Locomotive

now looks every bit the aristocrat that it was during the years of
its preminent association with the Oriental Limited and Empire
Builder in the early period of the operation of the latter train.
The Empire Builder was inaugurated in June, 1929, and popularity of
the train led to addition of cars to the consist, and this
necessitated more powerful engines the Renowned S-2 locomotive.

Engine No. 2523 is the last of 28 locomotives built for Great
Northern by the Baldwin Locomotive Works. After these engines were
replaced by the more powerful S-2s in Empire Builder service, they
pulled the first mail and the famed silk trains. The P-2 engines
later were used in freight service, and were retired in 1955.

Locomotive and tender are 94 feet 8 inches long, weighs 617,000
pounds and height from rail to the top of stack is 15 feet 10
inches. No. 2523 was an oil burner and developed 57,580 pounds of
tractive effort. Each of the 8 drive wheels is 73 inches high.

The track on which No. 2523 stands is laid to Great Northern
main line specifications. The creosoted ties are supported on a
sub-ballast consisting of 6 inches of rock chips and a ballast
consisting of 6 inches of crushed granite which is quarried by the
Great Northern in Granite Falls, Minnesota.