SP&S Class A2

Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway No. 6 was the only locomotive in Class A-2. Purchased from the Northern Pacific Railway for A. B. Hammond's Astoria and Columbia River Railway, number 6 came to the SP&S secondhand. It was used as a switch locomotive until 1931 when it was sold to the St Helens Terminal and Dock Co. at St. Helens Oregon.

SP&S class A-2[1]
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works Build date June 1887
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-6-0 Gauge 4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 50 in (1,270 mm) Loco weight 71,550 lb (32,450 kg) Fuel type Oil Boiler pressure 135 psi (0.93 MPa) Cylinders 2 Cylinder size 16 in × 24 in (410 mm × 610 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 13,578 lbf (60.40 kN)
Career Operators Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway Class A-2 Numbers 6 Locale United States Disposition Sold to St. Helens Terminal and Dock on June 30, 1931

Background

The Astoria and Columbia River (A&CR) ran from Astoria to Goble, Oregon, where the A&CR met the Northern Pacific. In 1907 the NP purchased the A&CR to be a feeder line for the new Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway.[2] To help the new feeder line handle increasing freight traffic, an NP Switcher was sold to the A&CR on August 7, 1907.[3] The SP&S took over the A&CR and on February 24, 1911, obtained all A&CR locomotives.[4] The former A&CR switch locomotive number 1 became SP&S number 6.

Construction history

Number 6 was built for the Northern Pacific by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1887. Its builder's number was 8617.[1]

Operational history

SP&S Number 6 continued with switching duties at Astoria, Oregon. On June 30, 1931 SP&S Number 6 was sold to the St. Helens Terminal and Dock Company.

Numbering

Originally numbered NP 386, and then NP 988,[5] the A&CR numbered NP 988 as A&CR Number 1. The SP&S renumbered A&CR 1 to SP&S Number 6.

Disposal

SP&S Number 6 was sold to St. Helens Terminal & Dock Co (StHT&D Co). Grande Claims that Number 6 then "blew up and was scrapped."[5] However he gives no dates for this. Gartner only states that when the SP&S bought the St.HT&D Co in 1933 that an SP&S locomotive (SP&S 201) had to be brought in.[6]

Discrepancies

Gartner and Grande differ on several dates. Grande gives a build date of 1897. He also states that the date SP&S No. 6 was sold to the StHT&D Co was 1921.[5] Gartner gives dates of 1887 and 1931.[1]

References

1. Gartner 1990, p. 206.
2. Gartner 1990, p. 136.
3. Gartner 1990, p. 137.
4. Gartner 1990, p. 138.
5. Grande 1992, p. 277.
6. Gartner 1990, p. 143.

• Gartner, John T (1990). North Bank Road, The Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway. WSU Press.
• Grande, Walt (1992). The Northwest's Own Railway. Vol. 1. Grande Press.