Southern Pacific Class P-8
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_2461.jpg) Southern Pacific P-8 No. 2461 when it rolled out of Baldwin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Southern Pacific Class P-8 was a class of 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotives that were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) for the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) in 1921.
History
[edit]Introduction, construction and revenue service
[edit].jpg)
In all, a total of 15 locomotives of what had become the Southern Pacific Class P-8 were ever constructed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1921 and they were all numbered 2461 through 2475.[1][2] They were designed to be used on the Southern Pacific specifically for the Overland Route from Ogden, Utah, to Oakland, California. The P-8 locomotives had operated on the Overland Route until the larger, more powerful Mt-class of 4-8-2s were delivered in the late 1920s. Most of the P-8s were then transferred further west for service between Oakland, California and Sacramento, California, along with the demanding Peninsula Commute services between San Francisco, California and San Jose, California.[1]
Withdrawal of the class commenced in 1957 and concluded in 1958, and all but two were scrapped.[1]
Excursion star: No. 2475
[edit]On January 1, 1958, No. 2475 was pulled out of storage and fired up for an excursion train over Altamont Pass, after the excursion train finished, No. 2475 was retired again on May 21, 1958, moved to West Oakland and scrapped on March 25, 1959, at San Jose, California.[3][4]
Preservation
[edit]Two locomotives have survived into preservation.[1]
- 2467 had run in operational condition until August 2005 when No. 2467 was subsequently towed back to the California State Railroad Museum (CSRM) in Sacramento, California, where a long-term loan was signed to keep the locomotive in storage at the CSRM's property.[5] As of 2022, No. 2467 is still stored serviceable while being displayed inside the CSRM's main hall with the chances of it running in operational condition being unlikely.[6]
- 2472 was donated to San Mateo County, California, where they had put the locomotive on static display at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds, it remained there in that spot until 1976 when a group of volunteers decided to restore the locomotive to operating condition. Restoration work was completed on April 30, 1991, the locomotive had also met up with Southern Pacific GS-4 #4449,[7][8] as of 2023, No. 2472 is undergoing a 1,472-day inspection and overhaul.[9][10][11]
See also
[edit]- Southern Pacific 2479 (Southern Pacific Class P-10)
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Dunscomb (1963), p. 163
- ^ Solomon (2005), p. 27
- ^ Halberstadt (2003), p. 78-79
- ^ Demoro (1979), p. 142
- ^ Luna (2005), p. 66
- ^ "Southern Pacific #2467". Niles Canyon Railway. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
- ^ Solomon (2009), p. 121-122, 125
- ^ Solomon (2013), p. 123-127
- ^ "SP 2472: Baldwin P-8 4-6-2". Golden Gate Railroad Museum. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
- ^ "Southern Pacific 4-6-2 2472 to Lead Excursions For First Time Since 2015". Railfan & Railroad Magazine. August 8, 2022.
- ^ "Southern Pacific 2472 Excursion Canceled". Railfan & Railroad Magazine. August 24, 2022.
Bibliography
[edit]- Dunscomb, Guy L. (1963). A Century of Southern Pacific Steam Locomotives, 1862-1962. Guy L. Dunscomb.
- Luna, Henry J. (2005). Niles Canyon Railways. Arcadia. ISBN 9780738529837.
- Solomon, Brian (2013). Classic Locomotives: Steam and Diesel Power in 700 Photographs. Voyageur Press. ISBN 9781610588683.
- Solomon, Brian (2005). Southern Pacific Passenger Trains. Voyageur Press. ISBN 9781610605076.
- Solomon, Brian (2009). Steam Power. Voyageur Press. ISBN 9781616732103.
- Demoro, Harre W. (1979). Southern Pacific Bay Area Steam. Chatham Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-89685-037-8.
- Halberstadt, Hans (2003-12-31). Working Steam: Vintage Locomotives Today. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. ISBN 978-1-56799-776-7.
Further reading
[edit]- Strapac, Joseph A.; Diebert, Timothy (1987). Southern Pacific Steam Locomotive Compendium. Shade Tree Books. ISBN 9780930742126.
- Karam Jr., Duane; Ainsworth, Jeff (1999). Southern Pacific, Pacific 4-6-2 Pictorial, Photo Album Series Volume 6. Monte Vista Publishing. ASIN B000KHIMEY.
External links
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