Spokane Portland Seattle

[Anonymous]

I live in Portland Oregon and I want to use the SPS as a prototype RR.
All I know is that it started construction and was finished in 1908.
And the Burlington merge ended the life of SPS.

What my main quistion is, how can I find locomotives and rolling stock that match the era* and the prototype?


*40s-50s, Steam to diesel era

[Anonymous]

The SP&S was built and owned by the Great Northern and Northern Pacific Railways to connect their lines with the SP&S's namesake cities. Branchline Trains has SP&S 40' boxcars in their Blueprint Series. Atlas manufactures RS-1's, which the SP&S had many of, but I don't know if they offer your line as one of their roadnames. As for steam locomotives, you might want to buy a few railroad books to get prototype photos of SP&S steam, then look for models close to those prototypes. If you want to have accurate models of steam, be warned that many model steamers made are generic, and you may even have to detail a model to get it to look like a SP&S engine. You can also go to www.walthers.com and look up all of the SP&S models being made right now.

[Anonymous]

Hi JC train, I model the Northern Pacific, one of the owners of the SP&S. SP&S had some hand me downs from both N.P. and G.N.. I am unsure if S.P&.S. has a historical society. However, this is absolutely the best way of obtaining information on your prototype RR. get a search engine and type in Spokan, Portland & Seattle and see where you get.

If your truly interested in obtaining prototype specific equipment, you will find diesels farly easy to come by. Steam may take more perseverance. You need to know even though model steam engine manufactures put SP&S on the side of their locos, they may not really be prototype correct.

[randybc2003]

If you live in Portland, check out the group that owns #700!!! The Lady is a working vetran in magnificient condition of that road! Somebody produces steel coaches of SP&S equipment, and River City Modelers in Spokane Washington has (I think) decals for the road to sell. Check the hoby shop listings in MR, and call Sunset Junction in Sokane. I KNOW they have SP&S equipment, either off-the-shelf or worked up and on consignment.
Randy

[Anonymous]

I did a search in Altavista and came upon an SP&S Historical Society in short order. Sorry, I did not take note of the website. As I stated, I feel Historical Societies are your best method of gaining prototype information.

[DSchmitt]

I have four books on the SP&S. Since it's a local road, I would expect that the Portland library has them .

Spokane Portland and Seattle Ry. - The Northwests Own Railway
Clarles and Dorothy Wood Superior Publishing 1974

SP&S Trhe Spokane Potrland $ Seattle Railway
Ed Austin & Tom Dill Pacific Fast Mail 1995?
Excellent: History, Route Maps, Track Diagrams, Black & White and Color Photos

Spokane Portland & Seattle Ry, Color Pictorial
Todd Schwenk Four Ways West Publications

Spokane, Portland & Seattle Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment
Ed Austin Morning Sun Books 1998


WP LIVES

[Anonymous]

JC:

You can visit the SP&S historical society by going to www.trainweb.org/railsnw/spshs/ They have, or rather had, a good looking logo. You could easily make your own decals and livery with basic software and a laser printer.

You can find considerable information on what the road had for rolling stock and motive power by consulting the various ORERs (Official Railway Equipment Registers). Available on CD for various years. Cost in the 25-35 dollar range.

I would think the SP&S, if they were managed in the same way that other "captive subsidiaries" were managed, had considerable numbers of the parent road cars and engines on their rails at any one time. Also think about what sort of private owner cars were likely to be around as well. As you get into the question you will likely find many options which are historically correct or at least highly plausible.

Research has its own special rewards.[banghead]

Good Luck

Randy

[Anonymous]

Hello, go to www.fallenflags.com
the home page for there historical society is there this might help