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Great Northern Railway 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! Great Northern Railway steam locomotives were likewise distinguished by wide range of classes from A to Z. In any event, the information here is most certainly not a complete, all-time listing of the GN's steam fleet and also is merely meant to list the general types of steam locomotives operated by the railroad.

Of all the railroads James J. Hill owned or controlled in some way, the Great Northern Railway is by far his greatest masterpiece earning him the legendary nickname of Empire Builder. Under his tenor the railroad would stretch from the Midwest to Pacific Coast and of all the Northwestern roads the GN was by far the strongest and most respected. Even after 30+ years of being gone the railroad still holds strong influences and memories from its Empire Builder passenger train and prominent dark green, orange, and yellow livery to its beloved mascot and emblem, Rocky the mountain goat (a common animal to the Rocky Mountains).

The GN's steam fleet was a vast mix of large and small and like all of the northwestern roads the railroad used large articulateds to get freight over the Rockies and through the Cascades. Today, although no large articulated steamers survive several over types owned by the GN do. For more regarding all of the surviving Great Northern railway steam locomotives please click here.

Class A

The GN's Class A included its fleet of 0-6-0 switchers ranging from Class A-1 to A-11.

Class B

The GN's Class B included its fleet of 4-4-0 Americans ranging from Class B-1 to B-22.

Class C

The GN's Class C included its fleet of 0-8-0 switchers ranging from Class C-1 to C-5.

Class D

The GN's Class D included its fleet of 2-6-0 Moguls.

Class E

The GN's Class E included its fleet of 4-6-0 Ten-Wheelers ranging from Class E-1 to E-15s.

Class F

The GN's Class F included its fleet of 2-8-0 Consolidations ranging from Class F-1 to F-12.

Class G

The GN's Class G included its fleet of 4-8-0 Twelve-Wheelers ranging from Class G-1 to G-5.

Class H

The GN's Class H included its fleet of 4-6-2 Pacifics ranging from Class H-1 to H-7s.

Class J

The GN's Class J included its fleet of 2-6-2 Prairies.

Class K-1

The GN's Class K-1 included its fleet of 4-4-2 Atlantics.

Class L

The GN's Class L included its fleet of massive 2-6-6-2 heavy articulateds.

Class M-1, M-2

The GN's Class M included its fleet of unique 2-6-8-0 articulateds.

Class N

The GN's Class N included its fleet of 2-8-8-0 articulateds including Class N-1 to N-3.

Class O

The GN's Class O included its fleet of 2-8-2 Mikados ranging from Class O-1 to O-8.

Class P

The GN's Class P included its fleet of 4-8-2 Mountains.

Class Q-1

The GN's Class Q-1 included its experimental 2-6-2-6-2T. Also, the railroad had a roster of 2-10-2 Santa Fes listed as Class Q-1 and Class Q-2.

Class R

The GN's Class R included its fleet of 2-8-8-2 heavy articulateds including Class R-1 and R-2.

Class S

The GN's Class S included its fleet of 4-8-4 Northerns including Class S-1 and S-2.

Class Z-6

The GN's Class Z-6 included its roster of 4-6-6-4 Challengers.

For complete roster information regarding Great Northern Railway steam locomotives please click here.

For more reading and background on the GN consider the book The Great Northern Railway: A History from authors, Ralph Hidy, Muriel Hidy, Roy Scott, and Don Hofsommer. The book is stuffed full of photographs, maps, and timetables of the GN up through its creation and building to the Pacific Northwest to its merger with the CB&Q and NP to from the Burlington Northern in 1970. Anyone with an interest in the GN will almost surely enjoy the book.

Also consider Perfecting the American Steam Locomotive by author J. Parker Lamb. As the name implies the book details the earliest history of steam engine technology, even before it was used in railroad applications. His book later explores the development of steam locomotive technology in the United States from the 19th through the 20th centuries, covering not only the most popular steam locomotive designs but also the most successful manufactures to build them. The book has received excellent reviews and is a great resource on steam locomotives and a fine reference tool; you should find it very useful. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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