| Southern Pacific 2479 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 SP No. 2479 undergoing restoration to operating condition in early 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Southern Pacific 2479 is one of six 4-6-2 heavy "Pacific" type steam locomotives built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1923 for the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP), designated the P-10 class. No. 2479 was retired from service in 1956. [2] [3] The locomotive is currently undergoing restoration to operating condition by the Pacific Locomotive Association at Brightside, California. [3]
The six locomotives in No. 2479's class were designed to pull such trains as the Overland Limited between Sparks, Nevada, and Ogden, Utah, a total 568 miles (914 km), without changing engines. Average speed was 35 mph including stops. This would require road speeds of about 60 mph (97 km/h). [3]
Performance proved most satisfactory and thereby set the basic design for all remaining Pacifics built for Southern Pacific Railroad (SP). The Pacific held many long distance assignments including the Daylight Limited between San Francisco and Los Angeles, the Sunset Limited between Los Angeles and El Paso, Texas, and the Sparks to Ogden run. As larger 4-8-2 class locomotives were assigned to these name trains, the 4-6-2 classes were reassigned to local passenger runs between Sacramento and Oakland and the San Francisco-San Jose, California, commuter service. The 2479 ended its service on these routes.No. On August 2, 1941, 2479 was rebuilt at the Southern Pacific Railroad's Bayshore shops increasing its boiler pressure to 210 psi, and its tractive effort to 45,850 lb (20,800 kg). [3]
In February 1937, disaster struck the No. 2479. Pulling a passenger train called "The Owl" and steaming at 70 mph as it approached Selma, California, the locomotive struck a car lodged on the tracks. The impact indirectly caused the locomotive, its tender and seven cars to derail. The engine's pilot was bent on impact with the automobile and caught at the next grade crossing throwing the locomotive off the rails. Both the engineer and the fireman were killed. [3]
Although No. 2479 experienced heavy damage, it was rebuilt and placed back in revenue service. [3]
SP 2479’s retirement came on July 19, 1956, as steam locomotion technology was replaced with newer diesel locomotives. No. 2479 was donated and moved to the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds on September 6, 1958, where it became one of three surviving Southern Pacific 4-6-2 steam locomotives, the other two being SP Nos. 2472 and 2467. [3]
From 1989 until 2022, the volunteers of the Santa Clara Valley Railroad Association (SCVRRA), and its successor organization, the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation (CTRC), averaged over 5,000 hours per year on the restoration of No. 2479. This amounted to approximately twenty-five person years expended. This represents time spent directly on the locomotive and does not include the many hours spent attempting to raise funds, recruit and train volunteers, and do the administrative tasks that are required of any organization whether for profit or not. [3]
At the end of 1994, the SCVRRA merged with the San Jose Trolley Corporation to form the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation, a not-for-profit educational organization with the mission to preserve historic rail equipment of importance to the history of the Santa Clara Valley and to provide an interpretive venue. One of the underlying reasons for the merger was that the new organization could be a more effective fund raising vehicle. [3]
The previous principal source of funding for the locomotive restoration had been the Santa Clara County Historical Heritage Commission and volunteer fund raising efforts over the years. Approximately, $350,000 had been raised. Of this amount $230,000 represents the cost of the boiler repair done by a professional boiler contractor required by federal and state law. The work on the boiler was begun by Manley Boiler Repair in May 1998. Work continued to progress as 2479's pistons were removed from its cylinders. At the end of October 2008 the CTRC passed a major milestone as No. 2479's front and rear trucks, the 6 main drivers where reinstalled below the locomotive and the locomotive was lowered to the ground for the first time in 15 years. [3] [4]
No. 2479 had been displayed at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in San Jose, California, and remained at there while undergoing restoration. Under pressure to relocate, the CTRC sought a permanent home for its historic railroad collection for many years, but was unsuccessful. In 2021, CTRC and Pacific Locomotive Association (PLA) announced the locomotive's ownership would be transferred from Santa Clara County to the PLA along with the San Jose roundhouse, turntable, and water tower. The PLA has started to process of relocating this collection to the their Niles Canyon Railway in Fremont, California. [5] On August 23, 2022, the locomotive’s boiler was separated from its frame and running gear. Those components were then loaded onto trucks for a short trip to Bonita, CA. The locomotive arrived at its destination the same day, and the boiler, frame, and running gear were reunited. Southern Pacific 1195, a preserved EMD SW900R diesel switcher, coupled to Southern Pacific 2479, and towed it to the Niles Canyon Railway’s Brightside Yard, in Brightside, CA. [3]
The Southern Pacific was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the names Southern Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific Company and Southern Pacific Transportation Company.
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The San Jose Steam Railroad Museum is a planned railroad museum within Santa Clara County that has been under development by California Trolley and Railroad Corporation since 1992. This project was originally intended to be located at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in San Jose, California; however in 2002, the Board of Supervisors voted to rescind support of the proposed railroad museum at that location. Since then, CTRC has been actively working with various public agencies for a suitable alternate site. The proposed location is near downtown San Jose.
The Niles Canyon Railway (NCRy) is a heritage railway running on the first transcontinental railroad alignment through Niles Canyon, between Sunol and the Niles district of Fremont in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area, in California, United States. The railway is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Niles Canyon Transcontinental Railroad Historic District. The railroad is operated and maintained by the Pacific Locomotive Association which preserves, restores and operates historic railroad equipment. The NCRy features public excursions with both steam and diesel locomotives along a well-preserved portion of the first transcontinental railroad.
Southern Pacific 2472 is a P-8 Class 4-6-2 heavy "Pacific" type steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) in 1921. No. 2472 is one of three surviving Southern Pacific P-8 class 4-6-2 Pacific locomotives, the other two bring Nos. 2467 and 2479. The 4-6-2 designation means it has four leading wheels, six driving wheels, and two trailing wheels. The locomotive was used by the Southern Pacific Railroad to haul passenger trains until being retired in 1957. The locomotive was then donated to San Mateo County and placed on static display at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds. After being restored to operational condition in the early 1990s, the locomotive would pull excursion trains on the Niles Canyon Railway until being retired in 2015. The No. 2472 was then moved to the Northwest Pacific Railroad, where it is as of 2023, undergoing its Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) mandated 1,472 day inspection and overhaul.
The Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc. (PLA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the physical aspects and atmosphere of Pacific Coast railroading during the period from 1910 to 1960.
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Established in 1982, the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation (CTRC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to preserve rail transportation in the Santa Clara Valley.
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The Krauss-Maffei ML 4000 is a road switcher diesel-hydraulic locomotive, built between 1961 and 1969 by German manufacturer Krauss-Maffei in Munich, Germany. It generated 3,540 horsepower (2,640 kW) from two Maybach V16 engines. 37 examples were built for two North American railroads and one South American railroad.
Southern Pacific Railroad 2467 is a preserved 4-6-2 “Pacific” type steam locomotive. Built by Baldwin in 1921, it was used by the Southern Pacific Railroad to pull passenger trains until it was retired from service in 1956. On July 25, 1960, it was donated to the city of Oakland, California, who had it placed on display at the Harrison Railroad Park. In July 1990 a restoration began by the Friends of the 2467, which later merged into the Pacific Locomotive Association. In June 1999 it was returned to operation and made an appearance at Railfair 1999. Although serviceable, SP 2467 is currently on static display while on loan from its operator, Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc., to the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, California.
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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 for the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in 1921.
Locomotives of the Southern Pacific in preservation | ||
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| Preserved steam engines |
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| Preserved diesel engines | ||
| Formerly preserved, scrapped | ||