Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Item
Title
A-1868
Date(s)
- 1926 (Creation)
Extent
Name of creator
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
ca. 1926. The Northern Pacific Railway yard at "D" St., Tacoma, circa 1926. Two men were posed in front of the roundhouse office locker room, left. The two boxes with stacks on opposite sides of the tracks were "blow-down boxes." The Hostlers or the Engineers would pull the steam locomotives up to the boxes, lining up the blow down pipe at the bottom of the boiler and would release a strong jet of steam to clean out any debris in the boiler. The boxes served to protect anyone nearby, the steam being directed into the box and up the chimney to vent where it could not scald anyone. The coaling tower is in the background. Photograph is labelled "NO. 2." (WSHS) (identifying information supplied by a former railroad employee) image NO. 1 scanned as A1867 image 1
Railroad tracks; Railroads--1920-1930; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Railroad locomotives;