Class B-1 (Locobase 8860)

Data from GN 1916 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Probably the oldest locomotive on the GN when the 1916 book was compiled, the 240 served elsewhere first for at least a decade before coming into the GN fold. Locobase suspects that the boiler information dates from a later time when the original vessel was replaced by a new one.

Class B-11 (Locobase 8864)

Data from GN 1916 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection. See Locobase 7460 for a short history of the SF & N. Works numbers were 10830 and 10833.

One of the many classes of 4-4-0s that would come into the Great Northern from many sources. This pair started out on the SF & N, although one seems also to have operated on Canada's Victoria & Sydney Railway. Their service on the GN lasted less than 2 decades as both were sold to Northwest Steel Rolling Mills Co in May and June 1926, respectively.

Class B-16 (Locobase 8865)

Data from GN 1916 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

This quartet of Ocean Staters fell into the typical range for 4-4-0s of the early 1880s. Their service in the GN lasted into the early 1920s.

Class B-17 (Locobase 7454)

Data from GN 1 - 1929 Locomotive Diagrams book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

A lone engine from this builder was left in 1929. Locobase believes it was built to the same specifications as the B-7 series (see Locobase 7453). Because it received a new boiler two years earlier that had tubes just slightly longer, it had a few square feet more heating surface, and consequently its own entry.

Class B-18 (Locobase 8866)

Data from GN 1916 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Compared to the Rhode Island engines produced for the St P, M & M in the same year, these Brooks engines (works #715-716) had larger boilers but smaller grates and fireboxes. These two were followed within 4 months by a more numerous class that had bigger fireboxes; see Locobase 8867.

Class B-19 (Locobase 8867)

Data from GN 1916 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection. Works numbers ran:

791-795 in October 1882, 829-833 in December 1882, and 872-882 & 885-888

It''s interesting to see the difference in a pair of prototypes (or possibly catalogue engines) delivered in June (Locobase 8866) and this well-populated class of Eight-wheelers that followed 4 months later. They're heavier, they have bigger fireboxes, and the wheelbase has spread out.

Class B-20 (Locobase 7455)

Data from GN 1 - 1929 Locomotive Diagrams book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

When Rhode Island Locomotive Works contributed to the batch of Eight-wheelers being procured by the GN in the early 1880s, it supplied a design with 1" larger cylinders and slightly longer boiler tubes.

The class was reboilered in 1916-1917 and 1923 according to the diagram, which also notes that although the new boiler could handle 165 psi, the reciprocating parts were designed for 140 psi. Hence the working pressure remained 140 psi.

Class B-21 (Locobase 8868)

Data from GN 1916 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

The design for this clutch of Eight-wheelers had a few unusual features. The steam and sand domes stood forward of the firebox (and the bell mounted on the crown) and the drivers were widely spaced to accept the relatively large firebox.

Class B-22 (Locobase 7456)

Data from GN 1 - 1929 Locomotive Diagrams book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

The largest batch of Eight-wheelers to retain their original boilers in 1929 was this set of Rogers-built engines. The boilers shown in the diagram may well represent the original dimensions of most of the 1880s GN 4-4-0s, although the grate was a little larger and shallower. See Locobase 7457 for a slightly larger design from the same builder.

Class B-22 (Locobase 7457)

Data from GN 1 - 1929 Locomotive Diagrams book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Locobase 7456 describes a relatively large class of Eight-wheelers delivered by Rogers in 1887. This quintet came two years later and had boilers with more tubes and a firebox with a larger grate. Like the other B-22s, these never were fitted with new boilers.

Class B-3 (Locobase 8861)

Data from GN 1916 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

These engines were early servants of this Minnesota railroad, which later came under James J Hill's direction and was renamed the St Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba and still later the Great Northern. This design preceded both the Rogers engines of 1876 (Locobase 8863) and the 1879 Baldwins (Locobase 8862). After 1906, however, all had the same power dimensions and boiler.

Class B-4 (Locobase 8862)

Data from GN 1916 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

When James J Hill took over the St Paul & Pacific in 1879, almost the first locomotives affected were the 4 that Baldwin was building in that same year. Produced in pairs (works #4848-4849, 4852-4853), the 4 engines remained in service on the StP, M & M and subsequently the Great Northern (which the St P, M & M was renamed in 1889) for years. 251 was retired in 1901, but the other three received new boilers in 1906. The specs refer to the new boiler. This trio lasted until 1926.

Class B-5 (Locobase 8863)

Data from GN 1916 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

These engines predated the Baldwins (Locobase 8862), but came after the Pittsburghs (Locobase 8861). After 1906, however, all had the same power dimensions and boiler.

Class B-6 (Locobase 7452)

Data from GN 1 - 1929 Locomotive Diagrams book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Locobase only has the diagrams to go by and there are two: one for 232 & 237, the other for 233-236. The latter had slightly shorter tubes (by 1 1/2") and a 2" narrower grate.

Class B-7-10/12-15/19 (Locobase 7453)

Data from GN 1 - 1929 Locomotive Diagrams book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Locobase suspects that there may have been more pronounced differences among these classes when they were first delivered. But the diagram shows that all of them received new boilers in 1908 and Locobase suspects they were all the same design. Adhesion and engine weights differed to a degree as did tender capacities and weights. But all had the same power dimensions (cylinder, driver diameter, boiler pressure).

Several builders contributed to the classes:

B-7 New York Locomotive (Rome, NY)- 1880 - 1 locomotives left in 1916, 1 by 1929.

B-8/9 Pittsburgh Locomotive Works - 1880 - 8 in 1929 (3 more scrapped)

B-10 Burnham, Williams (Baldwin) - 1880 - 6 in 1916

B-12 Rogers - 1882 - 1 in 1916.

B-13/14 Burnham, Williams (Baldwin) - 1882 - 2 in 1929

B-15 Schenectady - 1882 - 3 left in 1929 (2 of these had 64" drivers).

B-19 Brooks (Dunkirk, NY) - 7 left in 1929.

Class Wiliam Crooks (Locobase 5945)

The very first locomotive to run in the state of Minnesota, the William Crooks pulled a ceremonial train between St Paul and St Anthony (later Minneapolis) on 28 June 1862.

As displayed in the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, the engine has three domes (the middle one carrying sand), cabbage stack, outside cylinders and inside valve gear. It is said to have been preserved at the express request of James J Hill.

A locomotive diagram reproduced on Ben Ringnalda's http://www.greatnorthernempire.net/GNEGNSteamRosterO1_4.htm (visited 8 Jan 2005) gives surfaces and other data that show just how small this pioneer was. A diagram found in the GN 1 - 1929 Locomotive Diagrams book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection shows some slightly different measurements (12.5 sq ft for the grate area, e.g.); almost al agree with the diagram on Ringnalda's site.