Great Northern P-2

The Great Northern P-2 was a class of 28 4-8-2 "Mountain" type steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1923 and operated by the Great Northern Railway until the late 1950s.

Great Northern P-2 class
GN 2517 with the Empire Builder on the Stone Arch Bridge, Minneapolis, c. 1929.
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderBaldwin Locomotive Works
Serial number57000-57002, 57084-57085, 57182-57190, 57256-57258, 57339, 57012, 57253, 57341-57347
Build dateSeptember-October 1923
Total produced28
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-8-2
 • UIC2′D2′ h1
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Leading dia.33 in (838 mm)
Driver dia.73 in (1,854 mm)
Trailing dia.45 in (1,143 mm)
Tender wheels33 in (838 mm)
Wheelbase83.04 ft (25,311 mm)
Length102 ft 3 7⁄8 in (31.19 m)
Height15 ft 9 7⁄8 in (4.82 m)
Axle load66,250 lb (30,050 kilograms; 30.05 metric tons)
Adhesive weight265,000 lb (120,000 kilograms; 120 metric tons)
Loco weight388,700 lb (176,300 kilograms; 176.3 metric tons)
Tender weight305,950 lb (138,780 kilograms; 138.78 metric tons)
Total weight694,650 lb (315,090 kilograms; 315.09 metric tons)
Tender typeVanderbilt
Fuel typeFuel oil
Fuel capacity5,800 US gal (22,000 l; 4,800 imp gal) oil
Water cap15,000 US gal (57,000 l; 12,000 imp gal)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		88 sq ft (8.2 m2)
Boiler84 in (2,100 mm)
Boiler pressure210 lbf/in2 (1.45 MPa) (as built 200 lbf/in2 (1.38 MPa))
Heating surface:
 • Firebox		400 sq ft (37 m2)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size29 in × 28 in (737 mm × 711 mm)
Performance figures
Maximum speed50 mph (80 km/h) (limited)
Tractive effort57,580 lbf (256.13 kN)
(as built 54,838 lbf (243.9 kN))
69,780 lbf (310,400 N) with booster
Factor of adh.4.13 (as built 4.34)
Career
OperatorsGreat Northern
ClassP-2
Numbers2500–2527
Retired1955-1958
PreservedTwo (Nos. 2507 and 2523)
DispositionGreat Northern 2507 on display in Wishram, Washington, Great Northern 2523 on display in Willmar, Minnesota, remainder scrapped

The locomotives were built as passenger locomotives and the class had the honor of pulling the first Empire Builder train.

Today, two P-2s survive, No. 2507 is on display in Wishram, WA and No. 2523 is on display in Willmar, MN.

History

Design

Built as passenger locomotives in 1923, they were used to haul passenger trains throughout the Great Northern. They were built to speed up passenger trains on the mainline and have replaced the earlier P-1 Class of "Mountains" of 1914, as they were deemed too slow for passenger service. While most Great Northern steam locomotives had a Belpaire firebox, the P-2s had a radial stay firebox. The first 18 were delivered as oil burners and the last 10 were delivered as coal burners.[1] In service, they were limited to 50 mph, but managed up to 4,800 miles a month and were rated at 10-12 heavyweight passenger cars up the 1.8% Walton Hill at 18 mph. Helper service is provided up the 1.65% grade outside of the St. Paul Union Depot if trains consisted of 10 or more cars.[2] Later in their service life, their boiler pressure was increased from 200 psi to 210 psi, increasing their tractive effort from 54,838 to 57,580 lbs. The P-2s were deemed as excellent passenger locomotives.[3]

Revenue service

The locomotives pulled passenger trains such as the Empire Builder and Oriental Limited and was the first to pull the former. While their performance in passenger service was excellent, they were replaced by the S-2 Class of Northerns in Empire Builder service, regulating them to other passenger trains and freight trains. As the Great Northern dieselized, retirement of the P-2s began in April 1955 and by April 1958, all have been retired.[4][5]

Accidents and incidents
  • No. 2507, while pulling train #27, the Fast Mail, hit a landslide near Picnic Point, south of Mukilteo, Washington in the pre-dawn hours of February 18, 1948. The engineer and fireman survived, but were both injured when the slide rolled the engine, tender and a baggage car off the track and went over the rock sea wall into Puget Sound.[6] The locomotive was eventually repaired and returned to service.

Preservation

Two P-2s survived into preservation.

  • Great Northern 2523 was retired in April 1958 and donated to the city of Willmar, MN on October 7, 1965. It is currently displayed at the Kandiyohi County Historical Society.[7]

Roster
NumberBaldwin serial numberDate builtDispositionNotes
250057000September 1923Sold for scrap May 9, 1955.
250157001September 1923Retired April 1955.
250257002September 1923Sold for scrap April 19, 1956.
250357084October 1923Sold for scrap May 9, 1955.
250457085October 1923Sold for scrap May 9, 1955.
250557182October 1923Retired December 1957.Received booster that added 12,200 lbs of tractive effort in the late 1940s.
250657183October 1923Sold for scrap October 7, 1955.Received booster that added 12,200 lbs of tractive effort in the late 1940s.
250757184October 1923Retired December 1957, sold to the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway. Moved to Pasco, Washington for restoration attempt. It was unsuccessful and moved to Wishram, Washington in July 2003 where it still resides.
250857185October 1923Sold for scrap October 7, 1955.
250957186October 1923Sold for scrap October 7, 1955.
251057187October 1923Retired December 1957.
251157188October 1923Retired December 1957.
251257189October 1923Sold for scrap October 7, 1955.
251357190October 1923Retired April 1958.
251457256October 1923Retired March 1958.
251557257October 1923Sold for scrap October 7, 1955.
251657258October 1923Sold for scrap October 7, 1955.
251757339October 1923Sold for scrap April 19, 1956.
251857012October 1923Scrapped May 9, 1955.
251957012October 1923Sold for scrap April 19, 1956.
252057340October 1923Retired December 1957.
252157341October 1923Retired December 1957.Last GN steam locomotive to run out of Seattle.[8]
252257342October 1923Sold for scrap August 16, 1956.
252357343October 1923Retired April 1958, donated to the city of Willmar, Minnesota on October 7, 1965, currently on display at the Kandiyohi County Historical Society in Willmar, MN.
252457344October 1923Retired April 1958.
252557345October 1923Retired December 1957.
252657346October 1923Sold for scrap May 9, 1955.
252757347October 1923Sold for scrap April 19, 1956.

See also

References
  1. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14956252/the-wood-burner-engine-william-crooks/
  2. http://www.gngoat.org/baldwins_on_gn.htm
  3. "Great Northern 4-8-2 "Mountain" Locomotives in the USA". steamlocomotive.com.
  4. "Great Northern 4-8-2 "Mountain" Locomotives in the USA". steamlocomotive.com.
  5. http://www.greatnorthernempire.net/index2.htm?GNEGNSteamRosterP2.htm
  6. http://www.gn-npjointarchive.org/_layouts/15/start.aspx#/Lists/GN_Will_Photos/AllItems.aspx
  7. "Great Northern Empire - Then and Now". www.greatnorthernempire.net.
  8. http://www.gn-npjointarchive.org/GNCascadeDivision/Forms/DispForm.aspx?ID=162
  • Keyes, Norman C., Jr.; Middleton, Kenneth R. (Autumn 1980). "The Great Northern Railway Company: All-Time Locomotive Roster, 1861–1970". Railroad History. Boston, Mass.: Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. 143: 110. ISSN 0090-7847. JSTOR 43523930.
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