Great Northern 2584
Great Northern 2584 is a 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1930 for the Great Northern Railway (GN) as a member of the S-2 class. The locomotive was built for passenger service and was assigned to pull the Great Northern's mainline passenger trains until being retired in December 1957 and donated for display in Havre, Montana. It is the sole surviving Great Northern S-2 Class "Northern", the sole surviving Great Northern "Northern" type and the largest surviving Great Northern steam locomotive.
Great Northern 2584 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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GN 2584 and nearby sculpture, U.S.–Canada Friendship in Havre, Montana | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Service history
When delivered to the Great Northern, 2584 was assigned to the railroad's premier passenger trains such as the Empire Builder and Oriental Limited as well as fast mail trains. In 1945, the locomotive was fitted with Timken roller bearings, replacing its original friction bearings. By 1949, the railroad had dieselized its premier passenger trains and the locomotive was then reassigned to secondary passenger trains and freight service, of which the latter service was proven to be rather unsuitable for it due to being designed as a passenger locomotive and by the 1950s, No. 2584 and her sister locomotives were painted from their original "Glacier Park" green to black.[1]
Accident
On August 9, 1945, No. 2584 was involved in a wreck, however, the locomotive was undamaged, as the rear of its train was rear-ended by sister locomotive No. 2588 at 45 mph. No. 2584's tender, however, has suffered from a hot box and has stopped at Petersburg and again at Michigan prior to the wreck.[1][2]
Preservation
No. 2584 was retired in December 1957 and on March 21, 1958, the Great Northern had decided to hold it for historical purposes. The locomotive was then put on display at the Havre, Montana depot on May 15, 1964 and currently resides there today in its original "Glacier Park" green paint scheme.[1]
References
- http://www.greatnorthernempire.net/index2.htm?GNEGN_S2_Class.htm GN S-2 Class
- Passenger Train Consists of the 1940s. Wayner Publications. p. 31.
- 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: 114. ISSN 0090-7847. JSTOR 43523930.