo by E.J. Harris they won’t be around forever to John Spinden talks about how the engineers could control make sure that happens. For the locomotive from the cab of one of two rotary snowplows now, they keep plugging along, Wednesday at the Maxwell Siding Railroad Museum. sharing their decades’ worth boxcar in Texas when the train cars, demonstrating pieces of of knowledge about trains, rail started moving, slamming the equipment like the old telegraph snowplows and railroad equip- door shut and trapping him station set up in the passenger car ment to anyone willing to listen. for two and a half days before and spouting a constant stream “We feel like a parent arriving in Hermiston. of local railroad trivia. showing off our baby,” Spinet “That’s what happens when The two gray rotary snow said, patting one of the snow- you’re playing around in some- plows facing Highland Avenue plows fondly. thing you shouldn’t be,” Maret are the museum’s most unique ——— told the students. pieces. One was built in 1910, the Contact Jade McDowell at He gave them a tour of other in 1949. The 1949 version jmcdowell@eastoregonian.com the museum’s various train is one of only four steam-pow- or 541-564-4536.