Great Northern H-5 Explained

Great Northern H-5 class
Powertype:Steam
Builder:Great Northern
Originally Baldwin Locomotive Works
Builddate:1921-1928
Originally 1909
Totalproduction:25
Whytetype:4-6-2
Uicclass:2′C2′ h1
Leadingdiameter:360NaN0
Driverdiameter:730NaN0
Trailingdiameter:450NaN0
Wheelbase:Loco & tender: 72.032NaN2
Axleload:57666abbr=inNaNabbr=in
Weightondrivers:164000abbr=inNaNabbr=in
Locoweight:271800abbr=inNaNabbr=in
Tenderweight:188400abbr=inNaNabbr=in
Locotenderweight:460200abbr=inNaNabbr=in
Fueltype:Fuel oil
Fuelcap:4500usgal
Watercap:10000usgal
Firearea:50.4square feet
Boilerpressure:2102NaN2
Fireboxarea:247square feet
Superheaterarea:3904square feet
Cylindercount:Two
Cylindersize:23.5x
Valvegear:Walschaert
Tractiveeffort:405112NaN2
51511lbf with booster
Factorofadhesion:4.34
Operator:Great Northern
Operatorclass:H-5
Fleetnumbers:1350–1374
Originally 1008-1032
Retiredate:1941, 1950-1955
Preservedunits:One preserved (No. 1355)
Disposition:Great Northern 1355 under restoration in Sioux City, Iowa, remainder scrapped

The Great Northern H-5 was a class of 25 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotives that were originally built as E-14 4-6-0 "Ten Wheelers" by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1909 and operated by the Great Northern Railway until the mid-1950s.

The locomotives hauled passenger trains on the Great Northern mainline, such as the Empire Builder and the Oriental Limited.

Today, only one H-5 survives, No. 1355. It was retired in July 1955 and moved to the Milwaukee Road shops in Sioux City, Iowa where it still resides today.

History

The class was originally built in 1909 as E-14 "Ten Wheelers", then, between October 6, 1921, and July 8, 1928, they have been rebuilt into H-5 "Pacifics" and hauled mainly passenger trains such as the Empire Builder and the Oriental Limited. The first ten were numbered 1486–1495, then renumbered 1350–1359. They were also converted from coal to oil and some were fitted with boosters that added 110002NaN2 of tractive effort. Later in their service life, they were reassigned to freight service, such as hauling iron ore on the Mesabi Range. As the railroad made a transition to diesel power, retirement started on September 13, 1950, and by August 25, 1955, all the H-5s have been retired.[1]

Preservation

Only one H-5 has been preserved, No. 1355. It was retired in July 1955 and put on display at the Milwaukee Road shops in Sioux City, Iowa, where it still resides today.[2] It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 as Great Northern Railway Steam Locomotive No. 1355 and Tender 1451. Furthermore, it is the sole surviving Great Northern "Pacific" type steam locomotive. In July 2024, it was announced that 1355 is undergoing restoration to operating condition.[3]

Roster

NumberBaldwin serial numberDate builtDispositionNotes
1350July 8, 1928Sold for scrap July 16, 1953.
1351January 11, 1922Wrecked July 24, 1941, scrapped October 1941.
1352October 6, 1921Sold for scrap July 16, 1953.Received booster that added 11,000 lbs of tractive effort from the late 1920 to the mid-1930s.
1353November 14, 1921Sold for scrap July 16, 1953.Received booster that added 11,000 lbs of tractive effort from the late 1920 to the mid-1930s.
1354March 20, 1922Sold for scrap April 26, 1952.
135533908May 29, 1924Retired July 1955, on display at the Milwaukee Road shops in Sioux City, Iowa. Undergoing restoration to operating condition.Received booster, removed 1929. On the National Register of Historic Places
1356March 26, 1923Sold for scrap April 26, 1952.Received booster that added 11,000 lbs of tractive effort from the late 1920 to the mid-1930s.
1357January 26, 1925Sold for scrap May 2, 1952.
1358December 30, 1922Sold for scrap September 13, 1950.
1359June 4, 1924Sold for scrap August 25, 1955.
1360April 16, 1926Sold for scrap July 16, 1953.
136133989March 22, 1926Sold for scrap April 21, 1953.
1362May 8, 1926Sold for scrap November 13, 1951.
1363May 28, 1926Sold for scrap July 16, 1953.Received booster that added 11,000 lbs of tractive effort from the late 1920 to the mid-1930s.
1364June 15, 1926Sold for scrap October 28, 1952.
1365December 23, 1926Sold for scrap April 1, 1952
1366February 9, 1927Sold for scrap December 28, 1954.
1367April 11, 1927Sold for scrap June 8, 1951.
1368June 17, 1927Sold for scrap April 22, 1952.
1369January 4, 1927Sold for scrap April 26, 1955.
1370April 29, 1927Sold for scrap October 1, 1952.
137133884May 27, 1927Sold for scrap August 25, 1955.
137233886July 9, 1927Sold for scrap April 21, 1953.
137333841August 9, 1927Sold for scrap December 28, 1954.
1374November 18, 1927Sold for scrap October 10, 1952.

1941 head-on collision

On July 24, 1941, No. 1351 was tasked to pull a regular three-car passenger train from Vancouver, British Columbia to Seattle, Washington, and en route, it was to travel over a single-track line shared by GN and the Canadian National (CN) in the Brunette Valley near New Westminster.[4] The GN No. 1351 crew—consisting of engineer John Caray and fireman A. Hager—were new to their jobs at the time, and they were ordered to stop at a siding to wait for the second section of CN’s Transcontinental passenger train to pass before proceeding on the single-track, but when the first section of the Transcontinental passed, the engineer allegedly mistook it as the train they were supposed to wait for.

The train then proceeded too early and traversed onto the single-track at less than 25mph, and at 9:42 am, it collided head-on with the second section of the Transcontinental, led by CN 2-8-2 No. 3254. No. 1351’s tender telescoped into the mail car directly behind it, and while the locomotive remained upright, the H-5 was smashed up front, with the smokebox being torn from the boiler and the frame being cracked. John Caray was severely injured, as were No. 3254 engineer Herbert H. Mills and fireman Tillinger. A. Hager was killed upon impact, as was CN baggage man Harold H. Krinks, and twenty-one other passengers and crew members on both trains received minor injuries.

Many people arrived at the scene to help bring the injured passengers and crew to safety, and a second mainline had to be temporarily built to clear the wreckage. Following the accident, No. 1351 became the first H-5 to be retired, and it was scrapped in October 1941, after GN decided it was damaged beyond economical repair.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Great Northern Empire - then and Now.
  2. Web site: Great Northern Empire - then and Now.
  3. Web site: Franz . Justin . 2024-07-08 . Great Northern 4-6-2 to be Restored in Iowa . 2024-07-13 . Railfan & Railroad Magazine . en-CA.
  4. News: Anderson . Torchy . July 24, 1941 . 2 Die, 24 Hurt as City Trains crash . . 1–2 . 47 . 101.