Great Northern Class R-1

The Great Northern R-1 were a series of 2-8-8-2 Simple articulated steam locomotives that operated on the Great Northern Railway.
==History==
They first few were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1925 and were numbered 2030-2033. These giants were designed to haul heavy freight trains on the Great Northern Railway's system.
The first R-1 unit, #2030 was the first 2-8-8-2 steam locomotive to arrive on the GN Ry. in June of 1925, and was also the first Simple-expansion articulated steam engine acquired by the Great Northern. When built it was briefly for a little of time the Largest and Heaviest Locomotive in the World.
The first four R-1s were very successful as that the GN wanted a more powerful version as Between 1927-1928, 10 more were constructed by the GN's famous Hillyard Shops and were numbered 2034-2043. The second batch was more powerful and updated than the baldwin-built ones as the R-1 lead to the mighty development of the slightly larger R-2 class. They were used for many years in the american northwest until the early postwar era which the GN in favor of diesels began to Withdraw the class beginning in the 1950s and by 1952, the first three examples built by Baldwin were retired to serve as stationary boilers in ore steaming service. The last engine was out of service in favor of diesels by 1956. They were all sold for scrap before 1963.
==Stock list==
Image	Loco No.	Build date 	Manufacturer 	Notes 	Retired
 	2030 	6/1925 	Baldwin Locomotive Works 	First 2-8-8-2 on the GN Ry. Was later assigned to Messabi division ore-steaming services after revenue retirement, 1951.	August 1951, Boiler scrapped August 1956.
 	2031 	6/1925 	Baldwin Locomotive Works 	Later assigned to Mesabi division ore-steaming services after revenue retirement, 1951. 	August 1951, Boiler scrapped August 1956.
 	2032 	7/1925 	Baldwin Locomotive Works 	 	Retired and scrapped June 1952.
 	2033 	7/1925 	Baldwin Locomotive Works 	Later assigned to Mesabi division ore-steaming services after revenue retirement, 1951. 	August 1951, Boiler scrapped August 1956.
 	2034 	10-11/1927 	GN Hillyard Shops, Hillyard, WA.	First Homemade 2-8-8-2, new Boiler installed by ALCO in 10-11/1947. 	Retired and scrapped August 1956.
 	2035 	10-12/1927 	GN Hillyard Shops, Hillyard, WA.	 	Retired and scrapped October 1955.
 	2036 	11/1927-1/1928	GN Hillyard Shops, Hillyard, WA.	 	Retired and scrapped October 1955.
 	2037 	12/1927-2/1928	GN Hillyard Shops, Hillyard, WA.	 	Retired and scrapped October 1955.
 	2038 	6-7/1928 	GN Hillyard Shops, Hillyard, WA.	 	Retired and scrapped October 1955.
 	2039 	7-8/1928 	GN Hillyard Shops, Hillyard, WA.	 	Retired and scrapped October 1955.
 	2040 	7-9/1928 	GN Hillyard Shops, Hillyard, WA.	New Boiler installed by ALCO in 1-3/1948, used for Ore-steaming as last used there in 8/1960. 	Retired from revenue service before 1957, Boiler scrapped in 1962.
 	2041 	8-9/1928 	GN Hillyard Shops, Hillyard, WA.	 	Retired and scrapped April 1956.
 	2042 	9-10/1928 	GN Hillyard Shops, Hillyard, WA.	New Boiler installed by ALCO in 3-5/1948, used for Ore-steaming as last used there in 8/1960. 	Retired from revenue service before 1957, Boiler scrapped in 1962.
 	2043 	10-11/1928 	GN Hillyard Shops, Hillyard, WA.	New Boiler installed by ALCO in 5-7/1948, used for Ore-steaming as last used there in 8/1960. 	Retired from revenue service before 1957, Boiler scrapped in 1962.
==Trivia==
*The cylindrical Vanderbilt tender had a flat top and two 6-wheel Commonwealth trucks equalized to give "equal distribution of weight on each axle."
*The last ten R-1s built by Great Northern itself were based on modified specs at the Hillyard Shops.
*They may have seemed big enough to most railways, but the Great Northern wanted more power without a drop in the engine's factor of adhesion.
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:2-8-8-2 locomotives
Category:2-8-8-2 steam locomotives
Category:Eight-coupled locomotives
Category:Articulated locomotives
Category:Baldwin locomotives
Category:Built in 1925
Category:American locomotives
Category:Locomotives
Category:Scrapped locomotives
Category:Scrapped steam locomotives
Category:Great Northern (US) locomotives
Category:Freight locomotives
Category:American steam locomotives
Category:Standard gauge locomotives
Category:Standard gauge locomotives of the United States
Category:4 foot 8 1⁄2 inch gauge
Category:Built in 1927
Category:Built in 1928