Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway's E-1 class was a class of the only three 4-8-4 locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1938. The E-1 class "Northerns" were very similar to the A-2 through the A-5 class "Northerns" on the Northern Pacific Railroad built by Baldwin from 1934–1943. Visually, the locos are near-identical. The only difference is that the Northern Pacific Railroad 4-8-4s burn coal and the 4-8-4s on the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railroad burn oil (and have a longer, wider range as a result).

Spokane, Portland and Seattle class E-1
SP&S No. 700 on a Christmas excursion in December 2005
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works Serial number 62171–62173 Build date 1938 Total produced 3
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-4  • UIC 2′D2′ h2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 77 in (1,956 mm) Axle load 77,200 lb (35.0 tonnes) Adhesive weight 294,500 lb (133.6 tonnes) Loco weight 485,820 lb (220.36 tonnes) Total weight 879,600 lb (399.0 tonnes) Fuel type Oil Boiler pressure 260 psi (1.8 MPa) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 28 in × 32 in (710 mm × 810 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts
Performance figures Maximum speed 110 mph / 170 km per hour Tractive effort 69,800 lbf (310.49 kN)
Career Operators Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway Class E-1 Number in class 3 Numbers 700–702 Retired 1955-1957 Preserved No. 700 preserved, Nos. 701 and 702 scrapped Restored No. 700; May 15, 1990 Current owner The City of Portland, Oregon (No. 700) Disposition No. 700 undergoing 1,472-day overhaul

Preservation

There is only one survivor and it is the first of the class built. No. 700, which was restored in 1990 by, and is currently maintained by, the Pacific Railroad Preservation Association. Nos. 701 and 702 were both scrapped after they were retired. Since mid-2012, and also since No. 700 Back-Strikes, [1] it resides at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in Portland, Oregon where the public can view it during the center's opening days.[2] No. 700 is taken on special trips once or twice a year. However, as of April 2021, No. 700 is currently out of service while it undergoes its Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) mandated 1,472-day inspection and overhaul, but is currently expected to return to service again later in 2021.

Roster

References