Steam & Excursion > Locomotive Leasing Goes Back To The Days Of Steam Motive Power!

In this modern age of diesel locomotives and an ever shrinking number of mainline railroads due to mergers, it is not uncommon to so see leased locomotives as part of any lash-up of diesels in freight service on any given day.  However, the concept of leasing out surplus locomotives by mainline railroads is nothing new.  It has it's roots in the days of steam as we see here.

In the 1930's the country was still trying to recover from the Great Depression that had begun in the late 1920's.  This economic crisis had left mainline railroads with surplus power that was not needed for the lower traffic levels that were being experienced at the time.  The economy also hit other industries like the timber industry such that when a steam locomotive they had been using wore out, it was not financially possible for the company to afford to buy new or even used new steam motive power.  This opened the was for the mainlines to lease off some of their surplus locomotives to these industries.

When we study the records of the Northern Pacific in 1938 we see they kept a separate tally of their leased steam locomotives.  On the bottom of this list there are 2 aging NP 0-6-0's that have both been leased to the McCleary Timber Co. of McCleary, Washington.  This lumber company had an ancient 0-4-0T that they had used since their beginning that was not only too old for further service but also to small to handle the present day loads the company was shipping out of their mill.

These 2 leased locomotives, NP #901 and #916, were both photographed in 1938 by NP engineer and railfan Al Farrow at work at the McCleary Timber plant and at Shelton respectively.  They both still bear their NP classifcation markings on their cab but the NP lettering on the tenders is either gone or has been covered up with dirt and grime.  Additionally, both engines have been converted to burn wood as that fuel was in ready supply at the McCleary mill that was trying to save every operating dollar possible given the struggling ecomomy.

Imagine today, a railroad leasing a locomotive from a mainline railroad and comverting it to burn wood!

Martin



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/19 13:55 by LoggerHogger.

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There is a modeling saying that there is a prototype for everything. The photo of #916 proves that the toy train makers that put diamond stacks on modern steam locomotives weren't faking it after all.

I would assume these 2 switchers were coal burners on the NP?

I like the aftermarket diamond stack too....

This certainly does support the modelers "prototype for everything" theorem. I note 901 has a single stage compressor on the engineer's side and 916 has a 2 stage on the fireman's side. Extra or larger compressor for yard service?

The photo of 916 was taken in Shelton.  Yes, McCleary Timber Co. was in Shelton until about 1941.

Pete

Locomotive leasing in steam days hit an all time high during WW11.  For instance  the T&P leased 2-10-2's to both Missouri Pacific and Southern Pacific.   Not surprisingly many of the larger lease engines had fallen out of favor with their  owners.

tomstp Wrote:
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> Locomotive leasing in steam days hit an all time
> high during WW11.  For instance  the T&P leased
> 2-10-2's to both Missouri Pacific and Southern
> Pacific.   


Pennsy leased Santa Fe 2-10-4's for a time....

 

Didn't D&RGW lease DM&IR 2-8-8-4s during the winter for three or four years?

Were these two railroads subsidiaries of the NP?

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com