Did any Great Northern Northern Type(4-8-4s) locomotives went to Portland.
It's possible SP&S might have used a GN 4-8-4 temporarily at some point. SP&S did have their own Northerns, based on NP Northerns. SP&S 700, which is still runninghttp://www.sps700.org/, is such an engine.
It is possible that the GN S-1 or S-2 Northerns were used between Seattle & Portland. They usually were used in trans-con passenger service(replacing the P-2 Mountains). I suspect the chances of seeing them in freight service in the early 50's before they were scrapped may have resulted in Seattle-Portland service.
The SP&S had 3 Northerns(copies of the NP A-3 class that were bought for Spokane-Portland passenger service).
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
I have a book on the Great Northern and their raillines through the Pacific Northwest.
In the 1930's and 1940's there are quite a few pictures of GN S1 and S2's . The pulled both freight and passengers in the Portland, Seattle and Vancouver BC areas.and also their electric locomotives which were used on the 73-mile (117 km) electrified portion of the railroad, from Wenatchee, Washington to Skykomish, Washington, including the Cascade Tunnel.
There are also pics of a few P2 Mountain types as well and of course of a few of their Electrics.
The S1 and S2 Northerns and P2 Mountains had quite a presence from the coast to Spokane. The yard in Spokane is full of them as well as a few of their mallets.