Frequently Asked Questions

Question – What is the NPRHA?

Answer – The Northern Pacific Historical Association (NPRHA) is an independent, non-profit educational organization formed in 1981 to collect, preserve and disseminate information about the Northern Pacific Railway. Individuals sharing an interest in the Northern Pacific - whether as fans, veterans, modelers, collectors or historians – are invited to join.

Question - How do I join the NPRHA?

Answer – Joining the NPRHA is as easy as it is rewarding. Just fill out our on-line registration form at the NPRHA Company Store. Click here to join. Note to NPRHA members, you can also renew your membership by clicking on this same link.

Question – Is there a store for Northern Pacific items?

Answer – You bet! Check out the NPRHA Company Store. It’s loaded with lots of NP products, and it’s secure and easy to use.

Question - How do I contact the NPRHA?

Answer – For questions regarding the Research section of the web site, send an email to: Research@NPRHA.org. For questions regarding the NPRHA Company Store, send an email to: CompanyStore@NPRHA.org.

Question – Can you tell me more about the history of the Northern Pacific?

Answer – Extensive information about the history of the Northern Pacific written by John Phillips III is available on this web site – History of the Northern Pacific.

Question – Can the NPRHA help me with genealogical information?

Answer – The NPRHA does not have records that help with genealogical research. But here is a link to a great overview of how to do genealogical research on employees of the Northern Pacific.

Question – Can the NPRHA help me evaluate the value of a Northern Pacific collectable or antique?

Answer – The NPRHA can not provide evaluations on specific Northern Pacific collectables and memorabilia. But we can recommend three resources. First, the book Northern Pacific Railway Collectables by Elon Piche is a stunning illustrated book of Northern Pacific Railway memorabilia. Secondly, RailServe hosts a long list of vendors and businesses that do evaluations of railroad antiques and collectables. You might want to contact one of them or your local antique store for an evaluation. Finally, you can look for a similar item for sale on eBay (including closed auctions), and see what kind of value is placed on the item.

Question – What Northern Pacific records and resources are available for researchers and historians?

Answer – The available records on the site can be accessed from the Research Library page. NPRHA members are working to increase the types and quantity of information categories so new items will appear from time to time. If you would like to participate in this research effort, please send an email to Research@NPRHA.org.

Question – Is there a discussion group or bulletin board for the Northern Pacific?

Answer - Yes, there are two! The Northern Pacific Tell Tale discussion group is for general Northern Pacific topics, whereas the Northern Pacific Railway Modelers is specifically for modeling the Northern Pacific. Both of the discussion boards are hosted on Yahoo. Here are the links: Northern Pacific Tell Tale Northern Pacific Railway Modelers

Question – What about modeling the NP?

Answer – This web site has a document library dedicated to modeling the Northern Pacific. In the Modeling Article Library, you will find articles dedicated specifically to modeling the Northern Pacific.