Nostalgia & History > Still looking like NP's North Coast Limited

Train 26, Sept. 20, 1970 @ Butte, MT by Bruce Black. The sneaky small 'BN' is there as are BN #'s, but it's hard not to imagine this as still a Northern Pacific train ... of course the 'logo pirates' have already struck. Seemed like the NP and GN logos disappeared very shortly after the merger based on what I photographed in Denver back then.

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Still a beautiful train!.


Chris

Agree with previous comments, it was a beautiful train despite showing some signs of grime. Are we sure this is at Butte? I don't recall any searchlight signals or signal bridges on the Butte line between Garrison and Logan, but I could be wrong.

Old Northen Pacicifc conductors, trainmen were based out of Missoula and Billings, MT and worked between Missoula and Butte and Billings and Butte. Livingston, MT passenger enginemen were based out of Livingston and worked between Livingston and Butte and based out of Misssoula and worked between Missoula and Butte.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/14 12:32 by RodneyZona.

Great photo of a great train! Imagine what Larry would do if he saw this streak behind his house in Ritzville??? Oh, to have dinner in the diner on the NCH with that big baked potato! Thanks again for sharing...

ShastaDaylight

As a native Californian I never got to see this fine looking train except... In 1976 I walked into the original "The Train Shop" in San Jose, CA. A guy had brought in his HO model of this train and had it all coupled together and laid out on about 10 feet of the glass top counter. Although I was strictly SP, I was very impressed with my first view of NP's finest.

valmont Wrote:
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> Train 26, Sept. 20, 1970 @ Butte, MT by Bruce
> Black. The sneaky small 'BN' is there as are BN
> #'s, but it's hard not to imagine this as still a
> Northern Pacific train ... of course the 'logo
> pirates' have already struck. Seemed like the NP
> and GN logos disappeared very shortly after the
> merger based on what I photographed in Denver back
> then.


The "logo pirates" were very thorough and quick. I always assumed they went to the former NP and GN employees as they disappeared so quickly that they had to be taken in company shops/stations/servicing areas. The same thing happened near the end of the MILW in the west. There were so many missing NP and GN logos that I'm surprised we don't see more surfacing now that many of the original NP and GN employees are now gone and their family members may be more likely to part with them. Any idea what they go for when they do come up for sale?

Thanks for sharing the fine photo. Great to see the BN allowed the NP to remain in place for a bit longer.

> Are we sure this is at Butte? I don't recall any searchlight signals or signal bridges
> on the Butte line between Garrison and Logan, but I could be wrong.

Looks like an eastbound just past the Weed Concentrator (in the background), just ready to start the climb up the west side of Homestake Pass. If I had to pin down an exact location, I'd say here: http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=46.00511,-112.49851&z=18&t=H The siding is long since gone, of course, and the line over Homestake is embargoed, but there's been rumors of BNSF considering reactivating it for eastbound traffic. Who knows.

steeplecab
Helena

Milwaukee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> valmont Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Train 26, Sept. 20, 1970 @ Butte, MT by Bruce
> > Black. The sneaky small 'BN' is there as are BN
> > #'s, but it's hard not to imagine this as still
> a
> > Northern Pacific train ... of course the 'logo
> > pirates' have already struck. Seemed like the
> NP
> > and GN logos disappeared very shortly after the
> > merger based on what I photographed in Denver
> back
> > then.
>
>
> The "logo pirates" were very thorough and quick.
> I always assumed they went to the former NP and GN
> employees as they disappeared so quickly that they
> had to be taken in company
> shops/stations/servicing areas. The same thing
> happened near the end of the MILW in the west.
> There were so many missing NP and GN logos that
> I'm surprised we don't see more surfacing now that
> many of the original NP and GN employees are now
> gone and their family members may be more likely
> to part with them. Any idea what they go for
> when they do come up for sale?
>
> Thanks for sharing the fine photo. Great to see
> the BN allowed the NP to remain in place for a bit
> longer.

Saw a GN one on ebay about a month ago, guy was asking $595 for it. A little much I think.

ShastaDaylight Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great photo of a great train! Imagine what Larry
> would do if he saw this streak behind his house in
> Ritzville??? Oh, to have dinner in the diner on
> the NCH with that big baked potato! Thanks again
> for sharing...
>
> ShastaDaylight


It would be a big WOW! It would sure perk things up in Ritzville!

Larry