1908 Great Northern Railway Locomotive 1246
The Great Northern Locomotive 1246 has returned home to Puget Sound! The Northwest Railway Museum is the owner of this iconic steam locomotive and is currently under restoration. The estimated cost of transportation and restoration exceeds $1.5 million. Over $100,000 has been raised to date for this impressive artifact. It is estimated over 10,000 volunteer hours will be put into this restoration project.

Great Northern Locomotive 1246 was built in 1908 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works and operated by the Great Northern Railway until 1953. It is a class F-8 steam locomotive, which has a wheel arrangement of 2-8-0. The 1246 pulled freight trains throughout its career and served primarily in Western Washington. In the 1950s the Great Northern scrapped all its F8 locomotives except for two: this engine and, locomotive 1147 which was donated to the City of Wenatchee and remains on display there. Locomotive 1246 was retired in 1953 and donated to the City of Seattle for display at the Woodland Park Zoo.

From July 1953 until June 1980, this locomotive sat at the South Entrance of Woodland Park Zoo entertaining generations of children. For many, the locomotive was as entertaining as the elephants and bears. By the late 1970s, Woodland Park Zoo evolved from an amusement park with animals into a conservation organization. This classic iron horse was no longer responsive to their mission and a plan was hatched to rehome it elsewhere in Seattle. Both the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) and the Northwest Railway Museum were interested in acquiring, but, due to budget constraints, unable to proceed. The locomotive was auctioned off and sold to a private collector in southern Oregon where it was disassembled and stored.

The private collector passed away in 2021 and his collection of 14 steam locomotives and other rail equipment was acquired by the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad at Tillamook, Oregon. The Northwest Railway Museum and the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad are both 501(c)3 tax-exempt organizations and agreed to exchange locomotives to reflect their respective missions and collections policies for community benefit. This locomotive will be a featured exhibit in the Roundhouse Gallery.
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