I wanted to share an experience that I had with NP 2626. My parents were very liberal about letting me go down to Seattle's King Street Station to "watch the trains"... And on this particular day, there sat, facing southbound, a large NP steam locomotive. I didn't know what I was looking at save for the fact that it was a huge locomotive and in all of my train watching (3 years), I hadn't seen anything like that in the area other than a few yard goats and, in South Seattle, locomotives in a deadline. Turns out that locomotive was NP 2626, the original "Four Aces", the first roller bearing steamer. I remember it leaving and smoking it up, with about 10 cars, bound for Cle Elum, Washington. Unfortunately, I did not have a camera on hand but the scene is forever etched in my memory. I was ten years old.
That is cool. My memories of steam when I was a small boy are a lot less vivid. I only recall fleeting images when I am around some live steam tourist railroad. When I hear the side rods clank on a drifting locomotive or smell the coal smoke, lube oil and steam, it triggers brief flash backs but that is all.
Do you happen to recall the year of this memorable event? Was it a regular passenger train? Or perhaps one of the Casey Jones excursions? Years ago, I was corresponding with Ron Nixon. And he sent me a neat photo of the Four Aces. As it passed the Montana station where his father was the Agent. This was before the NP actually acquired it. It certainly impressed him. As it was a favorite the rest of his life. Boxcab E50
Evening Boxcab, Yes, I remember that it was late summer, around August of 1957. As I sat trackside, it seems I recalled there were no baggage cars in the consist, which I felt was odd even at my age. Also the cars were all heavyweights (I didn't know they were called that back then). I did know the difference between those and the two-tone green streamlined cars. As a very small child I'd been somewhat intimidated by steam engines; they seemed "scary"... But when 2626 left the station, I was determined to stand trackside and watch it leave. I have since learned that it was a special out to Cle Elum, Washington and return. If anyone out there has a photo of that locomotive leaving King Street Station, and the camera angle is looking South, on the left side of the locomotive, they'll see a gangly ten year old boy staring up at it...
Yes, I agree with you Kurt... In fact, NP did not save any of its Northerns. I do recall peeking through the windows of their South Seattle roundhouse near 1st and Massachusetts and seeing a couple steamers inside. That might have been around 1958 or '59. That was about as far as my bycicle would take me.
Larry, I admit that I envy you for having experienced the Timken. I only know her from pictures and she was a beauty. There is a color picture of the Timken on an excursion to Cle Elum in Warren Wing's "Northwest Rail Pictorial", page 43. The caption says it was taken August 4th, 1957 and shows the 2626 in Cle Elum with 7 heavyweight passenger cars, all pine-tree colors and no baggage car. Could this be the train you experienced? My first encounter with steam was when my grandfather took me to one of the 4 main stations in Hamburg, I must have been 5 years old. All I remember is a black beast with huge red wheels, hissing and breathing steam. I was quite scared.... Later I realized that the engine must have been a German Railway Class 01 Heavy Pacific. They had a driving wheel diameter of 2.00 meter (about 78.8 inches), so they were huge engines, specifically for a 5 year old... Larry, thanks for sharing!! Cheers Dirk
Riding behind Timken 2626 I was on that train with my younger brother. We were very curious about every thing. Why did they lock the restroom doors? Nothing we could do about that! Why did they close all of the windows? We re-opened it in the tunnel!!!! It stuck!?!?!?!?? I could only afford one (1) roll of film in those days. I wish I could find it. I attend the Northern Pacific veterans and fans lectures at White River Museum and hear mention of that trip. Thanks for re-kindling my memories. Dave "railrodder".
I think the doors were locked because of the city of Tacoma (or was it Seattle?) watershed the line passed through. No need to dump waste out in the reservoir. Doors would be unlocked after the train went through said area. Perhaps the windows were locked for similar reasons.
You guys are real lucky to have gotten to ride an NP Northern train. The closest I ever got was taking that fan train in 2004 from the King St Station to Cle-Elum, and riding in Santa Fe streamliner cars. At least I got to ride up through the watershed and to the other side. I was surprised to see there was just a sign where the town of Lester used to be. The only big steamer I ever rode behind was the 4449, again a fan trip. I did get to drive a GP9 around the track though!
Restrooms were locked while transiting the City of Tacoma watershed. I hope you can find that film!!! Boxcab E50
Wow, Dave! Now that is the ultimate! You were actually on that train...! It's been over 50 years ago but it was a real pleasure to read your words because as time fades and people pass on, memories sometimes spread themselves thin. I am happy to hear that there is a group of folks who were also there with you and they discuss that trip. I presently live in the Los Angeles area but my mother still lives in Seattle and I often come up to visit. Who are those people that you mentioned, where do they meet and how often? I'd like to visit with them some day soon. Feel free to email me at agfox7@sbcglobal.net
It's been 14 months since we wrote about NP Northern "2626" but I've made a few strides to replicate the scene that I witnessed back in 1957. The first was to finally buy a brass model of the 2626. The second, was to buy an Atlas model of ALCO HH660, # 602, an exact replica, including unit number, which often sat on a spur next to the King Street Station. It was the first locomotive that I ever got a cab ride on. My goal is to build a diarama of that exact scene as I remember it. I was in Seattle last month and took photos of the area that has now changed so much. The 4th Avenue South ramp is still there as is, appropriately, King Street Station and some of the sheds. Of course, a football stadium now occupies much of what once station trackage but I remember when! There was also some kind of office that sat just south of the station, which was a vantage point for me when the weather turned bad. I plan to start on it before the month is out and when it is complete, I'll post a photo of it here.
Wow, now I am jealous! Have never experienced NP steam in action, just a few video's and static preserved units in MT and ND. Still do feel priviledged to have seen some active steam, UP 844 in Boise in 1989 and the Milw 251 in Glendive. Standing 15 feet from the track as that BIG northern blew by at 25mph was IMPRESSIVE. Now, if it had only been NP or a Yellowstone or . . . .
