List of Great Northern Railway (U.S.) locomotives explained

This is a list of United States Great Northern Railway locomotives.

Steam locomotive classes

Below is a table of information for the Great Northern Railway's steam roster with a symbol, Whyte notation, common name and notes. Included is a breakdown of the Great Northern classes, along with the date of their first construction (when known), builder, and road numbers.

0-6-0

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
0-6-0 — OOO
		13			1879	1	0	1905-1955
		30 & 31			1888	2	0	1915	30 sold to McCoy Logging Co.
		47 & 48			1890 & 1891	2	0	1915-1943
		27–29			1882	3	0	1944-1947
		32-46			1887-1896	15	0	1945-1949
		58-59, 378-379			1899	4	0	1950-1951
		60–69			1900	3	0	1952-1959
		70-72			1887–1890	3	0	1900-1959
		1-12, 14-26, 49-57, 73-94, 380-399		506	1889	71	0	1931-1954	align=left
		95–99			1898-1900	5	0	1922-1957
		30-31			1916	2	0	1939, 1946	align=left

0-8-0

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
0-8-0 — OOOO
		810-849			1918-1919	40	0	1956-1958	align=left
		850–859			1901	20	0	1939-1953	align=left	Rebuilt from F-6 classes.
		875–899			1903	25	0	1939-1953	align=left	Rebuilds from F-9 Consolidations.
		780–782			1902-1908	3	0	1947-1951	align=left	Rebuilt from F-8s.
		1174–1193					0		align=left

2-6-0

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
2-6-0 — oOOO — Mogul
		477–480			1889	4	0	1900-1939
		300–349			1887–1889	50	0	1905-1951
		432			1901	1	0	1952
		400-426			1895	27	0	1930-1959
		450–476			1896	27	0	1955-1959
		430–431			1902 & 1906	2	0	1956-1957
							0	1958
							0	1959

2-6-2

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
2-6-2 — oOOOo — Prairie
		1500–1552			1906	53	0	1927-1936	align=left	1514, 1524, 1531, 1537, 1539 & 1549 classified as J-1s, 1517, 1519, 1523, 1525, and 1528 Rebuilt as H-6s in 1921-1926.
		1554–1649			1907	53	0	1927-1937	align=left	1554- 1556, 1566, 1573, 1594-1598, 1622, 1624, 1637, 1638 and 1649 classified as J-2s
		1549		28851	1906	1	0	1941	Delivered as J-1 with Baldwin Superheater, re-classed as J-3.

2-8-0

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
2-8-0 — oOOOO — Consolidation
		500–565			1892, 1893	66	0	1924-1950	align=left	508 & 544 classified as F-1s
		595–599			1892	45	0	1928-1929	align=left
		701			1898	1	0	1939	align=left	Rebuilt from G-2 class 701 in 1902.
		1094-1099			1896, 1901	6	0	1932-1947	align=left	1095 and 1097 Rebuilt as C-5 switchers, completed 1930.
		1095–1109			1901	15	0	1938-1950	align=left	1100-1104 classified as F-5s, 1102 sold to City of Prineville Railway 1945, 1108 and 1109 Rebuilt as C-5s in 1929-1930.
		1100-1129			1901	20	0	1939-1953	align=left	1100-1144, 1116, 1177, 1119, 1120, 1122-1124, 1126-1129 classified as F-6s, All Rebuilt as C-2s 850-869 (Numbers not in order) in 1925-1927.
		1130–1139			1901	10	0	1939-1954	align=left	1130-1136 & 1138 classified as F-7s, 1130 donated to Korean National Railways, 1954.
		1140–1264			1901-1907	125	2	1932–1956	align=left	1141, 1143, 1163, 1175, 1182, 1183, 1189, 1190, 1195 and 1196 classified as F-8s; 1147 & 1246 preserved
		1300-1324			1903	25	0	1927–1928	align=left	1307, 1311, 1312, 1314 and 1316 classified as F-9s
		806			1898	1	0	1934	align=left	Rebuilt from G-5 4-8-0, 1905.
		590–591			1912	2	0	1927, 1934	align=left
		1326–1327			1907	2	0	1947-1948	align=left

2-8-2

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
2-8-2 — oOOOOo — Mikado
		3000–3144			1911-1919	145	1	1948–1958	align=left	3004, 3022, 3033, 3048, 3071, 3100, 3106, 3135, 3137, 3138, 3142 & 3144 were equipped with boosters; 3023, 3024, 3026, 3028, 3029, 3039, 3043, 3064, 3099, 3108, 3121, 3122 and 3134 sold to the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway; 3059 preserved
		3149	Alco (Brooks)		1915	1	0	1947	align=left
		3200–3208			1918	9	0	1951–1955	align=left	3204-3208 ex-El Paso and Southwestern Railroad, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRA_Heavy_Mikado
		3210–3254			1920	45	0	1950-1958	3211 and 3214 sold to the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway;
		3300–3344			1922	45	0	1938-1950	align=left
		3350–3371			1925	22	0	1947-1958	align=left
O-7		3375–3396			1930	22	0	1953-1958	Rebuilt as O-8s in 1944-1946.
O-8		3397–3399			1932	3	0	1958	align=left	Largest "Mikado" Type ever built.

2-10-2

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
2-10-2 — oOOOOOo — Northern
		2100-2129			1923	30	0	1950-1958	align=left	2100-2109, 2111, 2112, 2116, 2117, 2119-2129 received boosters
Q-2		2175–2189			1928	15	0	1953–1958	align=left	Rebuilt from P-1s; 2179, 2181, 2184, 2185, 2187 and 2189 received boosters

4-4-0

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
4-4-0 — ooOO — American
		1			1861	1	1	1923	William Crooks First locomotive to operate in Minnesota; preserved
		240			1866	1	0	1925
							0	1927
		241-244, 248			1870-1872	5	0	1900-1905
		680–691			1879	5	0	1943-1944
		265–266			1883	2	0	1944-1949
		232–237			1890	6	0	1945-1951
		139			1882	1	0	1950-1952
		288–293			1880	6	0	1947-1957
		187–196			1881	10	0	1930-1955
		270–282			1880	13	0	1942-1947
		141–142			1890	2	0	1947-1948
		144			1882	10	0	1949-1950
		100–114			1881	15	0	1916-1947	align=left	105, 108, and 114 sold to B&O, 101 sold to VW&Y (Returned), 108 and 109 sold to MC (Returned), 103 was the last to be Retired.
		118–124			1882	7	0	1919-1959
		125–134			1882	10	0	1915-1925
		135–138			1882	4	0	1935
		145-149			1882	5	0	1936
		150–151			1882	2	0	1937
		152–186			1882	35	0	1939-1947
		197–206			1888	10	0	1932-1948
		207–225			1887	19	0	1931-1954
		226–230			1883	4	0	1945
		231			1893	1	0	1947

4-4-2

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
4-4-2 — ooOOo — Atlantic
		1700–1709			1906	10	0	1937-1947	1705-1709 classified as K-1s

4-6-0

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
4-6-0 — ooOOO — Ten-Wheeler
		992–993			1890	2	0	1943
		910-911			1915	2	0	1944
		900–909			1899	10	0	1935-1947
		298–299			1889	2	0	1937-1945
							0	1942
		925–939			1902	15	0	1927-1955
		950-969			1893	20	0	1930-1952
		1053–1072			1901-1903	20	0	1952-1953
		998–999			1892	2	0	1954
		1000–1007			1898	8	0	1939-1953	1002-1005 & 1007 classified as E-10s
							0	1954
		970-971			1897	2	0	1946
		948–949			1893 & 1896	2	0	1947	949 sold to Waterville railway, 1934.
		1008-1042			1909-1910	45	0	1937	1008-1032 converted to H-5 Pacifics, Engines 1033-1042 Converted to H-7s. Numbers 1043-1052 sold to SP&S, 1910.
		1073-1092			1910	20	0	1929-1949	1074-1076 sold to SP&S, 1925.

4-6-2

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
4-6-2 — ooOOOo — Pacific
		2100–2147			1904–1907	48	0	1930–1952
		1406–1440			1906-1907	35	0	1931-1950
		2148–2170			1909	23	4	1945–1959	align=left
		1441–1485			1909–1910	45	0	1930-1953
		1350–1374			1921-1928	25	1	1950–1955	align=left	Rebuilt from E-14s; 1355 preserved
		1710–1717			1906-1907	18	0	1929-1956
		1375–1384			1910	10	0	1949-1960

4-8-0

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial Numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
4-8-0 — ooOOOO Twelve-Wheeler or Mastodon
		600-615			1891, 1893	16	0	1929-1947	610 shown at the 1893 Columbian Exposition.
		700–733			1898	20	0	1927-1939	701 Rebuilt as F-3 Class in 1902.
		722, 734–769			1899-1900	36	0	1937-1953
		770–779			1900	10	0	1930-1947
		800–807			1897-1898	8	0	1929-1936
		734				1	0	1937-1955	Rebuilt from G-3, addition of larger Cylinders.

4-8-2

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
4-8-4 — ooOOOOo — Mountain
		1750–1764		1364-1378	1914	15	0	1928	align=left	Rebuilt into Q-2s
		2500–2527		57000-57002, 57084-57085, 57182-57190, 57256-57258, 57339, 57012, 57253, 57341-57347	1930	28	2	1955–1958	align=left	2505 & 2506 received boosters; 2507 and 2523 preserved

4-8-4

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
4-8-4 — ooOOOOoo — Northern
		2550–2555		60781–60782, 60807-60810	1929	6	0	1956-1958	align=left	2552 received Vestibule cab
		2575–2588		61211–61216, 61224, 61225, 61237-61242	1930	14	1	1955–1958	align=left	First "Northerns" built with 80" driving wheels; Timken roller bearings replaced friction bearings in 1945; 2577, 2582, 2586, 2587 & 2588 received Vestibule cab; 2584 preserved^[1] Last New GN Steam from Outside Builder.

Mallet and Simple Articulated Locomotives

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
Mallet and Simple Articulated Locomotives
		1900–1924			1906-1908	25	0	1933-1939	1902, 1903, 1908 & 1921 classified as L-1s
		1805–1844			1907	40	0	1930-1944	1814-1816, 1822, 1824-1826 & 1842 classified as L-2s
		1950–1984			1909-1910	35	0	1926-1927	All rebuilt as M-2 Class 1926-1927.
M-2		1950-1984			1926-1928	35	0	1949-1954	Engines 1950, 1952-1962, 1964, 1966, 1969-1971, 1975-1976, 1978-1979, and 1982 Dismantled and parts Rebuilt into O-7s, 1929-1931.
		2000-2024			1912	25	0	1925-1927	align=left	Rebuilt into N-2s between 1925 and 1927
		2000-2024			1930	25	0	1924–1927	align=left	Rebuilt into N-3s between 1940 and 1942
		2000-2024			1940–1942	25	0	1955-1957
		2030-2043			1925	4	0	1951-1955	2030, 2031, and 2033 assigned to Mesabi Division Ore-steaming, 1952.
		2034-2043			1928	10	0	1951-1955
		2044-2059			1929–1930	16	0	1953-1957
Z-6		4000–4001			1937	2	0	1946-1955	Ex Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway 903 and 904, Acquired 1939.

The 4-6-6-4 locomotives (Nos. 903 and 904) were purchased from the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway and sold back between 1946 and 1950.

Diesel Locomotives

General Electric

Electric locomotive Classes

Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet number(s)	Manufacturer	Serial numbers	Year made	Quantity made	Quantity preserved	Year(s) retired	Comments
	B-B	5000–5003			1909	4	0	1927	align=left
		5000A(B), 5002A(B), 5004A(B), 5006A(B), 5008A(B)			1926-1928	10	0	1956
		5010-5017			1927-1930	8	0	1956	align=left	5011 rebuilt with a streamlined appearance and reclassified as Y-1a; 5010, 5012-5017 sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1956
	B-D-D-B	5018-5019	GE Erie Works	28448, 28449	1947	2	0	1956	align=left	5018 sold to the Union Pacific Railroad in 1960

References

• Keyes . Norman C. Jr. . Middleton . Kenneth R. . The Great Northern Railway Company: All-Time Locomotive Roster, 1861–1970 . . 143 . Autumn 1980 . 143 . 20–162 . Railway and Locomotive Historical Society . Boston, Mass. . 0090-7847 . 43523930.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Great Northern Empire - then and Now.