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BN 702

BN 702 was built in 1947 as NP F3A 6011D. This was the first F3A A-B-B-A set built right after the FT's.

These FT's were delivered in 1944-1945 numbered 6000-6010. Each set had 4 locomotive units as an A-B-B-A set. The follow up to the FT's were the F3A's. Built in 1947-1948 they were numbered in sequence after the FT's as the NP 6011-6017, again each a four unit A-B-B-A set. So the 702 it turns out was built just a few years after the FT's.

In 1949 the FT's were renumbered into the 5400 series to reflect the total horsepower of a 4 unit set (1350 HP each) produced. The F3's then became 6000-6006 since 6000HP was produced from a 4 unit set. Each locomotive unit having 1500 HP each.

Now the 6011D was the 6000D.

There is a great photo of the 6000D on page 68 in the Northern Pacific Color Pictorial - Volume 1 by Joseph Shine.

The FT's had 4 portholes on each side and the cab unit had a single upper headlight with a cluster of light bulbs inside. Headlights on the nose door would be added later. The early F3's had 3 portholes on the side and two round headlights, one above and the other on the nose door. The NP began ordering F7's by 1949 so the 702 is part of a very small class of locomotive.

Each set of F3's were eventually broken up and could be found running mixed with other classes of locomotives. The F3's were all assigned to the Rocky Mountain Division which would explain why I never saw the 6000D in Western Washington before the1970 BN merger.

From the information I have gathered, at some point while on the NP the nose door of the 6000D was swapped out from an FT making it even more unique.

After the 1970 BN merger the NP 6000D was renumbered BN 702.

It appears that the BN 702 was reassigned to Auburn, WA rather quickly after the BN merger as I first saw it on 12-13-70 at Auburn, WA on a southbound led by the 702/745/735/NP 6007D (F3A/F7B/F7B/F7A) with NP caboose 10009 on the rear of the train. I saw it numerous other time, still in NP paint up to 7-26-75 when I photographed it at Auburn.

On 3-14-76 I took this photo of train #176 leaving Auburn for Stampede Pass with this interesting set of power, the 702 being the 3rd unit.

By 1977 the 702 had been painted BN green when I caught it leaving Auburn, WA 9-12-77 and the photo shows that the 3 portholes on the side are gone. It was also very dirty by then.

And a roster photo of the 702 at Auburn 9-12-77.

This rear roster view of the other side at Auburn 3-2-79 show the 3 portholes still intact.

Here at Auburn on 7-14-79 the 702 is wearing a fresh coat of green paint. Kind of surprising this late it would be repainted.

And a photo at Interbay on 8-6-79 shows the three portholes are still there!

Back at Auburn on 12-2-79 the 702 pokes its nose out of the diesel house.

And this is the last photo that I have of the 702 in service, fittingly at Auburn once more on 4-30-80. Note BN 724 in fresh paint after a collision/derailment at Sumas, WA just 2 months earlier on 2-14-80!

After being stored at Auburn for many months, retirement for the BN 702 came on November 1981 and here it sits at Tacoma, WA waiting for the end on 1-24-82.

Sad that it could not be saved but at least there are many photos of the 702 to remember it by. It was without a doubt, an interesting locomotive!