Puget Sound / Portland, Vancouver & Yakima / Seattle & International / Northern Pacific / Washington & Columbia River / Oregon & Washington Territory / St. Paul & Duluth / Montana Union / Everett & Monte Cristo / St Paul & Duluth 4-4-0 "American" Type Locomotives

Class A-1 (Locobase 9298)

Data from CStPM&O 4 - 1900 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

That the information comes from an Omaha Road diagram book indicates that these engines had a varied career. They were the first large class of locomotives delivered to the Northern Pacific and at the time of their arrival, they had drivers measuring 56 1/2" in diameter. Baldwin works numbers ran in a broken series from 2660 to 2793 and were produced in January-May 1872. Two more (works #2811, 2822) went to the St Paul & Duluth; see Locobase 865.

Four went almost immediately to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul as 204-208 (works #2661, 2669, 2671, 2673) as did 5 others to unrecorded owners. Others were sold off in 1877 (to the Minneapolis & St Louis), and still others in 1880. Most of the rest were retired in the late 1890s or sold. The one that came to the Omaha Road in 1892 had received 63 1/2" drivers at some point and that is shown in the specifications.

Class B (Locobase 878)

Data confirmed by locomotive diagrams from 1900 hosted on http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/AllItems.aspx (7 Feb 2004) and NP 1 -1929 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

The first in the class was Baldwin 8560, the last 8688 and all delivered in 1887.

Class B-1 (Locobase 887)

Data confirmed by locomotive diagrams from 1900 hosted on http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/AllItems.aspx (7 Feb 2004). Works numbers were 10247 and 10252 in September 1889.

Other than weighing slightly more and arriving 2 years later, the B-1 Eight-wheelers were duplicates of the Bs (Locobase 878) that had been produced in 1887. The W & CR evolved into the Washington Central in 1898 and was absorbed by the Northern Pacific in July 1907. 673 was scrapped in February 1924 while 672 lasted until March 1931.

Class B-2 (Locobase 856)

Data confirmed by locomotive diagrams from 1900 hosted on http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/AllItems.aspx (7 Feb 2004).

Locobase wonders if these might have been numbered 251-254 instead, because a list supplied by Allen Stanley

Class B-2 (Locobase 879)

Data confirmed by locomotive diagrams from 1900 hosted on http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/AllItems.aspx (7 Feb 2004).

Class B-3 (Locobase 883)

Data confirmed by locomotive diagrams from 1900 hosted on http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/AllItems.aspx (7 Feb 2004). A note on the diagram says:"Old W&C RR engines 4 and 5."

Class C-1 (Locobase 874)

From the The Tell Tale, August, 1950 (http://www.employees.org/~davison/nprha/niftyfiftytelltale.html) Data confirmed by locomotive diagrams from 1900 hosted on http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/AllItems.aspx (7 Feb 2004). (the weights are higher than in the Tell Tale.)

NY Loco builder information from JF Webber's compilation as supplied by Allen Stanley in March 2004. This batch represented works #35-46 (February 1883). They were later renumbered 680-691.

R. V. Nixon talks about 684:

"The 684, [C]lass C-1, was built by the New York Locomotive Works and delivered to St. Paul the year the Northern Pacific was completed. It remained in main line passenger service for nearly 25 years and was then assigned to the Billings-Bridger passenger run. We who remember the bright red wheels, polished brass, clear-toned bell and peanut wagon whistle, can distinctly visualize the 684 starring in a Northern Pacific motion picture, along with the construction engine, Minnetonka."

Nixon adds that 684 was apparently to be dismantled in 1925, but instead was overhauled and sold to the Nez Perce & Idaho as their #4.

"For years," Nixon continued, "the 4 spot worked the 13 miles between Craigmont and Nez Perce, Idaho. Then the inevitable happened and she was laid aside in favor of more modern power. At the time of Nixon's account she seemed to be rusting away. "But even in her disgrace she's still a proud, high-stepping beauty," he said hopefully, "and waiting only for someone to come to her rescue."

Class C-10 (Locobase 873)

Data confirmed by locomotive diagrams from 1900 hosted on http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/AllItems.aspx (7 Feb 2004).

Class C-11 (Locobase 876)

Roster information from the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Society website page http://www.nprr.org/Lists/Class%20List/DispForm.aspx?ID=21&Source=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Enprr%2Eorg%2FLists%2FClass%2520List%2FAllItems%2Easpx (7 Feb 2004).

Works numbers ranged from

Class C-12 (Locobase 859)

Data confirmed by locomotive diagrams from 1900 hosted on http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/AllItems.aspx (7 Feb 2004).

Manchester works #868-871.

Class C-14 (Locobase 860)

Data confirmed by locomotive diagrams from 1900 hosted on http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/AllItems.aspx (7 Feb 2004).

Class C-19 (Locobase 880)

Data confirmed by locomotive diagrams from 1900 hosted on http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/AllItems.aspx (7 Feb 2004).

NY Loco builder information from JF Webber's compilation as supplied by Allen Stanley in March 2004. This quartet bore Rome works #249-252 (April 1887) and seem to have been the first engines delivered to the MU. When the MU was taken over by the Northern Pacific, these engines were renumbered 675-678.

Class C-2 (Locobase 868)

1879-1884

13-33, 84-93, 96 ,98-99, 114-124, 152-153

Class C-20 (Locobase 881)

Data confirmed by locomotive diagrams from 1900 hosted on http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/AllItems.aspx (7 Feb 2004).

JF Webber's list of Dickson locomotives (conveyed to Locobase by Allen Stanley in March 2004) gives the works numbers as 605-610 (September-Ocotober 1897).

Class C-21 (Locobase 885)

Data from http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/DispForm.aspx?ID=18&Source=http%3A%2F%2Fnprha3%2Estsbeta%2Eiponet%2Enet%2FSteam%2520Diagrams%2FForms%2FSelected%2Easpx%3FView%3D%7B32C6F164%2DBD66%2D44D5%2DA8C7%2DDC3E454BA2D7%7D%26FilterName%3DID%26

NY Loco builder information from JF Webber's compilation as supplied by Allen Stanley in March 2004. This trio were works #350-352 (April 1888). When the St P & D was absorbed by the Northern Pacific, the latter railroad at first renumbered them in the 1000s, but later grouped them with the other 17"-cylinder 4-4-0s in the 600s.

Class C-22 (Locobase 877)

Data confirmed by locomotive diagrams from 1900 hosted on http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/AllItems.aspx (7 Feb 2004).

Builder info from B.Rumary, 25 Kingscombe, Gurney Slade, Radstock, BA3 4TH, ENGLAND and Jeremy Lambert as supplied by Allen Stanley in March 2004. Works #1104-1107 in March 1886, 1194-1204 in March 1887.

The St Paul & Duluth appeared as a result of the reorganization of the Lake Superior and Mississippi in 1870. It was known throughout its history, both before and after the Northern Pacific's purchase in 1900, as the Skally Line.

Class C-23 (Locobase 870)

Of the six originally delivered, two were scrapped in the 1890s. (A short time to be in service -- were they victims of accidents or was the design flawed somehow?)