Steam & Excursion > Before Retirement and Preservation - NWP #112 Hot!

For many of us we only have memories of certain locomotives as display engines since many became more famous on display then they did in active service. This could be said of Northwestern Pacific's 4-6-0 #112 who currently is displayed in the California State Railroad Museum.

ALCO built #112 as a T-46 class engine new for the NWP in 1908. The locomotive served the "Redwood Empire Route" faithfully until 1952 when she was retired and replaced by the diesels of that era.

Soon after her retirement #112 was donated to the Pacific Coast Chapter of the NRHS. After this donation the engine was made famous by being painted back to the Green, Gold & Silver scheme of the NWP. IN this livery she was displayed by the NRHS from time to time at various railroad events. Even though she was never restored to operation by the NRHS. the engine gained fame as a display engine over the decades.

Attached her are a couple of images to remind us that #112 was not always a display engine. The first view, taken by Ralph Demoro, shows #112 switching her train in the yards at Tiburon, California in the 1940's.

The second photo of #112, taken by Wil Whitaker, shows her on her train at Boyes Springs, CA on June 9, 1940. She is pulling a special Bicycle Excursion that day.

The final photo was taken by Wil on that same excursion as the engine took on water at the tank at Kenwood, CA.

Who could have guessed back in the 40's that this single NWP engine would be the only one of the entire NWP fleet to be preserved and the fame she would gain in later years, even though she never ran again!
Martin



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/14/13 05:21 by LoggerHogger.

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Thanks for posting these. Not only are these great engine/train shots , but I like the way of life they reveal whether it is the large building on the left and the Santa Fe map boxcar in the first image or the watertank and all the hustle and bustle upon the tender with what looks like crew members and railfans there.
Bob

Mine of the 112 were taken much later.

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