Northern Pacific locomotive 74
Ready for Wallace Mountain’s 4% grade
The above photograph of Northern Pacific locomotive 74 was provided by Fred Burglund of Missoula, Montana, who identified four of the five gentlemen present as Mickey McBann, engineer, Mike Riley, fireman, Mike Nicholson, brakeman, and Guy Farrell, brakeman.
The engine for Northern Pacific 74 was built in 1888 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia. It was Baldwins’s 9,515th locomotive. The wheel arrangement was 2-8-0 and all engines of this class were commonly known as Baldwin hogs. The hogs were probably one of the most efficient types of engines ever constructed. Some of these N.P. engines were in service for 60 years, exceeding the lifetime of any other engines of this time Originally, the 74 was numbered 475, and was used on the Butte mountain route for many years. Later it worked on the Philipsburg branch, and more extensively on the Wallace branch. In 1896, it was renumbered to 74. Unlike most of the hogs, the 74 was sold. It was purchased by the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railroad (S.P. & S.) in 1937, and worked as their No. 305 for about 20 years.
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