Nostalgia & History > Good ole number 405

I've been going through my Uncle Elmer's books prior to our estate sale in Roseville on Saturday (see classifieds), when something fell out of the back of one of the books - a 2 1/4 negative. Don't know where the 405 lived or on what railroad it operated, but here's a surprise image of it. I don't have a clue as to when Elmer put the negative in the book and I'm guessing, as good as his memory was, that he probably wouldn't have remembered when, either, but I'm guessing he could have told me the where and when without a problem.

If any of you can shed some light on the locomotive, I'd love to hear.

Don
Yreka

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Don't have a clue as to how it could have gotten into your Uncle Elmer's collection, but to me that machine has the look of a Chicago & Northwestern engine. My references on the CNW steam roster are a bit sketchy, and I havn't a clue how a picture of a CNW machine could have wound up in your uncles collection in Roseville, CA. I can't find a CNW reference to engines in the 400 series, but the high 300's were 4-4-2's and light 4-6-2's which looks about right for this pix.

Not sure if this helps or hinders, but it may be a lead.

-Larry Doyle

N&W, maybe? Strictly a SWAG.

Bob Callahan
Monticello, IN

I'm gonna have to go with Southern Ry on this one. Southern 401, at the Monticello Railway Museum in Illinois has a similar smokebox to that photo. However, that looks to be a American Locomotive Works builders plate on the side..


The Mystery Continues..


Ryan

I'd agree with an Alco builders plate.

The support from the cylinders to the running board is interesting, as is the step at the bottom of the smokebox front.

The number plate has flat letters. Some C&O had that style of numbers, along with the general look of the loco.

The numbers look to me like they were on a round number plate that was cut to fit in the rectangular number plate.
Look before and after the digits, there's a raised area that looks curved.

My 'feeling' on this would be that it's on a shortline or industrial line; possibly secondhand from a class one.

???

Hope someone knows !

Don