[?] Subscribe To
This Site

Chicago and North Western Steam Locomotives

The classifications given by railroads to their steam locomotive fleets were as varied as the machines themselves with several different designations within a particular class! Chicago and North Western steam locomotives were likewise distinguished by a wide range of classes from A to Z. In any event, the information here is most certainly not a complete, all-time listing of C&NW's steam fleet and also is merely meant to list the general types of steam locomotives operated by the railroad.

Of all the many granger roads which sprawled out across the Midwest, the Chicago and North Western is likely the best remembered of all. When the railroad was merged unto the Union Pacific in 1995 it was one of the oldest railroads in the Midwest, its name unchanged since 1859. Because of its age the C&NW actually has the distinction of being the first railroad to operate a train out of Chicago, the Pioneer. The North Western's main line into that city is also a key link in the UP�s empire today. While its eye-catching green and yellow paint no longer adorns locomotives today the Chicago and North Western's legacy certainly continues to live on.

While the North Western was one of the largest classic granger lines it did not operate steam locomotives larger than 4-8-4 Northerns (which can be partly attributed to the rather level terrain it operated through in the Midwest). Today, several C&NW steam locomotives are preserved although as of yet none are operational. To learn more about these preserved C&NW steamers please click here.

Class A

The C&NW's Class A of steam locomotives included its fleet of 4-4-0 Americans.

Class D

The C&NW's Class D of steam locomotives included its fleet of 4-4-2 Atlantics.

Class E

The C&NW's Class E of steam locomotives included its fleet of 4-6-2 Pacifics ranging from Class E to Class E-4.

Class H

The C&NW's Class H of steam locomotives included its fleet of 4-8-4 Northerns.

Class I-2

The C&NW's Class I-2 of steam locomotives included more of its fleet of 4-6-2 Pacifics.

Class J, Class J-A, Class J-2

These classes included the C&NW's fleet of 2-8-2 Mikados.

Class J-1

The C&NW's Class J-1 was its only roster of 0-10-2 switchers.

Class J-4

The C&NW's Class J-4 was its only roster of 2-8-4 Berkshires.

Class K-1

The C&NW's Class K-1 of steam locomotives included its fleet of 4-6-0 Ten-Wheelers.

Class M

The C&NW's Class M included its roster of switchers, 0-6-0s and 0-8-0s.

Class R-1

The C&NW's Class R-1 of steam locomotives included more of its fleet of 4-6-0 Ten-Wheelers.

Class Z

The C&NW's Class Z of steam locomotives included its only roster of 2-8-0 Consolidations.

For complete roster information regarding Chicago and North Western steam locomotives please click here.

For more reading about the C&NW you might want to consider Chicago & North Western Railway from Tom Murray. From another of MBI's "Railroad Color History" series the book gives an excellent general history of the 'North Western from its humble beginnings to purchase by Union Pacific in 1995, all the while stuffed full of colored photographs (typical of "Railroad Color History" publications). If you have any interest in the C&NW you are sure to enjoy Mr. Murray's book. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit The Railroad Diamond by clicking the tab in the menu to your left marked "TRD Store".

footer for chicago and north western steam locomotives page