924 rides the rails again!

Steam locomotive 924 was built in 1899 by Rogers for the St. Paul and Duluth, a shortline railroad extending between the Minneapolis/St. Paul and Duluth.  By 1901, that road had been purchased by the Northern Pacific Railway and the 924 0-6-0 was reassigned to Seattle, Washington.  Soon it was switching docks, building trains at King Street Station and building freight trains in freight yards from Tacoma to Everett.  

By 1924 the 924 had been retired and was sold to the Inland Empire Paper company to switch their paper mill near Spokane.  In 1968 the 924 was donated to the Northwest Railway Museum and in 2014 it was listed on the Snoqualmie and King County Landmark Registers. A significant restoration effort returned the 924 to its appearance circa 1908 and during the worldwide pandemic lock down of 2000 it re-emerged under steam, and remains the only operating Northern Pacific Railway steam locomotive in the world.

The 924 is a precious historic resource and operates only a few days a year.  The next two opportunities to see this treasure are on the first weekends of October and November.  Tickets are available for North Bend departures here and Snoqualmie Departures here.

Please enjoy our photo gallery from our recent August Snoqualmie Days demonstrations.

Snoqualmie Days 2023

Snoqualmie Days 2023 was held on August 18 and 19, and thousands enjoyed live steam locomotive demonstrations, live music, trains, the grand parade, history comes alive, the pancake breakfast, and did we mention live steam locomotives?  Please enjoy our photo gallery illustrating this year's event.

 

Steam test 2021

Northern Pacific Railway steam locomotive 924 was fully rehabilitated and restored over a period of five years.  It made its debut on 1 November 2020 with passenger runs from Snoqualmie and North Bend.  Yet with any steam locomotive, maintenance and inspection are ongoing responsibilities.  

Steam locomotives require an annual inspection and test of the boiler.  This work includes a series of visual and other non-destructive tests, followed by a hydrostatic test of the boiler at 125% of operating pressure.  Then a steam test is performed during which the safety valves must demonstrate that they lift and seat at the required pressures.

The 924 received its annual test in April 2021, and a portion of the test was witnessed by an inspector from the Federal Railroad Administration.  There were no anomalies reported, and the locomotive boiler was declared fit for service.  This was also the first time the complete new locomotive jacketing was displayed; continuing tests and rehabilitation did not allow the new jacket to be installed until this past winter.  The jacketing project was funded in part by the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association; the Museum is grateful for their support.

Pandemic-era restrictions are particularly difficult for steam trains  because of the higher operating costs.  Fewer passengers places the cost per passenger much higher that normal. Notwithstanding, the Museum has committed to operating steam trains on at least two upcoming weekends: Mother's Day Weekend and Father's Day Weekend, when they will operate on two hour return schedules, and include a brief visit to the Train Shed exhibit hall.  

Do you want to see the 924 continue to run?  Please consider a Give BIG! 2021 donation now or on May 4 & 5 to the Northwest Railway Museum to help support operating of the Museum and the 924 during the pandemic.

924 on the point

The Northwest Railway Museum has substantially completed a major rehabilitation effort on steam locomotive 924. Sunday, November 1, 2020 was a beautiful fall day in the Snoqualmie Valley, and the 924 was under steam to pull its first passenger train in more than 40 years. This momentous occasion occurred six years to the day after the locomotive was retrieved from long term storage and moved to the Museum's Conservation and Restoration Workshop.

   

History - Locomotive 924 was a product of the Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works, and is a light switcher with an 0-6-0 wheel arrangement. It was built in 1899 for the St Paul and Duluth in Minnesota, but by 1901 it was under ownership of the Northern Pacific Railway and was reassigned to the Puget Sound region. It served in Western Washington until 1923 and went on to serve the Inland Empire Paper Company near Spokane.

Highlights - During its first 24 years of service, the locomotive saw a numerous changes, many of which were required to correct damage caused by dock failures, switching accidents, and regulatory changes. As part of the effort to research and recognize the importance of the 924, it was nominated to the King County and City of Snoqualmie Landmarks Register.  For the restoration efforts, a period of significance between about 1906 and 1908 was selected allowing a replica of the second cab (it had at least three) to be fabricated and installed. The selection of that period also dictated the selection of a headlight, lettering style, size and location of air tanks, pilot beam size and shape, the boiler jacketing material, location of running board, and the appearance of the spot plate on the smokebox front.

Selecting a fuel - The 924 was built to burn coal, a fuel that transformed the world in an industrial revolution. Coal is not readily available in Western Washington, and it has some negative environmental implications. So the Museum has committed to burning wood products instead of coal.  For the time being, 924 is burning Douglas fir firewood, and lumber cutoffs from the Conservation and Restoration Workshop.

Performing the work - Much of the effort to rehabilitate a steam locomotive could be characterized as loosely directed labor accentuated with highly skilled machining.  The total effort may approach 20,000 hours, but some aspects of the work have entailed a significant learning curve. And certainly it would not have been possible to undertake the work without highly skilled individuals including Jon B., Gerry P., Steven B., Josh K., Gary J., Brian W., Mike D., Lyle E. and others.  Together, they have conspired to overcome the secrets of a largely forgotten manufacturing process completed more than 121 years ago.

Funding the work - Steam locomotive rehabilitation is costly work, and for the 924 is valued at more than $700,000.  The effort would not be possible without generous support from individuals, foundations, companies, and public funders, but also the generous volunteers who donated their time and talents.  Washington Heritage Capital Fund was the largest funder.  Important support was received from hundreds of individuals, King County 4Culture, The Emery Rail Trust, Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association, Osberg Family Foundation, the Schwab Fund, Boeing Match, Microsoft Match, and more.  The Northwest Railway Museum is very grateful for this generous support.

Watching the spectacle - A key objective in rehabilitating a steam locomotive is to be able to demonstrate it for the public.  The 924 will still require ongoing work - budgets were just not large enough to replace or renew every working part, which could easily have exceeded costs of more than $1 million.  However, the locomotive is compliant with applicable regulations and will be operating regularly on the Museum's interpretive railway between North Bend and Snoqualmie Falls.  The locomotive will make another appearance later this year, and then appear regularly in 2021.

924 Testing

On a blistering-hot July 27, 2020, steam locomotive 924 emerged from its track inside the Conservation and Restoration Workshop for additional testing.  The 924 is an 1899-built 0-6-0 Rogers locomotive that served the Northern Pacific Railway in the Everett-Seattle-Tacoma region until 1923.  


The 924 has been undergoing a complete rehabilitation, with restoration to its appearance circa 1908.  Already, an investment of more than $500,000 has been made in this King County and City of Snoqualmie Landmark with support from local residents, museum volunteers, individual donors, 4Culture, Washington Heritage Capital Fund, the Emery Rail Trust, Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association, Schwab Fund, and more.

Check out the moving pictures of the 924 in action:

The July 2020 testing was scheduled to prove the air brake system, most of which was re-plumbed with new schedule 80 piping giving the 924 a fully functional early 20th Century G-6 brake system.  Meanwhile, a number of minor boiler issues including some leaking stay bolts and boiler tubes were being re-tested to see if they had been successfully sealed.

The 924 was also put through a series of operating exercises, including pushing a braking diesel to simulate a load to check for things such as the efficacy of the cylinder packing.  The locomotive tender's new water tank was completely filled with water, but unfortunately did continue to experience several leaks, which will have to be sealed before the tank can be painted.  So not everything is perfect, but the 924 is 121 years old.  Yet aside from exceedingly high atmospheric temperatures, it was a perfect day to run a steam locomotive in the scenic Snoqualmie Valley.

Work on locomotive 924 is continuing and a public debut is expected later this season.  In the mean time, your support helps ensure this work can continue, and is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.  Please visit the Northwest Railway Museum's online donation portal to pledge your support.

More on the 924

The Covid-19 crisis has been particularly difficult for the cultural sector, and the Northwest Railway Museum has been no exception.  However, prior grant awards and contributions have allowed at least some work to continue on steam locomotive 924, the Rogers-built 0-6-0 that operated for the Northern Pacific Railway in the Puget Sound Region from 1901 until 1923.  As reported in an article posted in May, after years of rehabilitation the 924 steamed under its own power this year for the first time since 1979.  Since then, the locomotive has taken on a more decidedly finished appearance.

The steam saddle had a number of broken screws that at one time helped secure jacketing.  A process of drilling, tapping, and backing out the remains of the old screws is used to prepared the saddle for new jacketing.  Kyle I. achieved great success by adding just a little heat, too.

Meanwhile, Floyd went to work fabricating a new mounting plate for a period-appropriate bell.  Unfortunately the original bell disappeared many years ago, but was a late 19th century model that mounted the harp up on a pedestal.  The bell the Museum's director selected to replace it is very similar and was purchased in a local antique shop by Joe S. more than 50 years ago.  Yet it too had also suffered from missing parts: the finial was no where to be found.  Fortunately, Floyd was able to fabricate a replacement ball from a trailer hitch as suggested by one the Museum's consultants, Steven Butler.  

One of the more interesting projects was fabrication of a new spot plate.  The remains of the original Rogers spot plate are long gone - the 924 was seen sporting a new plate as early as 1912.  Yet the period of significance the Museum has chosen for the locomotive featured the original casting.  So Lyle E. set to work fabricating a replacement Rogers lookalike using data supplied by the great curators at Railtown 1897 in California.

The replacement spot plate is not a casting, but a steel fabrication that was turned in a lathe to create the original profile.  It consists of a steel "doughnut" with a plate welded into the center.  The plate was placed in a press to create a convex face.  After finishing, replacement cast brass numbers produced by Keith Durfy were attached to the plate.  The end result is a very nearly identical spot plate, but one that is 121 years younger than the locomotive!

The Covid-19 crisis continues to place many restrictions on the Northwest Railway Museum, which remains closed to the public.  However, work is continuing on the locomotive 924 project.  Another update will be posted soon; your contributions are always welcome and encouraged, and will help ensure work continues on this signature project.  Contributions to the 924 project may be made online at shop.TrainMuseum.org, and are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

924 steams!

The 924 builds steam on a warm spring day.

Locomotive 924 was constructed in 1899 by the Rogers Locomotive Works of Paterson, New Jersey, and was delivered along with two identical sisters to the St.Paul and Duluth Railroad.  By 1901 it was under ownership of the Northern Pacific Railway, and was soon serving their needs in the Puget Sound region of the Pacific Northwest.

Steam and air plumbing fills the cab; the
roof has been left off the cab for now to
improve access and lighting.

In 1924, the 924 became superfluous to the needs of the N.P. R. and was sold to the Inland Empire Paper Company near Spokane, WA.  The locomotive met the needs of its new owner until 1969 when company president William H. Cowles Jr. donated the 924 to the Northwest Railway Museum.  The 924 briefly operated in Chehalis, and was later moved to the Museum headquarters in Snoqualmie.  In 2015 it was nominated and listed on the King County and City of Snoqualmie Landmarks Register.  Work was immediately underway on a major rehabilitation effort, which is now nearing completion.

A wood fire crackled for about four hours
before the boiler reached operating
pressure. 924 will be fueled with wood
rather than coal.

May 18, 2020 represents an important milestone for the 924: it returned to steam and operated under its own power in testing on the shop track.  An inspection conducted by the Federal Railroad Administration observed that the boiler safety valves opened and closed at appropriate pressure levels, and the steam-powered air pump was able to deliver the required air flow.  During the visit, Museum staff also demonstrated successful operation of both Ohio injectors, and the hydro-static lubricator, all of which were rebuilt by Backshop Enterprises.  And an additional day under steam gave collections care specialists - steam specialists, really - an opportunity to perform additional testing and troubleshooting.  Steven B., Josh K., Scott, and Gary performed most of the effort required to boil the boiler water, but dozens of additional volunteers and staff contributed efforts that allowed this to happen.

Work on the 924 is continuing and completion of vital systems is anticipated in 2nd quarter 2020.  Work has been funded by contributions from individuals, companies, foundations, and government agencies including 4Culture, Washington's Heritage Capital Fund, the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association, Emery Rail Trust, Schwab Fund, and more. You can support completion of the project by visiting the Museum's donation page, making a pledge, and selecting the steam program here.

Check out two days of steam in photos and videos:

The hydrostatic lubricator, automatic brake valve, steam gauge,
and air gauges.

924 was built with one water glass but
regulations now require two.

Setting safety valves to the correct pressure involves verifying
they open at the desired pressure.

Checking the water level.

Verifying the open and close pressures for the safety valves.

924 simmers in the Snoqualmie Valley
sunshine.

The Museum's director and the inspector from the Federal
Railroad Administration discuss locomotive 924.