Northern Pacific RR 0-4-0ST+T No. 1 (Minnetonka)
Duluth, MN, United States 		Location: Lake Superior Railroad Museum
Status: Display
Posted: Sep 4, 2005 @ 18:09:32 by peter m. preston
The wood burning Minnetonka was the first locomotive to see service for the Northern Pacific Railway. The locomotive was purchased from Smith and Porter of Pittsburgh. Bult in 1870, it was the workhorse for the start of the Northern Pacific transcontinental railway construction at Carlton, MN. it pull long ,heavy loads of ties and rail behind it. The Minnetonka worked the eastern end of the transcontinental line, and was transferred by rail and boat for construction work between Kalama and Tacoma, Washington after the line was completed. The locomotive remained on the western end of the railroad until it was sold to a logging company. The logging company added the small tender, which carried fuel only. In 1895, it was resold to another logging company, the Polson Logging Company of Hoquiam, Washington, an became known as Old Betsy. it was retired and abandoned in 1928. After a lengthy search by NP, the Minnetonka was discovered in the woods near Hoquiam and was sent to St. Paul for restoration. the little engine was sent to both the Chicago and New York Worlds Fairs    in the 1930s, and was also under steam at the 1948 Chicaco railroad fair. The Minnetonka is still owned by Burlington Nothern Santa Fe Railroad and is loan to the Museum.
Posted: Mar 26, 2005 @ 08:03:19 by John A. Taubeneck

The Northern Pacific "Minnetonka" was never NP #1.  The only NP number it ever had was #302 which it got after the western and eastern segments of the NP were connected.  The ownership list is also rathor garbeled.