Spokane, Portland and Seattle class E-1

Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway's E-1 class was a class of the only three 4-8-4 locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1938. The E-1 class "Northerns" were very similar to the A-2 through the A-5 class "Northerns" on the Northern Pacific Railroad built by Baldwin from 1934–1943. Visually, the locos are near-identical. The only difference is that the Northern Pacific Railroad 4-8-4s burn coal and the 4-8-4s on the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railroad burn oil (and have a longer, wider range as a result).

Spokane, Portland and Seattle class E-1
SP&S No. 700 on a Christmas excursion in December 2005
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderBaldwin Locomotive Works
Serial number62171–62173
Build date1938
Total produced3
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte4-8-4
 • UIC2′D2′ h2
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.77 in (1,956 mm)
Axle load77,200 lb (35.0 tonnes)
Adhesive weight294,500 lb (133.6 tonnes)
Loco weight485,820 lb (220.36 tonnes)
Total weight879,600 lb (399.0 tonnes)
Fuel typeOil
Boiler pressure260 psi (1.8 MPa)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size28 in × 32 in (710 mm × 810 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Performance figures
Maximum speed110 mph / 170 km per hour
Tractive effort69,800 lbf (310.49 kN)
Career
OperatorsSpokane, Portland and Seattle Railway
ClassE-1
Number in class3
Numbers700–702
Retired1955-1957
PreservedNo. 700 preserved, Nos. 701 and 702 scrapped
RestoredNo. 700; May 15, 1990
Current ownerThe City of Portland, Oregon (No. 700)
DispositionNo. 700 undergoing 1,472-day overhaul

Preservation

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There is only one survivor and it is the first of the class built. No. 700, which was restored in 1990 by, and is currently maintained by, the Pacific Railroad Preservation Association. Nos. 701 and 702 were both scrapped after they were retired. Since mid-2012, and also since No. 700 Back-Strikes, [1] it resides at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in Portland, Oregon where the public can view it during the center's opening days.[2] No. 700 is taken on special trips once or twice a year. However, as of April 2021, No. 700 is currently out of service while it undergoes its Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) mandated 1,472-day inspection and overhaul.

Roster

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Number Baldwin serial number Date built Disposition Notes
700 62171 1938 Under the 1,472-day overhaul, based in Portland, Oregon. Sole surviving original SP&S steam locomotive.
701 62172 1938 Sold for scrap 1955
702 62173 1938 Sold for scrap 1957

References

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  1. ^ Redden, Jim (July 12, 2012) [July 11, 2012]. "Rail history center: full steam ahead". Portland Tribune (Print ed.). p. A10. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  2. ^ "Oregon Rail Heritage Center opens its doors". Official blog of Portland city commissioner Nick Fish. September 24, 2012. Retrieved September 29, 2012.