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 Post subject: Pacific #4446 Engine in Seattle, WA
PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 6:02 pm 

Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2016 5:05 pm
Posts: 1
Dear Members . . .

I am a family historian trying to identify Pacific Engine #4446 in the attached photo. Any information about the engine's history would be appreciated.

The railroad worker is my grandfather - Edward Thomas Bodvin, who retired from Seattle City Light as a lineman.

He is pictured with his daughter - Nina C. Bradshaw who is holding her daughter -
Sandra C. Bradshaw, my older sister born in the Fall of 1947 and who appears to be about two years old in the photo.

When my mother was living, she said that her dad was a firefighter with the railroad, but I would like to verify this and what his duties would have been.

The picture was taken around 1949 when he lived in Seattle before moving to Maple Valley, WA.

Thank you in advance for any insight and help you can offer.

Sincerely,
Susan Beckmann
Surprise, AZ


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File comment: Pacific #4446...Edward T. Bodvin...abt. 1949
Pacific 4446 Washington and Edward T. Bodvin, 1949.jpg
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 Post subject: Re: Pacific #4446 Engine in Seattle, WA
PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 6:16 pm 

Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2004 9:42 pm
Posts: 2875
That's a Union Pacific 0-6-0 Switcher. Here's a page with a photo of it:

http://www.cryergrayfoundry.com/main/lo ... _S51.shtml

Union Pacific has a large yard in Seattle and passenger service to Union Station, so that is reasonable enough. They ran south of Seattle through the Kent/Auburn Valley, which isn't far from Maple Valley. (Maple Valley was on the Milwaukee, not the UP).

Quote:
When my mother was living, she said that her dad was a firefighter with the railroad...


So, question for you. Did she say "Firefighter" or did she say "Fireman"? In this case, the distinction really matters. One made fires (for the boiler) while the other puts them out. "Fireman", the fellow who shovels coal, was a very common railroad job. Firefighter, was not nearly as common, though some railroads did employ them in some areas. I don't know if UP in the Seattle area would have had any Firefighters.

The clothing he's wearing, and the rarity of "firefighter" jobs on the railroad leads me to believe he was a fireman, the fellow who shovels coal into the firebox (or controls the oil if the engine burns oil) and puts water in the boiler to make steam. That's a common job in those days, so it's a pretty reasonable guess given your info.


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 Post subject: Re: Pacific #4446 Engine in Seattle, WA
PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 6:33 pm 
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Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2004 2:46 pm
Posts: 2667
Location: Pac NW, via North Florida
I agree with Bob. I bet fireman is more likely the man's job instead of fire fighter (which wasn't even a term for that occupation back then, it only became a thing when women started fighting fires in recent years).
Bobharbison wrote:
That's a Union Pacific 0-6-0 Switcher.
Well, no question of the road name as it's on the cab. Note the "UP" on the bottom corner.
Here's a sister engine to 4446 that still exists in the museum at Sacramento today: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_4466

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