“A sad sight at the Northern Pacific’s South Tacoma Reclamation yard in the spring of 1957: headlights from scrapped engines. Recognizable are lights from venerable Ten-Wheelers (1376 , 1387), husky Mikes (1700’s 1800’s and 1900’s) and of course, a Z-8, No. 5130.” That’s a direct quote in the Railway Post Office feature (letters to the Editor) in TRAINS Magazine in August 1958 from a Mr. H. A. Durfy of Seattle. The heyday of steam was over and other than a few donations to city parks, the bean counters dictated that
they be scrapped.
The Northern Pacific had a headlight style of its own on its steam locomotives. What you see here is the typical arrangement on NP steam; the headlight, engine numbers squared on the sides, and the number facing forward above in a wedged design. Would I like to have one of these on my wall of treasures in my “Man Cave..?” You bet. -Gary Ostlund
Photo credit: H. A. Durfy
