From here to there
The endless miles of a mobile railroad repairman
Scott Hutton never knows what he might find when he answers the phone in the middle of the night. The call could be about a multitude of things, all railroad related. As owner of Sumpter Valley Machine Works LLC, based in Baker City, Ore., Hutton provides mobile repair and inspection services to dozens of customers in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Hutton operates under the motto “We never close,” as the phone rings any time, day or night. When it does, he is ready to quickly head out in his mobile service truck to railroads across his far-flung service area.
He got started in railroading as a 13-yearold when he saw an ad in Trains for an organization called Sumpter Valley Restoration, which was rebuilding a 60-year-old Heisler steam locomotive. He offered to help and went on to contribute toward the engine’s first trip under steam on July 4, 1976.
Today, Hutton still works on steam, but also performs preventative maintenance, repairs, and regular inspections to any kind of rail equipment, including locomotives, cars, and maintenance-of-way equipment.
Hutton encounters just about any kind of repair, so he must have tools and equipment readily available. His service truck is outfitted with everything from a welder to extra parts, supplies, and equipment to perform most basic repairs. He might be called to work at an actual engine or railroad facility, but he also might end up in remote locations where electric, lighting, and protection from the elements is unavailable. Generally, all he has is his truck and what it carries.
A typical day for Hutton starts at 5 a.m. Since most parts vendors are in the Midwest or Northeast, operating on West Coast time means quicker contact with a vendor and faster turnaround. “It seems like an average trip is from one to two weeks, where I can cover as little as 600 to more than 2,400 miles,” he says.
Inspections reveal problems even for clients with the best planned maintenance, and Hutton must be ready to work fast. At a recent customer visit in Oregon, he was scheduled to perform an FRA 92-day inspection on a locomotive. “I completed the inspection and found that the speedometer was not functioning and the throttle was not working properly,” he recalls.
Hutton made the repairs and the engine was able to be used for a train during the coming days. After that came a 7½-hour drive to the next appointment the following day in southern Oregon, where he would perform a 92-day inspection and a mandated 3-year air-brake change out. The locomotive was required to work the road’s freight interchange the following day.
Hutton has a diverse group of customers, including Goose Lake Railway, Wallowa Union Railroad Authority, the city of Prineville, Next Rail, Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, Virginia & Truckee Railroad, Progress Rail Services, Columbia & Walla Walla Railroad, Wells Fargo Rail, Harbor Rail Services, Idaho Northern & Pacific Railroad, ARI Fleet Services, and Union Pacific. He is also chief mechanical officer for Sumpter Valley Railroad Restoration.
“There really isn’t enough of me to go around,” Hutton says. “I received a call from a company who said they could help grow my business through more advertising. I told her that I tend to get hungry and crabby after a 24-hour shift!” he says with a laugh.