SP&S 700 Northerns

Technical Data
Total Built in the Series: 3
Weight: 485,820 lb (220 mt)
Length: 110' 6 3/4" (33.7m) with tender
Boiler Pressure: 260 psi (18 kg/sq cm)
Tractive Effort: 69,800 lb (310 kN)
Fuel Capacity: 6,000 gal (22,700 cu m)
Water Capacity: 20,000 gal (75.7 cu m)

In 1938 The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway took delivery of three 4-8-4 Northerns, numbered 700, 701 and 702, from Baldwin Locomotive Works. Locomotives 700 and 702 were used for passenger service and continued to pull passenger trains, including the Empire Builder and the North Coast Limited, into the early 1950s. Number 701 was used primarily in freight service and as a backup to its fancier sisters.

The SP&S Northerns, designated as class E-1, were identical in design to the Northern Pacific A-3 except that they burned oil instead of coal. The locomotives had 77" drivers and 28"x31" cylinders.

In 1956, the SP&S spruced up the 700 and sent it out for one last run. The "farewell to steam" excursion attracted hundreds of passengers. But this event marked a new beginning. Today, SP&S 700 is the third largest operating steam locomotive in North America. It is owned by the City of Portland, Oregon, and it's maintained and operated by the Pacific Railroad Preservation Association. SP&S 700 has its own web site at http://www.sps700.org. There you will find more information about the locomotive, including its history and its physical properties. The site also has numerous photo galleries featuring various SP&S 700 railfan excursions, and depicting ongoing maintenance activities.