Page #70 - Ron Nixon's Northern Pacific Locomotives

Class S-2 (104-133) 4-6-0 Ten-wheeler. Total built 30. Schenectady Locomotive Works, 1900.


Along about 1895 the railroads went rampant over compound locomotives, the idea being to conserve steam. There were many types of compoundscrossovers, tandems, Vauclains, Coles, balanced, articulated and others. Steam was first admitted to a high pressure cylinder and then was piped to a low pressure cylinder, utilizing the steam twice. The theory was good but more moving parts and slowing of speed caused the fad to die out. By 1917 nearly all NP compounds had been rebuilt to simple. The above is a good example of a crossover compound which shows the low pressure cylinder, always larger than the high pressure.

The picture of 122 at Glendive in 1902 is from former Conductor Harry Childs of Mandan.

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