SP&S Class A1

= SP&S Class A-1 Switch Locomotives =

The SP&S Class A-1 steam locomotives were a group of 5 identical locomotives. They were used in the rail yards at Portland OR and Vancouver WA from 1907 to 1952. They were replaced with Diesel-Electric switch locomotives.Infobox Locomotive
name =A-1 [Gartner, John T: "North Bank Road, The Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway", Page 206, WSU Press, 1990]
powertype=Steam
builder = Manchester Locomotive Works
builddate = July, 1907
whytetype = 0-6-0
gauge = RailGauge|ussg
driversize = 51 in (1.30 m)
weight = 150,000 Lbs (68 Metric Tonnes)
fueltype = Oil
cylindercount = 2
cylindersize = 20x26 Inches
boilerpressure = 180 lbf/in² (1,723 kPa)
tractiveeffort = 31,200 lbf
railroad=Spokane Portland and Seattle Ry
locale=United States
railroadclass=A-1

Background

In 1907, the new SP&S needed equipment for regular operations. Company officials wanted 25 freight locomotives and two switch locomotives to start with. [Gartner, John T: "North Bank Road, The Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway", Page 14, WSU Press, 1990] . The president of the Great Northern Ry advised SP&S officials that his railroad could contribute excess engines. [Gartner, John T: "North Bank Road, The Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway", Page 14, WSU Press, 1990] Because of this, only five switch locomotives were purchased for use in the terminal yards in Portland and Vancouver. [Gartner, John T: "North Bank Road, The Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway", Page 14, WSU Press, 1990]

Design Features

Construction History

All five locomotives in Class A-1 were built by the Manchester plant of American Locomotive Works. Because of the availability of spare parts from the Northern Pacific in Portland OR and Pasco and Vancouver WA [Gartner, John T: "North Bank Road, The Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway", Page 14, WSU Press, 1990] these locomotives were identical to Northern Pacific class L-9 switch locomotives. [Wood, Charles R and Dorothy: "Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway", Page 151, Superior Publishing Co, 1974]

Operational History

All five locomotives were delivered to the SP&S in February of 1908 [Gartner, John T: "North Bank Road, The Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway", Page 16, WSU Press, 1990] . They were initially used in work service completing the North Bank line from Portland to Spokane. [Gartner, John T: "North Bank Road, The Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway", Page 16, WSU Press, 1990] Upon completion of the main line, these locomotives were transferred to the terminals for switching service. In late 1942 and Early 1943 all 5 locomotives were assigned to the Portland Terminal yards as switch locomotives. ["The Northwest's own Railway, 1998 Numbers 3 and 4", Page 9, The Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway Historical Society, 1998] In 1946 locomotive number 2 was sold to the City of Prineville Railway. [Gartner, John T: "North Bank Road, The Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway", Page 206, WSU Press, 1990] With the arrival of SW-9 switch engines 43-45 in 1951 [Gartner, John T: "North Bank Road, The Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway", Page 70, WSU Press, 1990] the remaining A-1 class steamers were retired in 1952.

Numbering

These locomotives were numbered 1 to 5

Disposition

Locomotive number 1 was scrapped April 25, 1952. Locomotive number 2 was sold to the City of Prineville Railway and renumbered as their number 7 July 31, 1946. Locomotive number 3 was scrapped January 24, 1952. Locomotive number 4 was scrapped April 25, 1951. Locomotive number 5 was scrapped January 24, 1952. [Gartner, John T: "North Bank Road, The Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway", Page 206, WSU Press, 1990]

Footnotes

References

Further reading

See also

External links

(Cat:Locomotive stubs)