Steam & Excursion > This Impressive Steam Power Pauses Briefly On Her Run!

A cool spring morning in April, 1946 finds Northern Pacific 4-8-4 @2670 stopped at the station in Missoula, Montana to drop off an d pick up passengers and packages.  She is quite a sight in the early morning sunshine.

#2670 is less than 5 years old in this photo.  In 1951 she will receive a new welded boiler to replace the one she was built with seen here.  Sadly, in 1958 her operating days will be over and she will be taken back to Brainerd, Minnesota to be scrapped.

In this photo,  she looks like she could run forever.

Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/21 03:22 by LoggerHogger.

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Given the history of some other 1941 4-8-4s, i.e.  700, 3751 (rebuilt 1941), 4449,  she probably could run forever.

I've been gaining an affection for the bruitish look of NP steam lately. Thanks for this photo.

I never cease to be amazed by the depth of your photo collection, and appreciate your sharing it with us here.

Arved Grass
Fleming Island, FL

Does anyone have a picture of the 700 relettered to resemble one of these?

Since Keystone1 asked, here are some photos of SP&S #700 masquerading as NP #2668.  These were taken at Brooklyn Roundhouse in Portland, OR on July 19, 1992 during the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association convention.  There was a plan for SP&S #700 to wear this same costume on the Billings MT to Bozeman MT leg of the Montana by Steam trip in 2002; however, someone stole a portion of the costume, so that plan was shelved.

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WoodwardEJ Wrote:
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> Since Keystone1 asked, here are some photos of
> SP&S #700 masquerading as NP #2668.  These were
> taken at Brooklyn Roundhouse in Portland, OR on
> July 19, 1992 during the Northern Pacific Railway
> Historical Association convention.  There was a
> plan for SP&S #700 to wear this same costume on
> the Billings MT to Bozeman MT leg of the Montana
> by Steam trip in 2002; however, someone stole a
> portion of the costume, so that plan was shelved

Stole a portion of the costume?.. Please elaborate!

See Jim700's post for more on the costume theft.       Why not SP&S 700 for TrainFestival? (trainorders.com)

WoodwardEJ.   Beautiful, simply beautiful.   I wish I was there for that one.    So...why not do again?   It has been twenty years!

Getting a new boiler in just 10 years is unusual.  

Well...if the problem is, that the Northern Pacific lettering was stolen.......   if we can put a man on the moon..  (oh, you know the rest).        Let's see her lettered N.P. again.   It becomes an all new locomotive, at a very low cost.

tomstp Wrote:
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> Getting a new boiler in just 10 years is unusual.
>  


IIRC they were built with nickle-steel boilers which proved to be unsuitable for locomotive service.

-LD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/21 08:17 by LarryDoyle.

That NP engine is very, vern handsome--and it reminds me in many ways of ATSF's Northerns.  The headlight and bell placement are perfect for a good looking engine.  But look at the smokestack extension--just like ATSF Northerns had.  Is it a Baldwin product?  Big, brutish and wonderful.  Definitely built for speed.  Great photo!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/21 09:18 by coach.

Yes, she was built by Baldwin.

Martin

A magnificent portrait of NP's finest. Who was the photographer, please?

Photographer is very likely Ron V Nixon of Missoula, MT - see his photo RVN09725 at Steam Locomotive List (morphotoarchive.org)