ca. 1927. Man walking beside railroad tracks. A car on the tracks is transporting logs. The skyline of Tacoma can be seen on the hillside behind. (WSHS)

Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

On display at the Union depot, 1717 Pacific Avenue, in early February of 1927 was the giant Great Northern electric locomotive #5007. It had made its way from East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Washington State, a distance of 2600 miles. This unidentified group of men, some of the hundreds in attendance, took the opportunity to have their photograph taken with the latest "Iron Horse" before it left town. #5007 weighed in at 715,000 pounds and had an overall length of 94'4". G44.1-097; G44.1-069 (TNT 2-3-27, p. 14-article)

Railroad locomotives--Tacoma--1920-1930; Union Station (Tacoma);

Mayor Melvin G. Tennent and several Tacoma commissioners joined the hordes of Tacomans on February 2, 1927, in viewing the giant Great Northern electric locomotive #5007 on display at the Union depot. The latest and greatest "Iron Horse" had an overall length of 94'4" and a total weight of 715,000 pounds. It was built jointly by Baldwin Locomotive and Westinghouse Electric. A banner on the locomotive proclaimed it to be the "most powerful motor-generator electric locomotive ever built." It had traveled from East Pittsburgh, Pennyslvania to Skykomish, Washington, a distance of 2600 miles, hitched to the end of a through freight. After stops in Portland and Everett, it would be put into service. From L-R above are: Mayor Tennent (on steps), Commissioners Jesse Silver & Dyer Dyment, Commissioner Ira S. Davisson, and Llewellyn Evans, superintendent of City Light. The two men standing on the ground were not identified. (TDL 2-3-27, p. 12; TNT 2-3-27, p.14-article) G44.1-069; TPL-675; TPL-5813

Railroad locomotives--Tacoma--1920-1930; Mayors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Tennent, Melvin Green; Silver, Jesse; Dyment, Dyer; Davisson, Ira; Evans, Llewellyn; Municipal officials--Tacoma--1920-1930; Banners--Tacoma; Union Station (Tacoma);

On February 3, 1927, T.F. McGettigan, left, test engineer, and his helper E.R. "Red" Randolph, in doorway, pose with the great electric locomotive #5007 that they accompanied from Pittsburgh to Tacoma. The locomotive was constructed for the Great Northern Railroad by Baldwin Locomotive Works and Westinghouse Electric Co. working together. On completion, it was hitched to a through freight train, destination Everett, Wa. Although the engine was not working, it still needed care during the trip and McGettigan and Randolph were assigned that task. Freight trains make few stops and do not usually carry passengers, so the pair packed a ham and 13 dozen eggs and set up a small stove on the engine. They slept on planks suspended over the machinery and endured temperatures of 40 degrees below zero when crossing the Rockies. The behemoth locomotive was on display in Tacoma on February 2 (see G44.1-069) and then proceeded on to Portland, then Everett, where it was placed into service. (TNT 2/3/1927 p.14)

In August of 1927, this photograph was taken for a brochure advertising the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad locomotive class EP3, the largest and most powerful electric powered locomotive. The women leaning out of the windows wearing corsages were beauties from the Broadway Theater Review on loan to the railroad for the photograph. The automobile was a new Chrysler Imperial 80 sedan loaned by the American Automobile Association to transport the girls. The new Olympian was the most modern and luxurious transcontinental transportation around. It ran on roller bearings, eliminating lurching jerks on stopping and starting. The Milwaukee Road electrified transcontinental railroad ran from Tacoma & Seattle to Chicago, over 660 miles and across four mountain ranges. TPL-1359; G44.1-092 (TDL 8/7/1927, pg. G-5 alternate picture) (photocopy made for American Automobile on 10-8-27)

Railroad locomotives--Tacoma; Railroad cars--Tacoma; Railroads--Tacoma; Chrysler automobile; Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Co. (Tacoma);

Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, Engine #10250. The electric bipolar Class EP2 locomotives, manufactured by Alco-GE, were put in service from Othello to Tacoma in 1920. They performed beyond all expectations, with great economy and low maintenance, surviving until they were scrapped in the 1960s. TPL-2377; G44.1-087

Railroad locomotives--Tacoma; Railroad cars--Tacoma; Railroads--Tacoma; Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Co. (Tacoma);

Interior of a Northern Pacific Railway Co. car as viewed on December 5, 1929. The doors are partially open. The railroad car had at least two windows. G44.1-112

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Railroad cars--1920-1930;

Members of the Washington Co-op Egg & Poultry Association are aboard a small Great Northern locomotive which is pulling three boxcars presumably packed with eggs for the 1930 Western Washington Fair. G74.1-034

Railroad locomotives; Railroad freight cars; Washington Co-op Egg & Poultry Association (Tacoma);

View across railroad tracks of the Northern Pacific Railway locomotive #4007 as seen on January 4, 1932. #4007 is pulling a long line of cars. Four unidentified men, including the driver, are present. TPL-2383; G44.1-104

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma)--Employees; Railroad locomotives--Tacoma; Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1933. Retiring Northern Pacific Stationmaster at office Union Station with his hand on the lever of the switchboard. Photograph ordered by the News Tribune.

ca. 1937. Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific locomotive 10250, EP2 after accident, circa 1937. (filed with Argentum)

Railroad locomotives--Tacoma; Railroad companies--Tacoma; Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1937. Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific locomotive 10250, EP2 after accident, circa 1937. (filed with Argentum)

Railroad locomotives--Tacoma; Railroad companies--Tacoma; Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1937. Interior of railroad boxcar filled with boxes of Staley's Breakfast Syrup and Cream Corn Starch. For Pacific Fruit and Produce Company, circa 1937. Man at rear of boxcar was not identified.

Railroad freight cars; Shipping--1930-1940;

All Aboard, as 280 local Shriners prepare to board a sixteen car special train on June 4, 1938 enroute to the 1938 Imperial Council Session to be held June 6-9 in Los Angeles. Several Shriners stand on the observation platform of the train at Union Station. The sign on the railroad car reads: "Afifi Shrine, Golden Jubilee Special, 1888 - 1938, Tacoma, Wash." They will be joined by fraternal brothers from Southwest and Central Washington. (T. Times 6/3/1938, pg. 2)

Railroad locomotives--Tacoma; Railroads--Tacoma; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Union Station (Tacoma); Railroad travel--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Harry Clark, 65, who lived at 3823 E. J St. is shown sitting at the throttle of a Northern Pacific locomotive in this photograph from December 1938. Mr. Clark had just retired after working for over 48 years as a railroad engineer and "truckman." A truckman repaired broken parts on locomotives. His many years as an engineer made him an excellent engine repairman. (T. Times, 12/28/38, p.5)

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma)--People; Railroad locomotives; Railroad employees; Clark, Harry;

ca. 1939. Copy negative for Cheney Lumber Company of train cars loaded with lumber.

Railroad cars; Lumber

Northern Pacific Roundhouse employees standing on or beside train locomotive 2250 w/A.A. Huston, Roundhouse Foreman

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma)--People; Railroad locomotives;

Group picture at the Northern Pacific Railroad roundhouse. Roundhouse employees standing on or in front of train engine w/A.A. Huston, Roundhouse Foreman

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma)--People; Railroad locomotives;

In August of 1940 the Northern Pacific Railway Shops softball team went up against the team from Johnson Paint for the Pierce County softball championship. Before a crowd of 1,100 fans at Sumner High field the NP team put up a valiant effort against the "Painters", the defending county champions. Ultimately they gave up three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and lost 6 to 4. Johnson Paint went on to play in the state championship series where they lost in the final game against Dunn Lumber, to take 2nd place. (T. Times)

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma)--Employees; Softball--Tacoma--1940-1950; Softball players--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Workers at Northern Pacific Railroad's South Tacoma shops during Wendell Willkie's visit. Mr. Willkie was the Republican candidate for President in 1940. (T. Times)

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma)--Employees; Railroad employees; Political campaigns; Presidential elections;

In the beginning, everything was business as usual on Tuesday morning, July 1, 1941. The flat cars on the Belt Line were dumping a load of logs at the Cascade Log Co. pond on E. 11th Street. The logs usually roll into the water as the cars travel on the tilted track. On this day, however, one of the cars came loose from the wheel base and attempted to follow the logs into the water. A crew soon arrived to right and repair the car. (T.Times 7/1/1941 p.1)

Railroad accidents--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cascade Log Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Logs; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma;

Northern Pacific Railroad coal cars being filled by conveyor in front of corrugated metal building.

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Coal--Tacoma;

While taking photographs of a railroad accident at 24th and Bay St., the Richards photographer captured this image of railroad cars and tracks on the Tideflats in October of 1942.

Railroads--Tacoma; Railroad tracks--Tacoma;

On October 15, 1942, a southbound Great Northern freight engine derailed and fell over on its side at 24th and Bay St. Six railroad cars piled up behind the derailed engine. Luckily the train was moving slowly and the engineer and the crew had time to leap to safety. Engineer R. Ritter and Fireman August Zueger, both of Seattle, were able to crawl out of the cab of the locomotive. (T. Times 10/16/1942. pg. 1; TNT 10/16/1942, pg. 1)

Railroads--Tacoma; Railroad tracks--Tacoma; Railroad accidents--Tacoma; Disasters--Tacoma; Railroad locomotives; Great Northern Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Steam escaped from a Great Northern freight locomotive after the southbound train derailed at 24th and Bay St. on October 15, 1942, and fell over on its side. Six cars piled up behind the derailed engine. Over 100 feet of track were torn up in the mishap, but luckily no one was hurt. The locomotive, known as the Extra 3210, was scheduled only to pause in Tacoma for the coupling of a helper engine. The train was past the Reservation Junction, on the east city outskirts, and had reached the line leading to the drawbridge when the locomotive and tender turned over on their sides. The cause of the accident was unknown at the time the story ran in the newspaper. (TNT 10/16/1942, pg. 1; T. Times 10/16/1942, pg. 1)

Railroads--Tacoma; Railroad tracks--Tacoma; Railroad accidents--Tacoma; Disasters--Tacoma; Railroad locomotives; Great Northern Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Interior of the remodeled Great Northern Railroad Ticket Office in November of 1942. Pictured are the long, curved ticket counter with the agents' desks lying beyond. Three large landscape paintings decorate the walls. The office was located in the Drury building. It was part of "Transportation Row," 112-18 So. 9th St., which housed the ticket offices of all area railroads.

Railroad companies--Tacoma; Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960; Ticket offices; Great Northern Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Interior of the remodeled Great Northern Railroad Ticket Office in November of 1942. Pictured are the long, curved ticket counter with agents seated at the desks lying beyond. Three large landscape paintings decorate the walls. The office was located in the Drury building. It was part of "Transportation Row," 112-18 So. 9th St., which housed the ticket offices of all area railroads.

Railroad companies--Tacoma; Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960; Ticket offices; Great Northern Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Window Display at Union Pacific Railroad ticket office. Promotion for Streamliner Passenger Rail Service from Tacoma to Portland in center, small World War II poster at right. The office was housed in the Drury building. The main address for the office was 112-18 So. 9th St. Known as Transportation Row, it housed the offices of the Northern Pacific, Great Northern, Union Pacific and Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroads from 1926-1975. The office had been remodeled in May of 1942.

Railroad companies--Tacoma; Union Pacific Railroad Co. (Tacoma); Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Interior of the remodeled Union Pacific Railroad Ticket Office. Pictured are the ticket counter, promotional materials, paintings on walls and desks for the agents. The office was housed in the Drury building. The main address for the office was 112-18 So. 9th St. Known as Transportation Row, it housed the offices of the Northern Pacific, Great Northern, Union Pacific and Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroads from 1926-1975. The office had been remodeled in May of 1942.

Railroad companies--Tacoma; Union Pacific Railroad Co. (Tacoma); Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960; Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Window Display at Union Pacific Railroad Office. Promotion for Streamliner Passenger Rail Service from Tacoma to Portland in center, small World War II poster at left and timetable at right for service from Tacoma to Chicago and return. The office was housed in the Drury building. The main address for the office was 112-18 So. 9th St. Known as Transportation Row, it housed the offices of the Northern Pacific, Great Northern, Union Pacific and Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroads from 1926-1975. The office had been remodeled in May of 1942.

Railroad companies--Tacoma; Union Pacific Railroad Co. (Tacoma); Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960;