Now Running Northern Pacific

Dave, I sure agree with you. One of my most sought after passenger sets was the NP North Coast Limited by K-Line which I finally fond late last year. The colors as you suggest are spectacular.

Hi Brian,  thanks! The MTH were a little easier to find than the Kline version!.  The MTH also look ok on my 54 inch curves, and fit through my tunnel. I am trying to figure out if I can get to York this spring.  Cheers, dave 

The view is terrific, on Northern Pacific.

I also had relatives that worked on the Northern Pacific RR. Because of that I have accumulated quite a bit of NP locos and rolling stock.

Hi Dave,

Very nice !!!

Alex

Dave, NP's North Coast Limited in the two-tone green Loewy scheme behind F7's or F9's is my all-time favorite passenger train.

Here's a link to images of the prototype, artwork, and advertising materials featuring the NP NCL that were part of a thread in the "Real Trains" forum.  As a fan of NP, you should enjoy them.  Click on an image and you should get a larger image.

I live in NP country, where the Four Aces ran regularly. That sure is an odd color on 2626, I don't think it was ever painted grey, and it was mostly green when it was still with Timken.

I live in NP country, where the Four Aces ran regularly. That sure is an odd color on 2626, I don't think it was ever painted grey

Au Contraire!

The Sunset models of Four Aces are on their way and look spectacular in Timken Brewster Green, NP Black and NP Grey.

The NP was fond of Gray boilers and cylinder jackets for passenger locomotives.  Several other Northerns and some Pacifics received grey paint as well. 

Ted, that color photo doesn't seem to show that very light gray, as shown in the OP's photos of his #2626. Now the smokebox color is certainly more "grayish", however. 

Dave,

   Your GP7 NP colors are incorrect on your layout, the original NP GP7 colors are on the GP7 in my attachment, the work caboose also.  The Union Switch & Signal made them.  I love the original NP passenger cars also, they however were made by somebody else, a might later.  I believe your NP engine may be a later version, with the changed coloring.  Still very cool however!

PCRR/Dave

The Lionel NP Christmas Box Car Train, with original NP Caboose.

Ted, that color photo doesn't seem to show that very light gray, as shown in the OP's photos of his #2626. Now the smokebox color is certainly more "grayish", however.

The Lionel NP 2626 does use a very light grey.  It is definitely a much lighter shade than the NP used for boiler and cylinder jackets.  But then the Lionel locomotive isn't a scale model.  It is one of the last new toy or traditional O gauge locomotives to come from Lionel before the world of O changed with the advent of the MTH scale Challenger in 1994.

Since then we have had several NP scale steam locomotives come to market.  MTH has offered G-1 0-8-0 switchers and Z-6 Challengers.  Sunset/3rd rail has done A-3, A-4 and A-5 Northerns, Z-5 Yellowstone and Z-6 and Z-8 Challengers and the Timken models are on the water now.

With their Y-3/USRA 2-8-8-2 tooling MTH could do a Z-4.  The MTH USRA Heavy Pacific could also be used for a reasonable approximation of a Q-5 or Q-6 Pacific.

BTW, The photo of Four Aces on the cover of the Mainstreeter was taken as it entered the City of Tacoma watershed on its last day of operation on August 4th, 1957.  NP 2626 pulled a passenger special from Seattle to Cle Elum and return.  The more recent steam excursions over Stampede Pass use the new mainline that was relocated in 1959 for the construction of Howard Hanson Dam.  If you were looking down at the right moment you could see the location of the 1957 photo below you.  The silver painted truss bridge carries the Tacoma Water pipelines across the Green River and the and the bridge and buildings are still there.

The Northern Pacific on the Seattle & Yakima RR

Terrific photos, Bill T.

Yeah, that was my point, in regard to the really light grey of the model.

One of my favorite lines - Thanks Dave for the post about your RR. As a boy I always admired the American Flyer North Coast Ltd PA set with those beautiful colors. It was only recently that I discovered (much to my dismay) that the NP didn't run Alco PA's... 

Great photos and info fellas.

Yes, Lionel's gray 2626 is "just" a semi-scale approximation of the real thing - but a

handsome piece, nonetheless. Accurate? No (it is actually an interpretation of one

of the Rock Island classes of 4-8-4); pleasant to look at? Certainly.

When I was growing up in the Twin Cities area, Northern Pacific and Great Northern still ran TV ads for their passenger services. At the end of the NP ads, there was a little musical tune with the lyrics:

"Northern Pacific,

really terrific,

that's what everyone

who rides it says!"

A few shots of my Lionel NP RS11s (one my favorite paint jobs), and K-Line North Coast Limited. The NCL colors didn't come out well in the photos (just used an inexpensive point and shoot with flash on) - it's much, much nicer than that - really a gorgeous set.

Great stuff! Thanks for posting the video too, that really shows off how much fun it is to run and how nice the set looks!!

 Locomotive 1544, a W class mikado, waits in the hole for X6000D and it's block of reefers to clear the crossover. 

Later in the day, 1544 switches a tank car on to the siding for Neimeyer Oil. 

Northern Pacific A-4 with the Alaskan hustling through Cooter's Corners. 

Regards,

GNNPNUT

Nice stuff everyone. Great to get an immersion experience (other than snow, of course) in another road from us pennsy-soaked, Mid-Atlantic East Coasters. I appreciated the background story on your initial post, Dave.

NP was the first railroad to use the 4-8-4 wheel arrangement and heavily promoted its introduction in 1926 for passenger and freight service; hence, locos with that wheel arrangement became known as "Northerns."  Source: Streamliner Memories. 

Great pics everyone.....Great layout, Dave........I know this isn't scale, but one of my alltime favorite PostWar sets is the Northern Pacific Geep set from 59, with the Aquarium Car and Operating Fireman & Ladder Car.

Peter

Hi Guys,  Thanks so much for your responses!  It means a lot.  Pingman (Carl), the link to the NP artwork is much appreciated since most of my books are in B&W its  nice to see the color.  Ted -- Wow, that Sunset 2626 looks so good! It very tempting.  I should join the NP Historical Society.  Pine Creek,  I love the 2349! I always wanted that as a kid,  I did get one a few years ago, but need some work.  You have a cool Christmas Layout!!.  gnNPnut, the scenes on your layout look so real. Amazing! Bill-T I always enjoy seeing the Seattle & Yakima in Action.  Fantastic family portrait of NP F-3s!  Hi C-Sam,  I also was unaware that the NP did not have alco PAs, they really should have! Breezinup,  What a wall of fame!  I can see why Brian wanted a set of the K-Line North Coast passenger cars,  they have incredible detail.  Alex, hope I can get to York to see you and Dina again and celebrate our Italian roots. 

Thanks again!  

bill t,where is that super gg1 you have in np colors,,that I want so bad???

terry h,

  I wanted to see that GG1 also, never have seen it, but heard it existed! 

Peter,

    Better not let me see that incredible NP 59 Geep set, I always wanted one!  I do own the original 59 Lionel set, with all the cool rolling stock and the Black & Gold lighted Caboose, love to have the matching 59 NP Beep set for sure, does it have the lighted B&G Cabin Caboose that was so hard to get.

It could all accidently fall into my Expedition and get lost, you understand!

PCRR/Dave

The original NP Lionel Passenger Set

OK, a little fantasy for the Northern Pacific

Bill T,

   I love that fantasy NP GG1, fantastic stuff, I could run that baby as a dual right with the NP GP7, with either the NP Work or Passenger sets.  Oh yes!  where can I get one?

PCRR/Dave

PCRR/Dave,

Your GP7 depicts Lionel's version of the original colors which were not quite accurate IMO.  The real locomotives were painted a shade of yellow not gold.  The yellow may have looked like a gold after it had weathered a few years but none of GP7s or GP9s that I saw back in the 50's and 60's were painted gold. 

Larry

The NP livery colors and logo are one of the best ever. Looking at modern RR's other than UP and BNSF, I'm left to wonder when the industry threw in the towel on color schemes and logo designs.

Larry,

   Sorry buddy my father built the original NP proto-type right here at the Union Switch and Signal, and the original Steel City Black & Gold was on the 1st NP engine ever made, and delivered to the NP.   Later the NP Yellow appeared, which when aged looked like the original GP7.  That original Lionel work train was given to the people working at the Union Switch & Signal for their work on the NP, I own one of those Lionel original work trains.

PCRR/Dave

Do any of you NP fans know where to find Prototypical passenger cars diagrams or just window placements?  Plenty of things that are close on the net but where is the definitive? Any help is appreciated.

aterry11,

   I do believe David owner of Bill & Walts in White Oak, Pa has a full Consist of Original Lionel NP 2 tone Green Passenger Cars in his big glass display Case in his White Oak Store.  Dave has a Bill & Walts Web sight for you to contact him or I can dig out his store phone number for ya.

PCRR/Dave

And they would really be prototypical for the Northern Pacific? 

Hot Water,

   They are the original Lionel NP Passenger Cars, Brewmeister shows in his picture along side his RR Station, across from his auto parts store.

PCRR/Dave

They are the original 1959-1960 Lionel 2 tone Green NP Passenger Cars pictured below, running around the Bear Christmas tree.

I believe Dave has the full consist, including the end Car.  The later made K-Line NP cars are more detailed and nicer, and as Brian says, pretty hard to get your hands on these days.  Every once in a while both come available however. 

That's all well and good but "aterr11" was inquiring about prototypical passenger car diagrams for NP passenger cars. Personally, I don't think those Lionel cars from 1959-1960 are what Mr. ater11 is looking for. Although, I could be wrong.

Wow! What a great thread - thanks for all the cool photos.

I live in Georgia now, but grew up in Fargo, ND, where the NP and the GN both ran through town.   And, the Millwaukee Road connected with the NP from South Dakota.

-Ken

Yes Hot Water!!! Thank You for Banging the drum! I am  Indeed looking for prototypical diagrams, plans, car window placements,  and info regarding NP North Coast Limited. Any  car blue print info is greatly appreciated!  Photos A plus!!!

HW,

   Not a problem those are the only NP Passenger Car that I know of available right now, and thought he might want to look at them, Proto-typical or not. 

PCRR/Dave