Steam & Excursion > The Winds Of Change Are Clear In The Air In Auburn In 1946!

The change from steam power to that of diesel brought along with it huge changes in the infrastructure necessary to support the new motive power coming on.  We see that clearly in this fine view by Al Farrow.

By May 1946 when Al took this fine photo, Northern Pacific had expanded it's Auburn, Washington servicing facility with the addition of the huge new diesel repair shops we see here behind NP 4-6-0 #1350.  The shadow of the old NP roundhouse is evident in the foreground of this late afternoon shot.  Al has climbed up on the roof of the roundhouse to shoot #1350 as she is being turned on the turntable.  In doing so, Al has captured the new diesel shops along with 2 of the new units that will soon replace #1350.

Al has also captured his own shadow on the ground as he stands on the roof to record this excellent view for us. I wonder if Al was aware at the time how soon the sun would set on steam on the NP for the last time.

Martin



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/15 03:19 by LoggerHogger.

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Damned invaders ruined it!

Help me out here, I see one diesel but not two.

The second diesel is an F-Unit coming out of the shops at the top right.

Martin

I never would have found it myself.  Thanks.

 The brick building stood untill the late seventies, when did the turntable and roundhouse get torn down?

Ed

Where did NP get its coal for Tacoma steam engines? What mine, who owned it, and what type of coal?

Thanks

BCHellman Wrote:
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> Where did NP get its coal for Tacoma steam
> engines? What mine, who owned it, and what type of
> coal?
>
> Thanks

Probably shipped in from Montana. Also, the same way the NP got coal to St Paul, MN.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/15 15:17 by HotWater.

Some NP coal came right out of the Cascade Mountains.  Carbonado on the west side and Roslyn on the east side.  There were tracks to both places in those days.

You can also still see the foot print of the turn table and those tracks from Hwy 18 east bound, right hand lane, just west of the Auburn Way exit.

Would they not get some coal from Black Diamond Washington? The town was only a few miles east of Auburn. According to Wiki they had trains service till 1951 and the mines were open till recently.

Andre