Northern Pacific Railway locomotives

Steam Locomotive Classes

Below is a table of information for the Northern Pacific Railway’s steam roster with a symbol, Whyte notation, common name and notes. (The notes were compiled by Richard Boyland and Wes Barris and first posted May 30, 1991, to the electronic newsgroup rec.railroad.) Included is a breakdown of the Northern Pacific classes, along with the date of their first construction (when known), builder, and road numbers.

Wheel Arrangements

Symbol | Wheel Arrangement | Type/Name

Class, date built, builder, road numbers

0-4-0

OO | 0-4-0 | Four-Coupled
Minnetonka, built 1870, Smith and Porter, NP 1
Class H, built 1880–1883 by Baldwin Locomotive Works, NP 1050–1064.
Class H-1, built 1871 by Baldwin, NP 1070, rebuilt as 0-4-0T shop switcher #11
Class H-2, built 1883 by Rhode Island Locomotive Works, NP 1003 (ex St. Paul and Duluth #37)
Class H-2, built 1889 by Baldwin, NP 12 (ex HHS&S)
Class H-3, built 1883 by Rhode Island, NP 1004
Class H-4, built by Grant, NP 1071
Class H-4, no date, Rhode Island, 1072

0-6-0

OOO | 0-6-0 | Six-Coupled
Class D-1, built 1881 by Baldwin, NP 942–947 (rebuilt from 2-6-0)
Class I, built 1883–1887 by Baldwin, NP 224, 297–300, 385–394, 398–400
Class I-1, built 1891 by NP’s Brainerd, Minnesota shops, NP 981
Class I-2, built 1887 by Dickson Manufacturing Company, NP 1000–1002 (ex St. Paul and Duluth #60–62)
Class K-1, built 1881, Baldwin, 948-976
Class K-2, built 1882, Baldwin, 980
Class L, built 1883, Baldwin, 977-976
Class L-1, built 1889, Grant, 940-941
Class L-2, built 1887, Rome, 930-939
Class L-3, built 1880, Rome, 929
Class L-4, built 1896, Baldwin, 926-928
Class L-5, built 1899, Rogers, 923-925
Class L-6, built 1901, Alco, 900-919
Class L-6T, built 1901, NP Brainerd, Minnesota, 9
Class L-7, built 1902, 1903, Baldwin, Alco, 1020-1029, 1030-1035
Class L-8, built 1891, Baldwin, 922
Class L-9, built 1906-1910, Alco, Baldwin, 1040-1134
Class L-10, built 1912, Alco, 1160-1169

0-8-0

OOOO | 0-8-0 | Eight-Coupled
Class G, built 1906, NP, 1151-1159
Class G-1, built 1919, Alco, 1170-1173
Class G-2, built 1920, Alco, 1174-1193

2-4-0

oOO | 2-4-0
Class H-5, no date, Rhode Island Locomotive Works, 1072

2-6-0

oOOO | 2-6-0 | Mogul
First rigid frame 1852; first swiveling frame 1864 (Louisville and Nashville). Being the largest locomotive at the time, it was named after the Mohammedan Empire (India).
Class D, built 1883, Baldwin, 580-591
Class D-1, built 1881, Baldwin, 942-947
Class D-2, built 1888, Baldwin, 550-572
Class D-3, built 1889, Baldwin, 420-424, 451-547
Class D-5, built 1889, Baldwin, NP Brainerd, Minnesota, Schenectady, 404-418, 426-432
Class D-6, built 1893, Rogers, 400-403
Class K, built 1883, Baldwin, 595-599

2-6-2

oOOOo | 2-6-2 | Prairie
In 1885, six were built by Baldwin for New Zealand. In 1900, Brooks Locomotive Works built this type for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy to be used on the prairies of the American Midwest.
Class T, built 1906, Alco, 2300-2449
Class T-1, built 1926, Alco, 2450, 2451, 2453-2457, 2459-2161, 2463, 2465-2467

2-8-0

oOOOO | 2-8-0 | Consolidation
First built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1866 for the Lehigh Valley Railroad (recently been created by the consolidation of several smaller roads). The most popular wheel arrangement in the United States.
Class F, built 1883, Baldwin Locomotive Works, 95-103
Class F-1, built 1888, Baldwin, 50-81
Class F-2, built 1888, Baldwin, 82-83
Class F-3, built 1889, Rome Locomotive Works, 84-91
Class F-4, built 1887, Grant Locomotive Works, 92-94
Class F-5, built 1900, Schenectady Locomotive Works, 45-46
Class F-6, built 1895, Richmond Locomotive Works, 47
Class F-7, built 1888, Rhode Island Locomotive Works, 48-49
Class F-8, built 1891, PRR Altoona, Pennsylvania, 4-6
Class Y, built 1898, Schenectady, 30-43
Class Y-1, built 1900, Schenectady, 17-29
Class Y-2, built 1901, Alco, 1250-1279
Class Y-3, built 1901, Alco, 1200-1213
Class Y-4, built 1903, Alco, 1280-1293
Class Y-5, built 1903, Alco, 1214-1223

2-8-2

oOOOOo | 2-8-2 | Mikado, Mike, MacArthur
Built by Baldwin in 1897 for the Japanese Government Railways. Mikado meant "Emperor of Japan." This was one of the largest classes of steam locomotives on the Northern Pacific.
Class W, built 1904, Alco, 1500-1659
Class W-1, built 1910, Alco, 1660-1699
Class W-2, built 1904, Alco, 1900-1919
Class W-3, built 1913, 1917, 1920, Alco, 1700-1834
Class W-4, built 1918, NP Brainerd, Minnesota, 2500-2505
Class W-5, built 1923, Alco, 1835-1859

2-10-0

oOOOOO | 2-10-0 | Decapod
On the NP the Decapods were used at either end of a very short train over the temporary switchback line across Stampede Pass while Stampede Tunnel was being constructed between 1887 and 1888. They featured blind drivers (no flanges on the wheels) for operation on sharp curves. They were later relegated to use as yard switchers.
Class M, built 1886, Baldwin, 1-2

4-4-0

ooOO | 4-4-0 | American
Class B, built 1887, Baldwin, 650-671
Class B-1, built 1889, Baldwin, 672-673
Class B-2, no date, Baldwin, 9-10, 70, 309-316
Class B-2, no date, Hinkley, 150-151
Class B-2, built 1887, Schenectady, 649
Class B-3, built 1888, Grant, 691-692
Class C-1, built 1883, New York Locomotive Works, 680-690
Class C-2, built 1879, Baldwin, 13-33, 84-93, 96, 98-99, 114-124, 152-153
Class C-3, built 1883, Baldwin, 703
Class C-4, built 1882, Baldwin, 741-742
Class C-5, built 1883, New York, 743-747
Class C-6, built 1883, Portland Company, 748
Class C-7, built 1888, Pittsburgh Locomotive and Car Works, 804
Class C-8, 1882, Baldwin, 39-47, 49, 60-64, 66, 805
Class C-9, built 1882, Pittsburgh, 11-12, 303-305, 807
Class C-10, built 1882, Baldwin, 817-818
Class C-11, built 1879, Baldwin, 695, 819
Class C-12, built 1880, Manchester Locomotive Works, 866-869
Class C-13, built 1881, Portland, 870
Class C-14, built 1881, Baldwin, 899
Class C-19, built 1887, Rome, 675-678
Class C-20, built 1887, Dickson Manufacturing Company, 635-637, 1127, 1132
Class C-21, built 1888, Rome, 638-640
Class C-22, built 1886, Baldwin, 1110-1117
Class C-23, built 1881, Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works, 1123-1128
Class C-24, built 1881, McQueen Locomotive Works, 1129-1130
Class C-25, built 1879, Baldwin, 1131-1134
Class C-26, built 1870, Baldwin, 1135-1136
Class C-27, built 1870, Baldwin, 1137
Class C-28, built 1871, Baldwin, 1138-1139
Class C-29, built 1874, Baldwin, 1140-1144
Class C-30, built 1887, Rhode Island, 1145-1148
Class C-31, built 1888, Rhode Island, 1149-1150
Class C-32, no date, Baldwin, 1151
Class C-33, no date, no builder, 1153

4-4-2

ooOOo | 4-4-2 | Atlantic
Class N, built 1899, Baldwin, 600-602
Class N-1, built 1909, Baldwin, 603-605

4-6-0

ooOOO | 4-6-0 | Ten-Wheeler
Class E, built 1882, Baldwin, 390-398
Class E-1, built 1888, Manchester, 360-364
Class E-2, built 1888, Baldwin, 370-383
Class E-3, built 1889, Baldwin, 330-358
Class E-4, built 1890, Rhode Island, 388-389
Class E-5, built 1893, Schenectady, 386-387
Class E-6, built 1890, Rhode Island, 365
Class E-7, built 1892, Cooke Locomotive Works, 366-368
Class E-8, built 1890, Baldwin, 369
Class P, built 1897, Alco, 250-258
Class P-1, built 1899, Schenectady, 207-218, 226-236
Class P-2, built 1900, Schenectady, 240-299
Class P-3, built 1901, Alco, 1400-1419
Class R, built 1897, Schenectady, 170-189
Class S, built 1898, Schenectady, 153-168
Class S-1, built 1899, Schenectady, 134-147
Class S-2, built 1900, Schenectady, 104-133
Class S-3, built 1901, Schenectady, 1300-1323
Class S-4, built 1902, Baldwin, 1350-1389
Class S-10, built 1907, Alco (Rogers), 320-329
Class S-11, built 1888, Grant, 150-152

4-6-2

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
4-6-2 — ooOOOo — Pacific
Q	4-6-2	2080–2099	Alco	27317–27336	1903	20	0	1929–1947
Q-1	4-6-2	2100–2147	Alco	30228…42501	1904–1907	48	0	1930–1952
Q-2	4-6-2	2175–2176	Alco	39999–40000	1906	2	0	1934
Q-3	4-6-2	2148–2170	Baldwin	33248…33627	1909	23	4	1945–1959
Q-4	4-6-2	2177–2207	Baldwin	33796…34144	1909–1910	31	0	1931–1959
Q-4	4-6-2	2208–2205	Alco	48186–48203	1910	18	0	1931–1959
Q-5	4-6-2	2226–2235	Alco	62422–62441	1920	20	0	1947–1959
Q-6	4-6-2	2246–2265	Alco	64328–64347	1923	20	0	1953–1959

4-8-0

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial Numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
4-8-0 — ooOOOO
X	4-8-0	13–16	Schenectady	4523–4526	1897	4	0	1936–1940

4-8-4

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
4-8-4 — ooOOOOoo — Northern
A	4-8-4	2600–2611	Alco	67010–67021	1926	12	0	1949–1959	Serial nos. not in order
A-1	4-8-4	2626	Alco	68056	1930	1	0	1955	ex-Timken 1111
A-2	4-8-4	2650–2659	Baldwin	61771–61780	1934–1935	10	0	1953–1958
A-3	4-8-4	2660–2667	Baldwin	62163–62170	1938	8	0	1954–1958
A-4	4-8-4	2670–2677	Baldwin	64155–64162	1941	8	0	1954–1958
A-5	4-8-4	2680–2689	Baldwin	64667–64676	1943	10	0	1957–1959

Mallet and Simple Articulated Locomotives

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
Mallet and Simple Articulated Locomotives
Z	2-6-6-2	3000–3015	Baldwin	30566…31557	1907	16	0	1927–1939
Z-1	2-6-6-2	3100–3105	Baldwin	34389…34483	1910	6	0
Z-2	2-8-8-2	4000–4004	Baldwin	34382–34386	1910	5	0	1945
Z-3	2-8-8-2	4005–4025	Alco	52839…62472	1913, 1917, 1920	21	0	1945–1958
Z-4	2-8-8-2	4500–4503	Alco	64373–64376	1923	4	0	1951–1954
Z-5	2-8-8-4	5000	Alco	67578	1928	1	0	1952
Z-5	2-8-8-4	5000–5011	Baldwin	61292…61495	1930	11	0	1953–1957
Z-6	4-6-6-4	5100–5120	Alco	68760–68780	1936–1937	21	0	1955–1959
Z-7	4-6-6-4	5121–5126	Alco	69540–69545	1941	6	0	1956–1959
Z-8	4-6-6-4	5130–5149	Alco	70143…71962	1943–44	20	0	1955–1959

Both of the Northern Pacific's 2-6-6-2 classes were copies of GN designs, including their Belpaire fireboxes, a rarity on NP steam locomotives. NP 3015, last of the Class Z's, had a troubled existence, suffering a crown sheet failure at Kennedy, Washington, on Stampede Pass circa 1916, then later derailing on the Wallace Branch in Idaho in 1933. In both instances the engine crew members were killed or injured.

The Z-2 2-8-8-2s wound up in helper service on Bozeman Pass. The Z-3s, purchased in successive batches, became the main line road and helper power on the route across Stampede Pass until the arrival of EMD's FTs in April, 1944. They were also used as helpers on the steep ascent of the NP's Prairie Line out of Tacoma, Washington, as well as in hauling wartime munitions trains over Stimson Hill between Elma, Washington and the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton, Washington, circa 1944–1945.

The Z-5 Yellostones were two locomotives under one boiler, these were the largest locomotives in the world when delivered in 1928. They eliminated the use of two locomotives on the head-end of freight trains on the Yellowstone Division in eastern Montana and western North Dakota. The 2-8-8-4 was first built for the Northern Pacific Railway in 1928.

The 4-6-6-4 locomotives were so large that in many places in Montana the Northern Pacific had to widen the centers of its double track on the Rocky Mountain Division. As a rule they did not work west of Easton, Washington, due to the confines of Stampede Tunnel under the summit of Stampede Pass. Despite the inaccuracy, these classes were generally referred to by NP engine crews as Mallets.

Diesel Locomotives

American Locomotive Company

Northern Pacific Railway’s Alcos were mostly confine to the east end of the road, on the Lake Superior and St. Paul Divisions.

Model	hp	Quantity	Built	Road numbers	Notes
HH-660	660	3	1940	600–602	Delivered as 125–127; first two sold to NP subsidiary Walla Walla Valley Railway
S-1	660	1	1945	603	Delivered as 131
S-2	1000	13	1941–1949	700–712	Delivered as 107–108, 113–118, 150–152
S-4	1000	12	1951–1953	713–724
S-6	900	1	1955	750
RS-1	1000	4	1945	800–803	Delivered as 155–158
RS-3	1600	14	1953–1955	850–863
RS-11	1800	18	1958–1960	900–917

Baldwin Locomotive Works

Model	hp	Quantity	Built	Road numbers	Notes
VO-660	660	3	1940–1942	650–652	Delivered as 128–130
VO-1000	1000	28	1941–1945	400–427	Delivered as 109–112, 119–124, 153–154, 159–174
DRS 4-4-1500	1500	2	1948	500–501	Delivered as 175–176. Rebuilt 1959 and 1966 with EMD 567 engine
DRS 6-6-1500	1500	1	1948	525	Delivered as 177. Rebuilt 1959 with EMD 567 engine

Electro-Motive Division

Model	hp	Quantity	Built	Road numbers	Notes
NW	1000	1	1938	100	Rebuilt 1956 by EMD as SW900m
NW2	1000	7	1940–1948	99, 101–106	99 was New York, Ontario and Western 115, bought 1957
SW7	1200	8	1949	107–114
SW9	1200	4	1952–1953	115–118
SW1200	1200	59	1955–1957	119–177
GP7	1500	20	1950–1953	550–569
GP9	1750	176	1954–1958	200–375
GP18	1800	9	1960	376–384
FT	5400	11 A, 11 B	1944	5400ABCD–5410ABCD	Delivered as 6000ABCD–6010ABCD
F3	1500	25 A 24 B	1947–1948	6000A-6004C, 6005B-6006C, 6500A-6509C, 6005A-6006D, 6051A-6052A, 6503C-6506C	6000s are freight, 6500s are passenger
F7	1500	45 A 34 B	1947–1952	6007A-6012D, 6007B-6012B, 6013D-6018D, 6013C-6018C, 6019D-6020D, 6019C-6020C, 6050B, 6500C, 6501C-6502C, 6507C-6508C, 6509C-6512C, 6510B-6512B, 6513C, 6513B, 6550B, 6551B-6553B,
FP7	1500	2	1952	6600–6601	Used on St. Paul to Winnipeg passenger train
F9	1750	39 A 32 B	1949–1956	6700C, 6700B, 6700C, 6701C, 6701B, 6702A-6704A, 6702B-6703B, 6702C, 6703A-6705A, 6703C, 6704B-6709B, 6704C, 6705C, 6706A, 6706C, 6707A, 6707C, 6710B, 7000D-7001D, 7000C-7001C, 7002D-7006D, 7002C-7006C, 7007D, 7007C, 7008D-7009D, 7008C-7009C, 7010D-7014D, 7010C-7014C, 7050A, 7051A-7051A	6700s are passenger, 7000s are freight
SD45	3600	30	1966–1968	3600–3629	20 more on order at merger into Burlington Northern

General Electric

Model	hp	Quantity	Built	Road numbers	Notes
44-Ton	380	1	1946	98	South Tacoma shops switcher
44-Ton	400	1	1943	99	Ordered by NP subsidiary Duluth Union Depot and Transfer; temporarily delivered to NP while DUDT resolved labor issues, then transferred to them as No. 5
U-25C	2500	30	1964–1965	2500–2529
U-28C	2800	12	1966	2800–2811
U-33C	3300	10	1969	3300–3309

References

• Schrenk, Lorenz P., and Frey, Robert L. (1997). Northern Pacific Classic Steam Era. Mukilteo, Washington: Hundman Publishing.
• Schrenk, Lorenz P., and Frey, Robert L. (1985). Northern Pacific Railway Supersteam Era 1925-1945. San Marino, California: Golden West Books.
• Schrenk, Lorenz P., and Frey, Robert L. (1995). Northern Pacific Railway Diesel Era 1945-1970.. San Marino, California: Golden West Books. ISBN 0870951025. 
• Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association. "NP rosters on NPRHA website". http://research.nprha.org/default.aspx. Retrieved 2008-07-28.