186.1057.1-4

The Union Pacific Railroad's "Pacific Limited" was one of the streamliners that came through Ames during the peak of passenger train service. Using the tracks of the Chicago & North Western Railroad through Iowa, the train went all the way to the west coast. Here it is shown stopping to take on water into its coal tender, indicating that the engine was coal-fired steam-driven. The Northern class steam locomotives, with a wheel arrangement of 4-8-4, were used by most large U.S. railroads in dual passenger and freight service. Union Pacific operated 45 Northerns, built in three classes, which were delivered between 1937 and 1944. Initially the speedy locomotives, capable of exceeding 100 miles per hour, were assigned to passenger trains, including the famous Overland Limited, Portland Rose, and Pacific Limited. In their later years, as diesels were assigned to the passenger trains, the Northerns were reassigned to freight service. In Ames, residents were fond of going to the C & NW Depot to watch the speedy streamliners streak through. The Pacific Limited combined with the Portland Rose in 1947.