Southern Pacific 4294
Encyclopedia
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
.
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 snow shed
s 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.
, 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. According to CSRM personnel, the biggest impediments toward such a project are the estimated costs and the current policies of both Union Pacific Railroad
and BNSF Railway
in regards to operations. The cost of such a restoration is estimated between $
1 million and $1.5 million, an amount that the museum feels would be prohibitive given the current prospects for its eventual operation.
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
ordered new by Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
(SP). It was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
in March 1944, and was used hauling SP's trains over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, often working on Donner Pass
Donner Pass
Donner Pass is a mountain pass in the northern Sierra Nevada, located above Donner Lake about nine miles west of Truckee, California. It has a steep approach from the east and a gradual approach from the west....
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Construction and use
4294 was the last in a group of 20 locomotives that comprised SP's AC-12Southern Pacific class AC-12
Southern Pacific Railroad's AC-12 class of cab forward steam locomotives was the last class of steam locomotives ordered by Southern Pacific. They were built by Baldwin Locomotive Works during World War II, with the first, number 4275, entering service on October 27, 1943, and the last, 4294, on...
class of 4-8-8-2
4-8-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 4-8-8-2 is a locomotive with four leading wheels, two sets of eight driving wheels, and a two-wheel trailing truck.Other equivalent classifications are:...
cab forward
Cab forward
The term cab forward refers to various rail and road vehicle designs which place the driver's compartment substantially farther towards the front than is common practice.- Rail locomotives :...
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 snow shed
Snow shed
An avalanche snow bridge or simply snow bridge is a type of rigid snow-supporting structure for avalanche control . Avalanche bridges can be made of steel, prestressed concrete frames, or timber....
s 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.
Preservation
SP was convinced to preserve one of the class and donated 4294 to the city of Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, where it was put on outdoor display October 19, 1958, at the SP station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
next to the C. P. Huntington
C. P. Huntington
C. P. Huntington is a 4-2-4T steam locomotive currently on static display at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, California, USA. It is the first locomotive purchased by the Southern Pacific Railroad, carrying that railroad's number 1. The locomotive is named in honor of Collis P...
, the railroad's first locomotive. Construction for Interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
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
California State Railroad Museum
The California State Railroad Museum is a museum in the state park system of California, USA, interpreting the role of the "iron horse" in connecting California to the rest of the nation. It is located in Old Sacramento at 111 I Street....
, 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. According to CSRM personnel, the biggest impediments toward such a project are the estimated costs and the current policies of both Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
and BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
in regards to operations. The cost of such a restoration is estimated between $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1 million and $1.5 million, an amount that the museum feels would be prohibitive given the current prospects for its eventual operation.