Spokane, Portland and Seattle 700
Encyclopedia
Spokane, Portland & Seattle 700 is the only surviving example of their E-1
class 4-8-4
Northern type steam locomotive
. Nearly identical to the A-3 class Northerns built for Northern Pacific Railway
, but burning oil instead of coal.
After years of running second-hand equipment, the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway
was allowed by its parent companies, Great Northern Railway and Northern Pacific Railway, to purchase its first new locomotives. These included three Northern E-1 class locomotives (700, 701 and 702) for passenger service and 6 Z-6 class Challengers (4-6-6-4
s) for freight service.
and Vancouver, Washington
, along the north shore of the Columbia River
, with the 701 providing backup and pulling freight. Owing to an undersized turntable
, the Northerns didn't reach Portland, Oregon
, until 1943.
By 1947, The Great Northern Railway had begun to streamline its premier passenger train, The Empire Builder
, and had started adding diesels to the locomotive mix. SP&S also started purchasing diesels at this time, but they arrived after the streamlined cars were brought into service and for a few months, the 700s pulled the Portland section of the Empire Builder.
Through the late 1940s and early 1950s, the E-1s continued to pull secondary passenger trains, but by 1954, the diesels had completely replaced steam for passenger service and the E-1s were relegated to pulling freight trains until 1955.
Finally, on May 20, 1956, a spruced up 700, with its normally grey smokebox
painted silver, pulled its last passenger train. The Farewell To Steam run had a total of 21 cars carrying 1,400 passengers from Portland, Oregon
, to Wishram, Washington
, in the heart of the Columbia Gorge and back again.
After the trip, the 700, 701, 702, Challengers and other SP&S locomotives were sent to the scrap line. At the same time, however, Union Pacific Railroad
was offering to donate a steam locomotive to the city of Portland, Oregon
, and not to be outdone, the SP&S offered the 700. The two locomotives (SP&S 700 and OR&N 197
) were moved into Oaks Park
along the Willamette River
in 1958 and were soon joined by SP 4449
where they sat for nearly 20 years.
employee, Jack Holst, saved the locomotives from complete uselessness. Mr. Holst regularly visited the locomotives and kept the bearings and rods well greased and oiled. Unfortunately, Mr. Holst died in 1972, before the first locomotive (SP 4449) was removed from Oaks Park and restored. In 1975, 15-year-old Chris McLarney started working on the 700, cleaning and oiling various parts. He founded the PRPA (Pacific Railroad Preservation Association) in 1975 to provide support for the preservation work. With the support of many individuals and Burlington Northern Railroad
, the 700 returned to operation in 1990.
still in operation and expensive to run and insure, the 700 has managed a number of excursions since its restoration in 1990, including an historic double header with SP 4449 from Portland, Oregon, to Wishram, Washington, and back during the 2005 National Railway Historical Society
national convention, and a 2002 "Steam across Montana" from Sandpoint, Idaho
, to Billings, Montana
, and back.
The 700 was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on January 25, 2006 as the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway Steam Locomotive.
The 700 and its two companions now reside at the Brooklyn Roundhouse. The City of Portland leases the roundhouse from its current owner, Union Pacific Railroad
(UP), but the roundhouse
will be taken down in January 2012 so UP can expand the yard
, leaving it unclear where the engines will be stored. The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation
, with significant support from the City of Portland, is in the final stages of raising funds for a new restoration and visitor center adjacent to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
, in the hopes of moving the city's steam locomotives to a permanent and publicly accessible home before the January deadline. Meanwhile, the 700 continues to be maintained by the Pacific Railroad Preservation Association and a dedicated team of volunteers.
SP&S Class E-1
Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway’s E-1 class was a class of three 4-8-4 locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1938-Preservation:...
class 4-8-4
4-8-4
Under the Whyte notation classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-4 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles .Other equivalent classifications are:UIC classification: 2D2...
Northern type steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
. Nearly identical to the A-3 class Northerns built for Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
, but burning oil instead of coal.
After years of running second-hand equipment, the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway
Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway
The Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway was a United States-based railroad incorporated in 1905. It was a joint venture by the Great Northern Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway to build a railroad along the north bank of the Columbia River....
was allowed by its parent companies, Great Northern Railway and Northern Pacific Railway, to purchase its first new locomotives. These included three Northern E-1 class locomotives (700, 701 and 702) for passenger service and 6 Z-6 class Challengers (4-6-6-4
4-6-6-4
In Whyte notation, a 4-6-6-4 is a railroad steam locomotive that has four leading wheels followed by six coupled driving wheels, a second set of six driving wheels and four trailing wheels.Other equivalent classifications are:...
s) for freight service.
Revenue service years
700 was delivered on June 21, 1938 joining the 702 pulling overnight passenger trains between SpokaneSpokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
and Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Incorporated in 1857, it is the fourth largest city in the state with a 2010 census population of 161,791 as of April 1, 2010...
, along the north shore of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, with the 701 providing backup and pulling freight. Owing to an undersized turntable
Turntable (railroad)
A railway turntable is a device for turning railroad rolling stock. When steam locomotives were still in wide use, many railroads needed a way to turn the locomotives around for return trips as their controls were often not configured for extended periods of running in reverse and in many...
, the Northerns didn't reach Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, until 1943.
By 1947, The Great Northern Railway had begun to streamline its premier passenger train, The Empire Builder
Empire Builder
The Empire Builder is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Midwestern and Northwestern United States. It is Amtrak's busiest long-distance route and busiest daily train, carrying more than 500,000 travelers annually since 2007. Overall, it is the railroad's 10th-busiest line. Before...
, and had started adding diesels to the locomotive mix. SP&S also started purchasing diesels at this time, but they arrived after the streamlined cars were brought into service and for a few months, the 700s pulled the Portland section of the Empire Builder.
Through the late 1940s and early 1950s, the E-1s continued to pull secondary passenger trains, but by 1954, the diesels had completely replaced steam for passenger service and the E-1s were relegated to pulling freight trains until 1955.
Finally, on May 20, 1956, a spruced up 700, with its normally grey smokebox
Smokebox
A smokebox is one of the major basic parts of a Steam locomotive exhaust system. Smoke and hot gases pass from the firebox through tubes where they pass heat to the surrounding water in the boiler. The smoke then enters the smokebox, and is exhausted to the atmosphere through the chimney .To assist...
painted silver, pulled its last passenger train. The Farewell To Steam run had a total of 21 cars carrying 1,400 passengers from Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, to Wishram, Washington
Wishram, Washington
Wishram is a census-designated place in Klickitat County, Washington, United States. The population was 213 at the 2000 census. The site of the historic Celilo Falls is nearby....
, in the heart of the Columbia Gorge and back again.
After the trip, the 700, 701, 702, Challengers and other SP&S locomotives were sent to the scrap line. At the same time, however, Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
was offering to donate a steam locomotive to the city of Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, and not to be outdone, the SP&S offered the 700. The two locomotives (SP&S 700 and OR&N 197
OR&N 197
Oregon Railroad & Navigation Co. 197 is a 4-6-2 Pacific type steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1905.-History:OR&N 197 was built in 1905 for pulling passenger trains on E.H. Harriman's Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company, a subsidiary to the Union Pacific Railroad in Oregon...
) were moved into Oaks Park
Oaks Amusement Park
Oaks Park is a small amusement park located south of downtown Portland, Oregon USA, near the Sellwood Bridge. The park includes midway games, about two dozen rides that operate seasonally, a skating rink that is open all-year, and picnic grounds.- Rides :...
along the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
in 1958 and were soon joined by SP 4449
Southern Pacific 4449
Southern Pacific 4449 is the only surviving example of Southern Pacific Railroad's GS-4 class of steam locomotives. The GS-4 is a streamlined 4-8-4 type steam locomotive...
where they sat for nearly 20 years.
Display at Oaks Park
For nearly 20 years the 700, along with the other two locomotives, sat behind chain link fences, slowly fading and rusting away. Only the attention of a single Southern Pacific RailroadSouthern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
employee, Jack Holst, saved the locomotives from complete uselessness. Mr. Holst regularly visited the locomotives and kept the bearings and rods well greased and oiled. Unfortunately, Mr. Holst died in 1972, before the first locomotive (SP 4449) was removed from Oaks Park and restored. In 1975, 15-year-old Chris McLarney started working on the 700, cleaning and oiling various parts. He founded the PRPA (Pacific Railroad Preservation Association) in 1975 to provide support for the preservation work. With the support of many individuals and Burlington Northern Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....
, the 700 returned to operation in 1990.
1990 to present
Though it's the third largest steam locomotiveSteam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
still in operation and expensive to run and insure, the 700 has managed a number of excursions since its restoration in 1990, including an historic double header with SP 4449 from Portland, Oregon, to Wishram, Washington, and back during the 2005 National Railway Historical Society
National Railway Historical Society
The National Railway Historical Society is a non-profit organization established in 1935 in the United States to promote interest in, and appreciation for, the historical development of railroads. It is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and organized into 16 regions and...
national convention, and a 2002 "Steam across Montana" from Sandpoint, Idaho
Sandpoint, Idaho
Sandpoint is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Bonner County, Idaho, United States. Its population was 7,365 at the 2010 census.Sandpoint's major economic contributors include forest products and light manufacturing, tourism and recreation and government services...
, to Billings, Montana
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
, and back.
The 700 was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on January 25, 2006 as the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway Steam Locomotive.
Disposition and maintenance
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
(UP), but the roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
will be taken down in January 2012 so UP can expand the yard
Rail yard
A rail yard, or railroad yard, is a complex series of railroad tracks for storing, sorting, or loading/unloading, railroad cars and/or locomotives. Railroad yards have many tracks in parallel for keeping rolling stock stored off the mainline, so that they do not obstruct the flow of traffic....
, leaving it unclear where the engines will be stored. The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation
Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation
The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation is a registered non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Composed of several all-volunteer groups dedicated to maintaining vintage railroad equipment, the ORHF is committed "to secure a permanent home for the City of Portland’s steam...
, with significant support from the City of Portland, is in the final stages of raising funds for a new restoration and visitor center adjacent to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a museum located in Portland, Oregon, United States. It contains two auditoriums, including an IMAX Dome theatre, and a variety of hands-on permanent exhibits focused on natural sciences, industry, and technology...
, in the hopes of moving the city's steam locomotives to a permanent and publicly accessible home before the January deadline. Meanwhile, the 700 continues to be maintained by the Pacific Railroad Preservation Association and a dedicated team of volunteers.