The Northern Pacific Railway entered the diesel era with a large fleet of modern steam locomotives, but gradually and then more rapidly, made the transition to diesel-electric motive power. Covering in detail, all of the NP's diesels: the first-generation switchers, the early road units, and the postwar road-switchers. The more powerful and technologically advanced second-generation units such as U25C, the U28C, the SD-45, and the U33C units are presented.
Of the many books Golden Spike stocks, I read this one from cover to cover. It is an excellent book not only for the Northern Pacific, but for what the railroad mechanical departments experienced in selecting models from the many-at the time-diesel builders. It was especially humorous to read about the 'new' Baldwin road switcher that as the paint wore away revealed factory demonstrator colors!
Contents:
Preface, pp. 6-10,
The Northern Pacific Before 1945, pp. 11-26,
The Diesels Appear: 1938-1945, pp. 27-54,
First of the Mainline Diesels, pp. 55-78,
Northern Pacific Railway History: 1945-1960, pp. 79-112,
The Post-War Road Diesels, pp. 113-144,
The Post-War Switchers and Road-Switchers, 145-178,
Northern Pacific Railway History: 1960-1970, pp. 179-210,
Second-Generation Diesels on the Northern Pacific, 211-228,
The RDC's, pp. 229-240,
Epilogue, pp. 241-246,
Appendices:
Explanatory Notes, pp. 249-250,
Northern Pacific Railway Trackage by Division (July 1947), pp. 251-253,
Numerical Locomotive Rosters, June 1945, January 1955 and January 1964, pp. 254-256,
Locomotive Data by Class, pp. 257-277,
Northern Pacific Diesel Locomotive Painting and Lettering Practice: 1938-1970, pp. 278-286,
Locomotive Diagrams, pp. 287-292,
Bibliographic Notes, pp. 293-295,
Acknowledgments, pg. 296,
Index, pp. 297-299.
Golden West Books, hardcover with jacket, 299 pages, standard portrait book 10 x 8 in., 320 illustrations, color plates, rosters, bibliography and index.
