06/06/2026
🏠 An Original Piece of SP&S 700 Has Come Home
Today, a remarkable piece of railroad history returned to where it belongs.
One of the original builder's plates from Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway No. 700 has been reunited with the locomotive after being absent for many years.
The plate surfaced when Kay, who has been going through her late husband's belongings, discovered it among a collection of railroad memorabilia he had purchased at a garage sale more than a decade ago. Recognizing that this piece of history belonged with the locomotive, she worked with us to make its return possible.
We are incredibly grateful to Kay and her friend Chris for bringing the plate home, and to the Pacific Railroad Preservation Association and the SP&S Railway Historical Society for partnering with us to acquire and preserve this important artifact.
For a locomotive that has inspired generations of railfans, volunteers, and visitors, this is more than just a piece of brass and steel. It is a tangible connection to the builders who created No. 700 in 1938 and to the many people who have worked to preserve her ever since.
After a journey spanning decades, this original piece of SP&S 700 is finally back where it belongs.
Welcome home.
