Back in February of this year the PRPA (SP&S 700) had the main steam gauge from the locomotive stolen out of our office at Brooklyn Yard in Portland OR. This was tragic because it was double sided, gauges like that are not made any more, and are extremely rare. We were at a great loss as to what to do. We had no idea where to find another one, and it was pretty unlikely that we would, or so we thought.

Shortly after that we got a call from a friend of the group that he had met a man who had a picture of a gauge very similar to our stolen one. One thing led to another and I met a wonderful person by the name of Harold Shannon. Sadly, his father, W.R. "Bill" Shannon had just passed away. Harold told me Bill Shannon was the last chief mechanical officer of the NP railroad, and when steam went away he saved a lot of items that would have been thrown out. Harold was sorting through his collection of RR memorabilia and had come across a steam gauge. It turns out it was a perfect fit for our locomotive and it apparently came from an "A" class Northern of which the 700 is patterned after, making it an even more exact fit then the one that was stolen. The gauge was tested this week and found to be in perfect working order, so it will be brought back to life on the SP&S 700, maintaining the authenticity of the operating systems of our historic locomotive.
A great big THANK YOU to Harold Shannon and all his family for making this wonderful donation to our group and the 700, and to his father "Bill" Shannon for having the foresite to preserve equipment that would later be put to use once again.

An engraved plaque will be installed on the gauge honoring the man who thought ahead to save it from the garbage pile so many years ago.

I can't help but think that as "Bill" looks down from that Great Roundhouse in the sky he is nodding his approval and saying "good work boys (and girls)", for keeping steam alive and running today.



http://www.sps700.org
prpa@sps700.org

The absolute best in railraod preservation. Altruism, expressed in actions. This is what American rail preservation needs in abundence. Though I've never seen the locomotive run, I want to express my gratitude to the family, the locomotive caretakers, and to the late man himself. His love of steam has brought forth a flower in a bland world.


glueck@maine.edu

I've read that 700 is everything but name, an NP engine. BTW what is the status of "The Lady"?
P.S. 700 sure looks good on train simulator in marias pass!

> Back in February of this year the PRPA
> (SP&S 700) had the main steam gauge from
> the locomotive stolen out of our office at
> Brooklyn Yard in Portland OR. This was
> tragic because it was double sided, gauges
> like that are not made any more, and are
> extremely rare. We were at a great loss as
> to what to do. We had no idea where to find
> another one, and it was pretty unlikely that
> we would, or so we thought.

> Shortly after that we got a call from a
> friend of the group that he had met a man
> who had a picture of a gauge very similar to
> our stolen one. One thing led to another and
> I met a wonderful person by the name of
> Harold Shannon. Sadly, his father, W.R.
> "Bill" Shannon had just passed
> away. Harold told me Bill Shannon was the
> last chief mechanical officer of the NP
> railroad, and when steam went away he saved
> a lot of items that would have been thrown
> out. Harold was sorting through his
> collection of RR memorabilia and had come
> across a steam gauge. It turns out it was a
> perfect fit for our locomotive and it
> apparently came from an "A" class
> Northern of which the 700 is patterned
> after, making it an even more exact fit then
> the one that was stolen. The gauge was
> tested this week and found to be in perfect
> working order, so it will be brought back to
> life on the SP&S 700, maintaining the
> authenticity of the operating systems of our
> historic locomotive.
> A great big THANK YOU to Harold Shannon and
> all his family for making this wonderful
> donation to our group and the 700, and to
> his father "Bill" Shannon for
> having the foresite to preserve equipment
> that would later be put to use once again.

> An engraved plaque will be installed on the
> gauge honoring the man who thought ahead to
> save it from the garbage pile so many years
> ago.

> I can't help but think that as
> "Bill" looks down from that Great
> Roundhouse in the sky he is nodding his
> approval and saying "good work boys
> (and girls)", for keeping steam alive
> and running today.

> I've read that 700 is everything but name,
> an NP engine. BTW what is the status of
> "The Lady"?
> P.S. 700 sure looks good on train simulator
> in marias pass!

You are correct. The 700 is an all NP engine except that it is an oil burner instead of coal. In fact, no changes were made to the firebox except no grates, and a nozzle instead of an auger. The firebox is HUGE inside, and it is a GREAT steamer. The tender is the same except an oil tank was dropped in where the coal bunker is, hence a "modified" Vanderbuilt.

Presently the "Lady" is undergoing refurbishment of all the brake rigging and the drivers are being "re-profiled".

Glad you like her on Marias Pass. We are very grateful to our benefactor Richard Grout for creating the "add on" and making us the exclusive distributor.

Watch our web site for future developments.

Thanks everyone, for all your support!

The PRPA!


http://www.sps700.org
prpa@sps700.org