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.

This article uses bare URLs, which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot. (September 2022)

Great Northern P-2 class
GN 2517 with the Empire Builder on the Stone Arch Bridge, Minneapolis, c. 1929.
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works Serial number 57000-57002, 57084-57085, 57182-57190, 57256-57258, 57339, 57012, 57253, 57341-57347 Build date September–October 1923 Total produced 28
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-2  • UIC 2′D2′ h1 Gauge 4 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 wheels 33 in (838 mm) Wheelbase 83.04 ft (25,311 mm) Length 102 ft 3+7⁄8 in (31.19 m) Height 15 ft 9+7⁄8 in (4.82 m) Axle load 66,250 lb (30,050 kilograms; 30.05 metric tons) Adhesive weight 265,000 lb (120,000 kilograms; 120 metric tons) Loco weight 388,700 lb (176,300 kilograms; 176.3 metric tons) Tender weight 305,950 lb (138,780 kilograms; 138.78 metric tons) Total weight 694,650 lb (315,090 kilograms; 315.09 metric tons) Tender type Vanderbilt Fuel type Fuel oil Fuel capacity 5,800 US gal (22,000 l; 4,800 imp gal) oil Water cap. 15,000 US gal (57,000 l; 12,000 imp gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 88 sq ft (8.2 m2) Boiler 94 in (2,400 mm) Boiler pressure 210 lbf/in2 (1.45 MPa) (as built 200 lbf/in2 (1.38 MPa)) Heating surface:  • Firebox 400 sq ft (37 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 29 in × 28 in (737 mm × 711 mm)
Performance figures Maximum speed 50 mph (80 km/h) (limited) Tractive effort 57,580 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 Operators Great Northern Class P-2 Numbers 2500–2527 Retired 1955-1958 Preserved Two (Nos. 2507 and 2523) Disposition Great 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. About half of the class received roller bearings. 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.[3][4]

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.[5] The locomotive was eventually repaired and returned to service.

Preservation

Two P-2s survived into preservation.

• Great Northern 2507 was retired in December 1957, eventually sold to the Spokane, Portland and Seattle for display at Maryhill, WA and dedicated on September 3, 1966. It was later moved to Pasco, WA for restoration, but it was unsuccessful. The locomotive was moved again in 2003 to the depot in Wishram, WA, where it still resides.[6]
• 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.[6]

Roster

See also

• Great Northern P-1
• Great Northern S-2

References

• 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 (143): 110. ISSN 0090-7847. JSTOR 43523930.