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Spokane, Portland and Seattle Diesel Roster

The Spokane, Portland and Seattle diesel roster mostly comprised left over stuff the parent roads of Northern Pacific and Great Northern didn't want and so primarily included Alcos along with a few EMDs and Baldwins. For a complete/all-time Spokane, Portland and Seattle diesel roster please click here. This list of surviving SP&S diesel locomotives will be categorized by original numbers the railroad assigned its units and where they are today, whether in operation, cosmetically restored, or in some state of preservation at railroad museums and tourist railroads. Also, just as something to keep in mind if you are not aware, while some locomotives may be painted/preserved in SP&S colors this does not necessarily mean that they are of SP&S heritage (and likewise, some locomotives may be of SP&S heritage that are not in SP&S colors).

The Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway may have been a small railroad in terms of its actual size but it served as an important link for its parents, the Northern Pacific Railway and Great Northern Railway, into the gateways of Portland and northwestern Oregon. The little bridge line also was well liked in the many communities it served, one reason of how it obtained its slogan, “The Northwest’s Own Railway.”

The SP&S was never an independent company and was expressly created to ferry traffic back and forth for its owners, which it did quite well for over 60 years. While the railroad did have its own identity and played an important role it never operated any of its own passenger trains and its parents always determined its direction. In the end it was folded into the merger of the NP, GN, and GN-controlled Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in 1970 to form the Burlington Northern Railroad, the largest western railroad of its time.

American Locomotive Company (Alco)

· Alco S2 #21: Preserved by the Pilbara Railway Historical Society in Australia as Hammersly Iron #007.

· Alco FB-1 #868B: Privately owned and preserved as BC Rail #RCC1.

· Alco C424 #303: In operation on the Adirondack Scenic Railroad as #4243.

Electro-Motive Division (EMD)

· EMD F7A #804: In operation on the Minnesota Zephyr dinner train as #787.

Also, it should be noted that some former SP&S switcher and road units continue to remain in some state of operation and in active revenue service with Class Is, Regionals, shortlines, or leasing companies. To learn more about the disposition of these locomotives please click here.

While this list will continually be updated it certainly does not completely cover every surviving unit, which was part of the Spokane, Portland and Seattle diesel roster. So, if you know of any other survivors out there, whether they are parked and gleaming in a museum or sitting out in the weeds along a forgotten siding please let me know so we can keep this list growing, and you will be given full credit for your help.

For more reading on the SP&S you might want to consider North Bank Road: The Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway from John Gaertner. The book is very well done and gives a general, yet articulate, history of the railroad. If you are a fan of the SP&S and/or would like to learn more about it I'm sure you will enjoy Gaertner's book!

You may also want to consider the book Evolution of the American Diesel Locomotive by author J. Parker Lamb. As the title implies the book looks at the history and development of the diesel locomotives, covering 200 pages, from its earliest beginnings to the newest designs and models operated today. 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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