Great Northern S-2

The Great Northern S-2 Class was a class of 14 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1930 and operated by the Great Northern Railway until the late 1950s.

Great Northern S-2 class
GN 2578 with a train at Fargo, North Dakota in the summer of 1939.
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works Serial number 61211–61216, 61224, 61225, 61237–61242 Build date February-March 1930 Total produced 14
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-4  • UIC 2′D2′ h2 Gauge 4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Leading dia. 36 in (914 mm) Driver dia. 80 in (2,032 mm) Trailing dia. 46 in (1,168 mm) Wheelbase 91.17 ft (27,789 mm) Adhesive weight 247,300 lb (112,200 kilograms; 112.2 metric tons) Loco weight 420,900 lb (190,900 kilograms; 190.9 metric tons) Tender weight 326,560 lb (148,130 kilograms; 148.13 metric tons) Total weight 747,460 lb (339,040 kilograms; 339.04 metric tons) Tender type Vanderbilt Fuel type Fuel oil Fuel capacity 5,800 US gal (22,000 l; 4,800 imp gal) oil Water cap 17,250 US gal (65,300 l; 14,360 imp gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 97.75 sq ft (9.081 m^2) Boiler 84 in (2,100 mm) Boiler pressure 225 lbf/in^2 (1.55 MPa) Heating surface:  • Firebox 401 sq ft (37.3 m^2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 29 in × 29 in (737 mm × 737 mm) Valve gear Walschaert
Performance figures Maximum speed At least 100 mph (160 km/h) Tractive effort 58,305 lbf (259.35 kN) Factor of adh. 4.24
Career Operators Great Northern Class S-2 Numbers 2575–2588 Retired 1955-1958 Preserved One (No. 2584) Tender from No. 2575 used as auxiliary tender Disposition Great Northern 2584 on display in Havre, Montana Tender from No. 2575 used as auxiliary tender for SP&S 700, remainder scrapped

The locomotives were built to haul passengers on the GN mainline, pulling the Empire Builder and the Oriental Limited and were assigned to the Montana division for service between Williston, North Dakota and Havre, Montana and the Spokane division for service between Spokane, Washington and Wenatchee, Washington, then assigned to the Divide between Havre and Whitefish, Montana, of which mostly runs through the famed Marias Pass.

Today, only one S-2 survives, No. 2584. It was retired in December 1957 and moved to the Havre, MT Depot in May 1964 where it still resides today.

History

Design

Intended for fast passenger service, the S-2s were built lighter and with larger driving wheels than the earlier S-1 Class of "Northerns" of 1929. Like the P-2 Class of "Mountains" of 1923, the design of the S-2 Class 4-8-4 was somewhat different from the traditional steam locomotive design on the Great Northern. The GN normally preferred to equip its engines with a Belpaire type boiler, but in an effort to reduce weight, the S-2's were delivered with a radial stay boiler. The S-2 came with a Vanderbilt type tender, which provided a capacity of 17,250 gallons of water and 5,800 gallons of oil. It was unique in being the only all-welded tender on the GN. This water-bottom tender had a Commonwealth cast-steel frame and rode on two 6-wheel cast steel trucks. The locomotives were fast but slippery when starting heavier trains. They were also the first class of 4-8-4 Northerns to be built with 80 inch driving wheels.[1][2] They also proved to be reliable, as a single S-2 can haul up to 18 conventional steel passenger cars on westbound passenger runs, with helper service only necessary between Walton and Summit on eastbound runs should trains exceed 11 cars. It is a distance of 18 miles where the grade is 1.8%. They were also economical in fuel consumption and maintenance expenses, had an exceptionally high availability for service and are fast. Such positives had led the class to being excellent performers. An S-2 can make the 512 mile round trip from Whitefish to Havre and back with only minor work at Havre, such as refueling and greasing. However, it was not unusual for an S-2 to run the 566 mile distance from Whitefish to Williston, North Dakota and have the locomotive detach from its train at Havre only for refueling.[3]

All S-2s were delivered in the Glacier Green paint scheme except for No. 2577, which carried a coat of light grey or aluminum paint on the boiler and cylinder jackets at delivery, most likely for photographic purposes. It was eventually repainted to Glacier Green, matching the rest of the class. All engines came with chrome plated cylinder covers and steam chest heads and by the 1950s, all engines had received the more economical all-black paint scheme. The only major rebuilding of the class was the replacement of the original friction bearings with Timken roller bearings in 1945. Some engines were temporarily converted to burn coal for a period in the late 1930s. Vestibule cabs were added to engine 2577 in the early 1930s and engines 2582, 2586, 2587 and 2588 by the late 1940s.[1]

Revenue service

The S-2s spent most of their career pulling the Great Northern's passenger trains, such as the Empire Builder and the Oriental Limited between St. Paul and Seattle (Chicago-St. Paul portion uses Chicago, Burlington & Quincy's mainline), but have also pulled fast mail trains. They have also traversed over the famed Marias Pass. Because of their speed and reliability, they have ran up to approximately 20,000 miles a month.[4] Initially, they were assigned to the Montana division for service between Williston, North Dakota and Havre, Montana, and the Spokane division for service between Spokane, Washington and Wenatchee, Washington due to both divisions having long tangents, easy curves and light grades,[5] then in 1931, they were tested to pull the Empire Builder over the Divide between Havre and Whitefish, Montana. The test was a success and the S-2s were also assigned to pull the Empire Builder over the Divide, replacing the S-1s in passenger service over the Divide and putting them in freight service.[6]

By 1949, the Great Northern had dieselized its premier passenger trains and the S-2s were then reassigned to secondary passenger runs and freight service, of which the latter service proved to be rather unsuitable for them due to their passenger locomotive design. Retirement started on August 25, 1955 and by April 1958, all of the S-2s have been retired.[1]

Accidents and incidents

• On August 9, 1945, No. 2588, while pulling the second section of the Empire Builder, rear-ended the first section of the westbound Empire Builder pulled by No. 2584, which had stopped at Michigan, ND due to a hot box on the tender. This was the worst train accident in North Dakota and on the Great Northern. [1] 2588 was repaired and put back into service until 1956.
• On January 9, 1947, No. 2581 suffered a boiler explosion due to low water level at Crary, ND. The locomotive was later scrapped following the incident.[1]

Preservation

Only one S-2 survived into preservation today, No. 2584. It was retired in December 1957 and on March 21, 1958, the Great Northern had decided to hold it for historical purposes. On May 15, 1964, it was put on display at the Havre depot in Havre, Montana where it still resides today in its original Glacier Green paint scheme. It is the sole surviving Great Northern S-2, the sole surviving Great Northern "Northern" type and the largest surviving Great Northern steam locomotive.

The tender from S-2 No. 2575 also survives, it is currently used as an auxiliary tender for Spokane, Portland and Seattle 700.

See also

• Great Northern P-2
• Great Northern S-1

References

1. http://www.greatnorthernempire.net/index2.htm?GNEGN_S2_Class.htm GN S-2 Class
2. https://steamlocomotive.com/locobase.php?country=USA&wheel=4-8-4&railroad=gn
3. http://www.gngoat.org/baldwins_on_gn.htm
4. http://www.gngoat.org/baldwins_on_gn.htm
5. http://www.gnflyer.com/1924original.html
6. http://www.gngoat.org/baldwins_on_gn.htm

• 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.