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Right-of-Way & Structures

​​​​​​​​​​​Maps

Section description


​ResourceFormat​Description​
​Maps of NP SubdivisionsImages
Dave Cooley has drawn maps of an assortment of Northern Pacific subdivisions for use in the Mainstreeter and our web site.
NP Title Plat Maps
​PDF Files These maps show the right-of-way in the context of property purchases and leases. Currently the title plats are from the Tacoma Division and Rocky Mountain Division (with one from the Idaho Division). We are working to find title plats from other NP divisions. Note: The map title blocks have been removed from these scans. Thanks to Jim Mattson for scanning various title plat map collections at the PNRA and assembling them into paginated PDF files.
​​​BN-era Images of NP Station Plat MapsImagesThese images come from a set of aperture cards prepared by the Burlington Northern from the original maps.
​PNRA Map Database (mostly station plat maps but some other types as well)
​Database​The PNRA map database contains maps from several railroads. You can view just the NP-related maps by filtering the "RR" column.

Many of these maps have been scanned and are available through the Company Store. To purchase a digital file, return to the Home page, select Company Store, open the Photos & Drawings page, click Scan of Drawing trom the NPRHA Collections, and follow the instructions.

If you don't find something you are seeking, email research@nprha.org and we will see if a map is available but not yet in the database. 
​NP Tacoma Division Map Collection​Database​This database lists Tacoma Division maps at the PNRA.
Evolution of ​NP Divisions ​PDF File ​Jan Taylor created a series of system-wide maps showing the evolution of NP divisions and their boundaries, based on a presentation by Jim Fredrickson, which was based on research done in 1956 by J. B. Klassen, Supervisor of Wages, NP Labor Relations Dept.

Drawings

Section description


​ResourceFormat​Description​
Standard Plans of NP StructuresImage​Northern Pacific standard plans for structures built by the railroad, contributed by Dave Beach.
​NP Mechanical Dept. Drawings​List​A database of drawings produced by the NP Mechanical Dept. housed at various archive locations.
NP Standard Plan Index
​List An index of all NP Standard Plans in the Schrenk and Iszley collections.
​NP Standard Track Tools​List​Drawing of Northern Pacific Standard Track ToolsNP 
NP Drawing Presentation​PDF​​This presentation (in two parts) provides an overview of Northern Pacific Railway drawings of various types. Presented at 2018 convention. 

Right-of-Way & Bridge Info

Section description


​ResourceFormat​Description​
Bridge Inspection Instructions​Image
Instructions for through, accurate and uniform inspection of all bridges, culverts and waterways on the property of the Northern Pacific Railway. Contributed by Gary Tarbox.
Bridge Painting Instructions​ImageInstructions for field maintenance painting of steel bridges on the property of the Northern Pacific Railway.
​Bridge Book​Image​This copy of the NP bridge book was last updated to 1968 conditions. Click the page to make image larger. Than click lower right corner of resulting image to magnify to maximum. Switch to Detail View to filter and find a specific page or use word search. The full posting of this book is underway.
​Maintenance Rules of Northern Pacific in 1918​Image​This is a set of images from the pages of the official Northern Pacific Railway Maintenance Rules booklet, published June 15, 1918. Thanks to Tim Peterson for contributing this material.
​Prairie Line History​Web Page​The South Thurston County area of Washington State had the privilege of being located on the original NP mainline between Seattle and Portland. The segment ran from Tacoma, Washington to Tenino, Washington, was known in timetables as the "Prairie Line" and was the Fourth Sub-division of the Tacoma Division.
1917 ICC Valuation Report & Maps​List​The Index Maps and Valuation Engineering Reports from the 1917 Interstate Commerce Commission's valuation of the NP
​NP 1917 Joint Facilties​PDF​List of NP Joint Facilities circa 1917
​NP Offline Ticket Offices​PDF​List of NP Offline Ticket Offices circa 1917
​NP Principle Terminals and Connections to other RRs​PDF​List of NP Principle Terminals and Connections to other Railroads circa 1917
​NP Distance Schedule​List​NP Distance Schedules circa 1945-53
​NP Joint Facility Diagram Maps
 ​PDF​Maps of Lines that were used jointly by the NP and Other Railroads
​NP Joint Ownership Diagrams ​PDF

​Maps of Lines that were Jointly owned by the NP and Other Railroads

​NP Pre Valuation Information​PDF​These Documents were prepared as a precursor to the Federal Valuation

Depot Photos and Info

Section description


​ResourceFormat​Description​
​Depot Photos of the NP​Image
Northern Pacific depot photos taken throughout the operating life of the railroad and a searchable database.
Cass Gilbert NP Depots - North Yakima
​External Link
Read about this depot's striking design on the Cass Gilbert Society website.
​Jim Fredrickson Station Photos​Image​Jim Fredrickson authored three books of Northern Pacific images. The link at left is a filtered view of his collection to show just the station photos.

Authorization for Expenditures

Section description


​ResourceAssembled ByDescription​
Coal Dock Operations
Jim Dick
See also information on coal dock operations, locations, and capacities on this site, in the Other Operations Info category on the Operations & Traffic page.
Tacoma Division AFE Collection
​Chuck Morrison Authorization for Expenditure files from the Tacoma Division preserved at PNRA from the Fredrickson and Tacoma Public Library collections.
​Idaho, Rocky Mountain, and Yellowstone Divisions AFE Collection​Randy HammondMontana Rail Link donated 90 boxes of AFEs to the PNRA, consisting of BN, GN, and NP AFEs for the lines operated by MRL. About 2/3 of the AFEs are NP AFEs from the Idaho, Rocky Mountain, and Yellowstone Divisions.​
​NP Western District AFEs by Station​Gary Tarbox​An index of the Authorization For Expenditures (AFEs) associated with all the NP stations of the Western District (plus the Yellowstone Division) shown by Subdivision. The index comes from cards used at division headquarters to track the projects that maintained and improved the NP's system. Use column filtering to isolate the Division, Subdivision and Station you are seeking. See Help for Column Filtering instructions. We are seeking the indexes for the stations without AFE indexes and for the Divisions not shown in this list. If you have any missing index cards, please contact us: research@nprha.org.
​NP Microfilmed AFEs CollectionHudson Leighton, Jan Taylor, Jim Hansen, Craig Ringgenberg, Dean Ogle ​Scans of microfilmed NP corporate HQ AFE files from approximately 1895 through 1949 (just a few random ones pre-1898). This is a work in progress with more scans added regularly.
​NP Numerical Register of AFEs ​This is a partial AFE index, most likely from the Mechanical Department, containing shop equipment, MOW machinery, automobiles, and 5000 series AFEs for rolling stock, freight cars, passenger cars, and locomotives. Also includes some subsidiary lines.

Track Charts & Station Lists

Section description


​ResourceFormat​Description​
​Condensed Profiles & Track Charts​PDF
Condensed profile and track charts are used by train crews to learn the Northern Pacific Lines. Alan Eisenberg has scanned his set of 1970 charts for posting our web site. See the indexes for each division for details.
Yard Diagrams of the NP
PDF​
Alan Eisenberg contributed diagrams showing the general layout of the major yard facilities of the Northern Pacific in the 1960s.
​BNSF Track Segments​PDF​Version 10 of current, abandoned and sold lines compiled by Alan Eisenberg from many sources of the originating railroads, including the Northern Pacific.
​Station Histories of the BNSF Lines​PDF​This list includes abandoned, sold, or current listings of all BNSF Stations by track segments and their predecessor companies. Alan Eisenberg led this project, Roger Taylor did most of the work for the Frisco segments. and Keel Middleton proofed the Santa Fe sections (Revision B).
​BNSF Unnumbered Track Segments and Stations List Version 10 Revision B​​​PDF​Version 10, Revision B of un-numbered current, abandoned and sold lines and station list, compiled by Alan Eisenberg from many sources of the originating railroads, including the Northern Pacific.
​Station Roster of 1899​List​A list of active NP stations as of this revision of Circular No. 21 dated January 1899.  Branch station numbers show the distance from the branch's intersection with the main Line. Main line station numbers are the distance from Ashland WI. By the original charter, branch lines were operated as independent railroads outside a division before the 1896 NP Reorganization. Contributed by Paul Curtiss.
​Station Roster of 1922​List​List of stations on the Northern Pacific mainline and branch lines active in April 1922. Source: List of Officers, Agents, Stations, Etc. Number 26. Prepared by Paul Curtiss.
​Station Roster of 1947​List​List of stations on the Northern Pacific mainline and branch lines active in July 1947. Source: List of Officers, Agents, Stations, Etc. Number 44. Prepared by Peter Thompson.
​Freight Conductor's Record 1899​List​A list of active NP stations as of this revision of Circular No. 21 dated January 1899.  Branch station numbers show the distance from the branch's intersection with the main Line. Main line station numbers are the distance from Ashland WI. By the original charter, branch lines were operated as independent railroads outside a division before the 1896 NP Reorganization. Contributed by Paul Curtiss.
​Stations of Current Idaho Division in 1901​Web Page​Northern Pacific form 1451 dated 9-23-1901 FREIGHT CONDUCTOR'S RECORD has a list of all stations with their numbers which are miles from Ashland. The Rocky Mountain Division at that time was from Helena to Hope and the Idaho Division from Hope to Ellensburg. Complied by Jim Fredrickson.
Terminal Schematic Diagrams​
​PDF​These diagrams of the NP terminals circa 1968-70 were originally drawn by the NP.
​Officers, Agents & Stations Books​PDF​See also various Officers, Agents & Stations Books on this site, in the category of the same name on the Operations & Traffic page.
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