The Great Northern O-1 was a class of 145 American 2-8-2 "Mikado"-type steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works between 1911 and 1919 and used by the Great Northern Railway until the late 1950s.

The O-1s, along with other O Class Mikados of the Great Northern, were used system-wide to pull freight trains. As of today, only one O-1 has been preserved, No. 3059, from the second batch of O-1s. It was retired in December 1957 and is on display near the Williston depot in Williston, North Dakota.

Design of the locomotives The class featured a Belpaire firebox deep by wide; giving a grade area of . This was attached to a tapered boiler that was pressed to – even though it had been designed for – feeding steam to two cylinders, which were connected to diameter driving wheels by Walschaerts valve gear. The last five locomotives were delivered with Southern valve gear; however, these were later replaced with Walschaerts.

Construction of the locomotives All 145 locomotives were built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in four batches between August 1911 and February 1919. Baldwin class 12-50--E was assigned.

+ Table of orders and numbers Year Quantity Baldwin serial numbers Baldwin class numbers GN numbers Notes 1911 20 36832–33, 36910–17, 36937–42, 36969–72 1–20 3000–3019 1913 50 39089–104, 39150–58, 39163–72, 39205–12, 39296–302 196–245 3020–3069 1916 25 43989–93, 44095–99, 44144–46, 44197–204, 44253–54, 44438–39 316–340 3070–3094 1917–19 50 46066–68, 46110, 46163, 46213, 46277, 46891, 48150, 48257–60, 48468, 48524, 48573, 48675–76, 48732–33, 48775, 48893, 48943, 48995, 49079–80, 49158, 49226, 49299–300, 49356–57, 49408, 49481–82, 49639, 49659–61, 49731, 50051, 50359–60, 51011, 51035, 51083, 51156, 51234, 51236 366–415 3095–3145

Two engines were built as oil burners: 3020 and 3021.

Railroad Service All were assigned to haul freight trains system wide. During the 1940s, twelve (3004, 3022, 3033, 3048, 3071, 3100, 3106, 3135, 3137, 3138, 3142, 3144) were equipped with boosters, which added between of tractive effort; these were removed in the early 1950s. Between 1925 and 1944, thirteen O-1s (Nos. 3023, 3024, 3026, 3028, 3029, 3039, 3043, 3064, 3099, 3108, 3121, 3122 and 3134) were sold to the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway.

Two engines were retired after being involved in wrecks: 3113 in 1946, and 3128 in 1949; the latter was so badly damaged it was scrapped on site.

The remaining locomotives were retired between 1948 and 1958. The Great Northern were in no hurry to scrap them as it was as late as 1963 that the last locomotive to be scrapped was cut up.

+ Table of retirements and scrappings Year Quantity in service at start of year Quantity retired or scrapped Numbers Notes 1925 145 3 3026, 3028, 2039 to SP&S 500, 501, 502 1926 142 1 3099 to SP&S 503 1928 141 2 3039, 3043 to SP&S 504, 505 1929 139 2 3023, 3024 to SP&S 506, 507 1943 137 2 3064, 3121 to SP&S 508, 509 1944 135 3 3108, 3122, 3134 to SP&S 511, 510, 512 1946 132 1 3113 Wreck retirement 1948 131 3 3049, 3086, 3107 1949 128 10 3005, 3010, 3014, 3048, 3092, 3094, 3098, 3111, 3128, 3143 3128 Wreck retirement, scrapped on site 1951 118 6 3015, 3016, 3018, 3046, 3074, 3091 3018 retirement date; scrap date unknown 1952 112 29 3002–3004, 3007–3009, 3011, 3019, 3022, 3027, 3031, 3032, 3038, 3041, 3047, 3053, 3055, 3057, 3060, 3068, 3070, 3072, 3079, 3082, 3084, 3088, 3093, 3102, 3131 3011 and 3019 retirement dates; scrap date unknown 1953 83 36 3001, 3013, 3017, 3020, 3021, 3025, 3033–3035, 3040, 3051, 3056, 3058, 3061, 3063, 3065, 3069, 3073, 3078, 3080, 3085, 3087, 3095–3097, 3104–3106, 3110, 3118, 3123, 3124, 3127, 3132, 3141, 3142 1955 47 29 3006, 3030, 3036, 3037, 3042, 3052, 3054, 3062, 3066, 3067, 3071, 3075, 3076, 3081, 3083, 3089, 3090, 3100, 3103, 3109, 3114, 3115, 3125, 3126, 3130, 3133, 3136, 3137, 3140 1956 18 2 3077, 3116 1957 16 10 3000, 3012, 3045, 3050, 3059, 3112, 3117, 3119, 3120, 3139 3120 scrapped 1957; 3059 donated 1958; 3000, 3012, 3045, 3112, 3117, 3119 scrapped 1962; 3050, 3139 scrapped 1963. 1958 6 6 3044, 3101, 3129, 3135, 3138, 3144 3129 scrapped 1962, others scrapped 1963.

The Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway scrapped its O-1s between 1945 and 1950.

Preservation Only one O-1 has survived into preservation, No. 3059 of the second batch. It was built in February 1913 and retired in December 1957. On August 2, 1958, it was donated for display near the Williston Depot in Williston, North Dakota and currently resides there. It is the sole surviving Great Northern "Mikado" type steam locomotive.

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