Give BIG for an iconic locomotive!

Moving the 125.

Northern Pacific Railway locomotive 125 is now part of the Northwest Railway Museum collection in Snoqualmie, WA.  It moved here last November as part of a much larger project.  Now, it is being restored to its appearance when it arrived in Seattle in February 1940 and you can help make it happen.   

Why is this important?  In the Washington State of January, 1940, steam was everywhere.  Aside from two electrified segments, nearly every train in the State was pulled by a steam locomotive.  So imagine the excitement in February when a new kind of locomotive arrived from the American Locomotive Company ("ALCO").   

This brand new locomotive could operate for days or weeks without any major maintenance, and could power through an entire shift without needing additional fuel or water.  Few knew it then, but in about 15 years, nearly all the steam locomotives would be retired from Northern Pacific, and by 1958 the last one would go cold, and it began with the 125.

Historians, fans or just people who like steam locomotives may lament the end of the steam era, but it was an incredibly transformational time in America. The transition from steam to diesel resulted in significant impacts on railroad labor and the communities they populated, but these changes also helped the railroads become more economically viable because they could perform more work with fewer people.  

The 125 in 1940.

What is the locomotive?  The locomotive is a model HH660 built by ALCO in Schenectady, New York. It has 660 horsepower, is powered with a McIntosh & Seymour 538 diesel engine, is about 40 feet long and weighs more than 200,000 pounds.  

The unit is technically a diesel-electric locomotive wherein a diesel engine turns an electric generator.  The electricity is used to turn electric motors mounted on each axle.  An air compressor is also powered by the diesel, and is used to provide air for the brakes.

What is the project?  The objective of this project is to restore the locomotive 125 to its appearance in February 1940 when it was delivered to the Seattle waterfront and began switching the docks along Alaskan Way.  

Restoration work will include air brake repairs, restoration of the reflector headlights, relocation of the bell to the front hood, repairs to the radiators, minor car body repairs, floor repairs in the cab, several window replacements, and application the original color and lettering as it would have appeared in February 1940.  

Turning the wheels.

Moving the locomotive to Snoqualmie and turning the wheels have already required an investment of more than $100,000.

How can I help?  Please help us ensure the preservation of this icon of change, this first-of-a-kind, and remarkable machine that actually remained in daily service until 2003, more than 63 years!, Thanks to a generous matching grant of $5,000 awarded from the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association, work has already begun on returning this artifact to its former glory, but at least $15,000 must be secured to complete the project.  

Please help close the gap with this year's Give BIG, May 3 & 4! Just add "125" in the dedication box to ensure we credit your contribution to the 125, and as a matching donation to fully release the matching gift.

NPR 125 arrives on Snoqualmie, November 6, 2021

Big wheels rolling

Cutting heads in position.

The Museum's high hood Alco model HH660 locomotive received its first restorative work this week when Scott Hutton - with able assistance from Josh Kiavo - was on hand to turn the wheels.  The last operating assignment for the 125 was switching grain cars at the Port of Longview.  In this intensive use, the tapered profile of the steel wheels wore down into a hollow.

The wheel lathe produced many
shavings and chips.                       

This model HH660 was built by the American Locomotive Company for the Northern Pacific Railway in 1940, and was the first diesel electric switcher that road brought to Seattle.  It later served the Walla Walla Valley Railway and RELCO locomotive leasing before it was purchased by the Port of Longview.   It was retired in 2004 and in November 2021 moved to Snoqualmie after years of offsite storage; evaluations of the locomotive and its systems are ongoing.  

Wheel profile detail.

The steel wheels were worn beyond acceptable limits and Scott's portable wheel lathe was summoned to bring the tread back into profile. Wheel profiles are important for maintaining adhesion (avoiding wheel slip), minimizing friction, reducing wear, minimizing hunting (undesired side to side motion) and providing a smooth ride.  The profile used on the 125 was developed by the American Association of Railroads and features a 1:20 tread taper.

Completed wheel.

Turning a new profile onto a wheel usually involves removing the offending wheel sets from the car or locomotive and placing them in a wheel lathe.  Scott has a set of portable cutter heads that allow a locomotive wheel set to be profiled in situ.  How is that possible?  By using the locomotive's electric traction motors to turn the wheels.  Each axle and wheel set is addressed individually by jacking up the motor and axle and powering the motor with an electric welding outfit.  The output of the welder is modulated until the axle is spinning at a rate appropriate for the carbide cutters.  A thin sliver of steel is peeled off; it takes a full work day to profile each wheel set, and care must be used to ensure the diameter of both wheels is the same.

Check out this short video illustrating the process:

High hood Alco arrives in Snoqualmie

The locomotive as 770 
circa 1950.

Locomotive 125 arrived in Seattle in February, 1940 and entered service for the Northern Pacific Railway doing the same work the Museum's former NPR 924 steam locomotive performed years earlier.  At that time nearly every train in Washington was pulled by either a steam locomotive or an electric locomotive.  Diesel electrics were still an experiment, even though there was already compelling evidence that they burned less fuel and required far less maintenance.  They also pulled heavier loads at lower speed, such as switching the docks along the Seattle waterfront or building passenger trains at King Street Station.  Just nine years later, it was clear that diesel-electrics were quickly taking over from steam and the 125 was sent to NPR subsidiary Walla Walla Valley Railway to replace an electric locomotive.

Decades later, the Northwest Railway Museum had an opportunity to acquire the oldest surviving Northern Pacific Railway diesel-electric locomotive, and the only survivor from the Walla Walla Valley Railway.  Known by then as Port of Longview 770, this model HH-660 was purchased at auction.  Arrangements were made to store the locomotive at the Port of Longview inside a building in a secure area, out of mind and sight of would-be copper collectors.

201 arrived early morning. 

With arrangements for former Kennecott Copper locomotive 201 to depart for the Nevada Northern Railway, the Museum had room to accommodate the 770.  So early in the morning of 3 November 2021, a heavy haul truck from Ness Campbell arrived in Snoqualmie with the 770 safely rigged to its deck.

125 is carefully picked
from the trailer deck.

By mid afternoon, the truck was positioned adjacent to two cranes for the transfer back to live rail.  The lift took place without incident, first for the locomotive's trucks, then for the locomotive itself.  After reconnecting the brake, the locomotive was moved to the Museum's campus.

Thank you to the Nevada Northern Railway Foundation and their President Mark Bassett for working together with us to make this great locomotive swap possible!

Please enjoy our photo montage:

The map shows where the 770 will 
soon be able to run.

770 on its trailer is juxtaposed by the main track in
front of the Snoqualmie Depot early on 3 Nov 2021.

First, the locomotive trucks were set on the rails.

Next, the locomotive was rigged.

And the lift begins!

Two cranes make light work of the lift.

Back over the rails now.

The set must be precise for the truck and bolster to 
correctly mate.

Some minor adjustments were required to get the
parts to fit together again.

By late afternoon, the 770 was ready to roll again.

Locomotive 201 departs the Museum

201 on 3 Nov 2021.

Locomotive 201 is an American Locomotive Company ("Alco") model RSD4 diesel-electric locomotive constructed in 1951.  It served Kennecott Copper for more than 30 years and was subsequently donated to the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, WA in 1985.  Although an outstanding example of a first generation road switcher, after the Museum updated its mission and scope of collection it was evident that the 201 no longer belonged in the collection because it was not connected with the history of the Pacific Northwest.  It was deaccessioned in 2004 and later a plan to return it to its original home was developed.

201 on 3 Nov 2021.

On Wednesday, November 3, 2021, the 201 rolled through Snoqualmie for the last time.  Early in the afternoon it was picked up by two huge cranes and set onto an unusually large truck for the journey to Ely, Nevada, and its new home at the Nevada Northern Railway where it originally operated for Kennecott.  The Nevada Northern Railway Foundation arranged to acquire the 201 in a transfer, but had the responsibility for transporting the 201 all the way to Ely.

201 suspended.

Steven Butler's Morton Locomotive had the contract to arrange the move.  IRH of Salt Lake City was selected to haul the 201, and Ness Campbell Crane was hired to pick it up.  The day proceeded smoothly with an almost flawless execution by the contractors, and a rain-free day as a bonus.

Congratulations to the Nevada Northern Railway Foundation and their President Mark Bassett on the most recent addition to their large object collection!

Please enjoy our photo montage:

Snoqualmie Mayor
Matt Larson brought
his grandson to say 
goodbye to the 201.

The Ness Campbell team rigs the 201.

Nevada Northern
Railway Foundation 
President Mark 
Bassett poses with
locomotive 201.

Rigged and ready to lift!

Up she goes!

You'd think it was a 737, and just as heavy, too!

Swinging over the truck.

Nestling down between the girders.

The 201 will be riding on blocks of wood!

The truck, all 250 feet.

Each of 201's trucks rode on a separate semi trailer,
which are really heavy because they include three
500 hp electric traction motors.

Out with the new, in with the old

Heavy things are about to move at the Northwest Railway Museum!

Successful museums constantly work to improve the representation of their collections and how it serves their mission.  An art museum may want to better represent notable local artists.  A flight museum might want the aircraft a local astronaut once flew.  A railway museum may want the second diesel electric locomotive to operate on a particular railway, and to return a road switcher to the home road it left more than 40 years ago.  These are all scenarios that have presented themselves at museums, but the last one is actually about to happen.

First, let's review a brief history of two locomotives:

Locomotive 201

Locomotive 201 crossing

bridge 35 in North Bend.

In 1983 Kennecott Copper shuttered their operation near Ely, Nevada, and embargoed the Nevada Northern Railway.  They donated many of the diesel locomotives to museums around the west, and their locomotive 909 (earlier known as 201) was sent to the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie.  This six axle road switcher was built by the American Locomotive Company (Alco) in 1951 as a model RSD4, and it pulled trains on the Museum's Snoqualmie Valley Railroad for more than 20 years.  It has been stored complete ever since the Museum acquired the two much smaller Baldwin switchers that currently pull passenger trains.

Locomotive 125

Walla Walla Valley Railway  

circa 1963.

In the early 2000s, the Port of Longview retired their locomotive 770, an Alco model HH660 built in February, 1940.  Aside from being a really old diesel electric locomotive, it has significance to Washington State railway history.  The Northwest Railway Museum won a sealed bid auction to purchase the locomotive.

Northern Pacific Railway    

circa 1945.

Historically, this locomotive was just the second diesel-electric locomotive on the Northern Pacific Railway, and was first operated in Seattle switching the docks along the waterfront where it served as their locomotive 125. 

Walla Walla Valley Railway 

circa 1950.

In 1949, the NP sold the locomotive to the Walla Walla Valley Railway where it was renumbered 770.  It replaced an electric locomotive just as that interurban line shut down its electric overhead.  It spent several periods in the late 1950s building trains at King Street station when it was leased back to the Northern Pacific and subleased to King Street Station.  By 1971 the locomotive was sold to leasing company Relco and by the early 1980s was assigned to Continental Grain in Longview.  The locomotive was later purchased by the Port of Longview.

The Move

For more than ten years, the Nevada Northern Railway Foundation has been working with the Northwest Railway Museum on a plan to return locomotive 201 to Ely, Nevada.  The 201 operated on the Nevada Northern Railway for many years, and the objective of this initiative is to return this original artifact to its home road.  

Locomotive 125 in its

Port of Longview livery.

As part of this transaction, former Northern Pacific Railway locomotive 125 will be moved from Longview to Snoqualmie resulting in another Alco also returning to a home road.  This is a truly exciting development for both the Northwest Railway Museum's and the Nevada Northern Railway's collection, which will help further align them with their missions and scope of collection.

The moves are planned for early November 2021, but there are many variables that come into play when moving artifacts that weigh more than 330,000 pounds.  

Please stay tuned to the Museum's social media channels for late breaking news as to the date and time!