Southern Pacific 4294
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| Power type | Steam |
|---|---|
| Builder | Baldwin Locomotive Works |
| Serial number | 70101 |
| Build date | March 1944 |
| Configuration | 4-8-8-2 |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) |
| Driver size | 63 in diameter |
| Weight on drivers | 531,700 lb |
| Total weight | 657,900 lb |
| Boiler pressure | 250 psi |
| Cylinder size | 24 in dia × 32 in stroke |
| Tractive effort | 124,300 lbf |
| Career | Southern Pacific Railroad |
| Class | AC-12 |
| Number in class | 20 |
| Number | 4294 |
| First run | March 19, 1944 |
| Retired | March 5, 1956 |
| Current owner | the city of Sacramento, California |
| Disposition | static display at California State Railroad Museum |
Southern Pacific 4294 was the last steam locomotive ordered new by Southern Pacific Railroad (SP). It was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in March 1944, and was used hauling SP's trains over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, often working on Donner Pass in California.
[edit] Construction and use
4294 was the last in a group of 20 locomotives that comprised SP's AC-12 class of 4-8-8-2 cab forward locomotives. Its most distinguishing feature was that the cab and firebox were at the front of the locomotive instead of the traditional rear. This specific SP design was a necessity in the long tunnels and snowsheds of Donner Pass and other mountainous regions where it kept smoke and soot away from the operating crew. It entered service on March 19, 1944, and was retired from active service on March 5, 1956.
[edit] Preservation
SP was convinced to preserve one of the class and donated 4294 to the city of Sacramento, California, where it was put on outdoor display October 19, 1958, at the SP station next to the C. P. Huntington, the railroad's first locomotive. Construction for Interstate 5 necessitated a move for the locomotive, and it was stored in the SP shops until May 1981. At that time it was moved again, this time to its current location, the California State Railroad Museum, where it remains on static display.
Had it not been for the negotiating efforts of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in the 1950s, 4294 likely would have been scrapped along with all of the other SP cab forward locomotives. As a result, 4294 is the only SP cab forward that has been preserved.
At one time, it was hoped that 4294 could be restored to operating condition. However, according to CSRM personnel, it was discovered that in the time since its retirement, the boiler had sadly deteriorated too far for this to be possible.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- Diebert, Timothy S. and Strapac, Joseph A. (1987). Southern Pacific Company Steam Locomotive Conpendium. Shade Tree Books. ISBN 0-930742-12-5.
| Cab forward steam locomotives of Southern Pacific Railroad | |
|---|---|
| 2-6-6-2: | MM-2 (rebuilt as 4-6-6-2) |
| 2-8-8-2: | MC-1 · MC-2 · AC-1 · MC-4 · AC-2 · MC-6 · AC-3 |
| 4-8-8-2: | AC-4 · AC-5 · AC-6 · AC-7 · AC-8 · AC-10 · AC-11 · AC-12 |
| Preserved: | SP 4294 (AC-12) |
