Some North Coast Limited info?

[Anonymous]

I have some questions concerning the NP North Coast Limited.
1. Did the NCL ever enjoy All Pullman status, and when did he loose it?
2. Did the NP 4-6-6-4 Challengers also make occasional service on the streamlined Vista Dome NCL???
I heard something about a photo published in the book "The Northern Pacifc Railway of McGee and Nixon" , showing a Challenger in front of the Vista Dome NCL on Marent Trestle. Does anybody know something closer?
Every reply will be appreciated.

[jimrice4449]

Never say never but this looks like a good spot to risk it! The NCL got Vista Domes in 1954 and that was so close to the absolute end of steam on the NP that it would be highly unlikely that a steam eng would be assigned to the road's premier train
According to Dubin's Some Classic Trains the NCL , from it's inception in 1900 carried coaches.

[jimrice4449]

Another factor on the Challenger question is the fact that the first crew/engine change point after missoula (about 5 or 10 miles east of the Marent trestle) was Paradise and there would be no reason for having psgr diesels there which would mean that the Challenger would have to run all the way into Spokane.

[Anonymous]

Well, who knows, maybe the Challenger really ran all the way to Spokane. But probably this was only because of a damage on the diesels (probably they just broke down), so this was a once in a lifetime job for the 4-6-6-4.
But at least, must have been a really nice pleasure to see a big 4-6-6-4 on the point of NP´s finest. Do you also know if the Challengers were also used on the 1948 Pine Tree North Coast Limited??? Or did they fini***heir career on passenger trains, when the heavyweight NCL was replaced by streamlined cars?

[jimrice4449]

If you've got your heart set on a Challenger on the point of your NCL don't let me get in your way. I've tried some combos that stretched the limits of my considerable imagination to justifty but, truth to tell, a Challenger on a psgr train on the NP would have been a real oddity (w/ the possible exception of a really long troop train). If a train needed a steam substitute it would almost for sure have gotten a Northern, an A class from Spokane to the Coast and one of the newer (A-3 to A-5, which wouldn't fit in Stampede Pass tunnel) east of Spokane

[Anonymous]

Well, it might be that the Challengers never were used on streamlined trains, but they were CERTAINLY used on passenger trains (the NCL among them of course) in the late 30ies and early 40ies in North Dakota and Montana. And this was a regulary service. Just go and check out http//:muse.museum.montana.edu/rvndb/ and you will see of what I´m talking about.