Nostalgia & History > Northern Pacific Switcher Friday, NW2s and SW1200s

Here are three photos of NP NW2 104 in June of 1964. She was built in May 1941 and made it into BN as #591.

1. In Minneapolis with a wooden bay-window transfer caboose 1509 and a wooden caboose 1289.

2. and 3. in St. Paul about to cross and crossing Old Man River.


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All the photos in this thread were taken in June 1964.

4. Three Aces shot from the bluff at the south edge of downtown St. Paul. She is an NW2 built December 1949 and became BN 111. BN didn't change her lucky number. I would have added a fourth Ace. And there were no bar codes then.

5. NP SW1200s 151 and 174 in St. Paul. 151 was built in 1957 and became BN 210 and then BNSF 3541. 174 was built in 1958 and became BN 174 and then BNSF 3528.

6. SW1200 156 was in Minneapolis, I assume Northtown Yard, when I found her next to a sea of box cars. 156 was built in 1957 and became BN 214 and then BNSF 3545.


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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/14 20:50 by MartyBernard.

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7. and 8. NP SW1200 168 shot in Minneapolis became BN 227 and then GCSX 1192. Two croppings of he same slide for a roster shot and to show the background. Is that the Northtown Yard Roundhouse?

9. Switching baggage car 1513 one June day was NP SW1200 173. BN let her keep her number but covered her neat paint scheme with green. BNSF then renumbered her 3527. Talk about loosing your identity.


So these switchers are the first in a series of Northern Pacific Railway pictures mostly from the Twin Cities in the 1960s. I hope you find the pictures interesting.

Marty Bernard



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/14 20:55 by MartyBernard.

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MartyBernard Wrote:
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> So these switchers are the first in a series of
> Northern Pacific Railway pictures mostly from the
> Twin Cities in the 1960s. I hope you find them
> interesting.
>
> Marty Bernard

YES, YES, YES!!!

I look forward to more in your series.

Thanks for sharing.

Very NICE pictures! Thanks!

Larry

RuleG Wrote:
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> MartyBernard Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > So these switchers are the first in a series of
> > Northern Pacific Railway pictures mostly from
> the
> > Twin Cities in the 1960s. I hope you find them
> > interesting.
> >
> > Marty Bernard
>
> YES, YES, YES!!!
>
> I look forward to more in your series.
>
> Thanks for sharing.

Roger that. Good stuff, Marty -- as always!

Pat from Littleton, CO.

Great photos. Thanks.

Glad to see the NW2 get it's due. One of the great locos of all time. Being a a lowly switcher it never got the praise
that F7s, GPs got.

Wow. The switchers may be the subject, but the cabooses, freight cars and settings are awesome.Great shots, interesting subjects. Thanks for sharing.

Really great stuff, thanks!

Nice time capsules here...

Steve Mitchell
http://www.yardgoatimages.com

Great series of photos Marty. Loved them all!

Interesting to note that the BN 173, 174 and 214 all came out west after the BN merger as I photographed them all in Washington state. I have also photographed BNSF 3527, 3528, 3541 and 3545 in Seattle.

Brian Ambrose
Renton, WA

First of all, very nice shots, thanks so much for posting.

Comments. I strongly believe the structure you asked about is in fact
the old Northtown Roundhouse, razed when the yard was rebuilt by the BN.

Are you real sure about NP111??? Without my rooster books handy, I can't
say for sure, but on the BN, the NW2's were up in the four or five hundreds.
If it did indeed keep it's number, it's likely an SW7.

Loved the last shot with the baggage car. Both the GN and the NP repainted
their heavyweight cars into their "streamlined" schemes, and this is a great
example of that. For a location, NP Coach Yard in St. Paul, just east of SPUD.

Marty, for all my quibbling with your stuff I really enjoy seeing it. Thanks
for taking the time to post it.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/14 08:03 by ntharalson.

ntharalson Wrote:
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>
> Are you real sure about NP111??? Without my
> roaster books handy, I can't
> say for sure, but on the BN, the NW2's were up in
> the four or five hundreds.
> If it did indeed keep it's number, it's likely an
> SW7


Nick, according to http://www.thedieselshop.us/NorPac.HTML 108 to 114 kept their numbers.

Marty

Thank you so much Marty. I sincerely appreciate you sharing your fine images.

Al Seever
Phoenix, AZ

Re: Photo #6.....I had never seen a photo of a D & I Sugar covered hopper before (or one in real life, for that matter!).