National Lumber & Manufacturing Company 2-6-2 "Prairie" Locomotives in the USA

Class 3 (Locobase 15228)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Vol 71, p. 310. See also []. Works number was 55344 in April 1922.

Rail weights ran 56, 60, and 65 lb/yard (28, 30, and 32.5 kg/metre) and ruling grades at the time of this logging Prairie's delivery was 2 1/2% with 4% contemplated. The NL&MC was first headquartered at Cedarville in 1920 and moved to Elma in 1924. By 1927, the company had sold out to Polson Logging.

Gene Connelly says the 3 went to Schafer Brothers Logging of Brady, Wash as their #10. The University of Washington's University Libraries Digital Collection caption for the photo reference shown above notes that: ". At the peak of operation, the Schafers were running one of the largest logging, milling and shipping concerns in the lumber industry of the Pacific Northwest. Their properties and equipment at that time, not counting ships and tugs, included five sawmills in operation, served by six camps sending logs over 100 miles of rail. This required 18 locomotives, both geared and mainline types, and a total of 70 donkeys and 325 logging cars. To operate all of this equipment called for approximately 3000 employees."