Steam & Excursion > Sometimes The Star Of The Show Is Not Located At The Front!

While the first generation A-B-A lash-up of Northern Pacific F-Units is certainly something that would take most of us stop and take notice today, it was the big 4-8-4 that is spliced into the center of this train-set that is the real star of the show.

On March 11, 1950 when Al Farrow stopped at Yakima, Washington with he camera it was because he had heard the NP's famous "Timken" engine, the #2626, was due to take a train out of town on that day.  Sure enough he managed to catch her working hard as she helped power this train out of town.

This fine image just goes to show us how #2626 was a scene stealer no matter where she was located in a train.  It is just so sad that she was not saved from scrapping so she could live on as an example of the Northern Pacific's fine steam heritage.

Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/19 04:05 by LoggerHogger.

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Good stuff - the Timken engine!

I wonder if the F's are the helpers and 2626 is the road engine?

Four Aces!

I thought they tried to put the diesels in front of coal burning locomotives so the diesels wouldn't suck the soot and cinders into their engines.

I remember the big push that was made to try to convince NP not to scrap "Four Aces", but  NP President MacFarlane claimed that large steam locomotives were too valuable as scrap and the NP needed money.  They were actually very generous in donating steam locomotives, but I don't think anything larger than a 4-6-2.  You have to wonder just how much greater the scrap value of 2626 was, but . . . .

Gordon