Spokane, Portland and Seattle 700

Spokane, Portland and Seattle 700
SP&S 700 standing idle waiting to start Christmas excursion December 2005
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works Serial number 62171 Build date May 1938
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-4  • UIC 2′D2′ h2 Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Driver dia. 77 in (1,956 mm) Length 110 ft 6 in (33.68 m) Adhesive weight 296,500 lb (134,500 kg; 134.5 t) Loco weight 485,500 lb (220,200 kg; 220.2 t) Total weight 879,600 lb (399,000 kg; 399.0 t) Fuel type Oil Fuel capacity 6,000 US gal (23,000 l; 5,000 imp gal) Water cap 20,000 US gal (76,000 l; 17,000 imp gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 115 sq ft (10.7 m2) Boiler pressure 260 lbf/in2 (1.79 MPa) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 2,095 sq ft (194.6 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 28 in × 31 in (711 mm × 787 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts Valve type Piston valves
Performance figures Power output 5,000 hp (3,700 kW) Tractive effort 69,800 lbf (310.49 kN) Factor of adh. 4.16
Career Operators Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway Class E-1 Numbers 700 Nicknames "The Lady" and "The Queen of Steam" Delivered June 21, 1938 First run May 1938 Retired May 20, 1956 Restored 1990 Current owner City of Portland, Oregon Disposition 1472-day rebuild; based in Portland, Oregon, at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway Steam Locomotive U.S. National Register of Historic Places Coordinates 45°30′26″N 122°39′43″W / 45.507297°N 122.661838°W / 45.507297; -122.661838Coordinates: 45°30′26″N 122°39′43″W / 45.507297°N 122.661838°W / 45.507297; -122.661838 NRHP Reference # 05001557 Added to NRHP January 25, 2006

1472-day rebuild; based in Portland, Oregon, at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center

Spokane, Portland & Seattle 700 is the only surviving example of the E-1 class 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotive. Nearly identical to the A-3 class Northerns built for Northern Pacific Railway, it burns oil instead of coal.

After years of running second-hand equipment, the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway (SP&S) was allowed by its parent companies, Great Northern Railway and Northern Pacific Railway, to purchase its first new locomotives. These included three Northern E-1 class locomotives (700, 701 and 702) for passenger service and 6 Z-6 class Challengers (4-6-6-4s) for freight service.

After retirement from service in 1956, the SP&S 700 was donated to the City of Portland, Oregon, in 1958. It was on static public display at Oaks Amusement Park until 1987, then moved to private quarters for the continuation of work to restore it to operating condition Since 1988/1989. It began making occasional excursion runs in 1990. In 2012, the 700 was moved to a new facility where it can again be viewed by the public, the Oregon Rail Heritage Center.

700 was delivered on June 21, 1938, joining the 702 pulling overnight passenger trains between Spokane and Vancouver, Washington, along the north shore of the Columbia River, with the 701 providing backup and pulling freight. Owing to an undersized turntable, the Northerns didn't reach Portland, Oregon, until 1943.