Southern Pacific 4450
Encyclopedia
Southern Pacific Railroad
's (SP) locomotive number 4450, nicknamed "Huff", is an EMD SD9
diesel locomotive
. 4450 was part of SP's first order of 32 SD9s, and delivered in 1954, with its original number, 5363. This order was assigned SP class DF-120 and numbered 5340-5371. As delivered, 4450 featured the "black widow" paint scheme, large Mars Signal lights at both ends (in fact, SP 5340-5371 were the only class of SP SD9s equipped with this large and distinctive light), and had a steam generator so that it could be used for passenger service. The whole class appears to have initially been assigned to the service district in Oregon
.
In 1965, SP 5363 was painted into the grey and scarlet "bloody nose" paint scheme, and numbered SP 3822. During this time it was used as a snow-fighting locomotive for the fierce winters on Donner Pass
. Sometime in the mid-1970s, it was rebuilt at the SP Sacramento General Shops as part of SP's GRIP program, and received the number 4450. SP 4450 & 4451 were the only two SD9s to retain their steam generators after being rebuilt. Being that they were now the only two passenger equipped SD9s, they were transferred to the San Francisco
-San Jose, California
, commute service until Caltrain
equipment arrived in 1985.
After 1985, 4450 and its mate 4451 (nicknamed "Huff" and "Puff") were used all around the SP system for officers' specials and other passenger operations. They were favorites of railfans and usually worked together. After the Union Pacific Railroad
took over SP operations in the mid-1990s, 4450 and 4451 were assigned to local freight service in the San Francisco Bay Area until 1998, when 4450 was purchased by the Golden Gate Railroad Museum
at Hunters Point
in San Francisco and arrived there on April 28, 1998. SP 4451 was transferred to the Northwestern Pacific Railroad
where it presently remains, in derelict condition in Schellville, California
. In late 2005, the Golden Gate Railroad Museum was evicted from its home and Southern Pacific 4450 was sold to the Feather River Rail Society and will be transferred to the Western Pacific Railroad Museum
in Portola, California
. On December 30, 2006, SP 4450 left Hunters Point en route to Portola. It is now part of the WPRM collection. Both SD9s at WPRM are now up for sale. 4404 operational and 4450 not operational.
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....
's (SP) locomotive number 4450, nicknamed "Huff", is an EMD SD9
EMD SD9
An EMD SD9 is a 6-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1954 and June 1959. Power was provided by an EMD 567C 16-cylinder engine which generated . This model is, externally, similar to its predecessor, the SD7. The principal spotting feature are the...
diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
. 4450 was part of SP's first order of 32 SD9s, and delivered in 1954, with its original number, 5363. This order was assigned SP class DF-120 and numbered 5340-5371. As delivered, 4450 featured the "black widow" paint scheme, large Mars Signal lights at both ends (in fact, SP 5340-5371 were the only class of SP SD9s equipped with this large and distinctive light), and had a steam generator so that it could be used for passenger service. The whole class appears to have initially been assigned to the service district in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
In 1965, SP 5363 was painted into the grey and scarlet "bloody nose" paint scheme, and numbered SP 3822. During this time it was used as a snow-fighting locomotive for the fierce winters 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....
. Sometime in the mid-1970s, it was rebuilt at the SP Sacramento General Shops as part of SP's GRIP program, and received the number 4450. SP 4450 & 4451 were the only two SD9s to retain their steam generators after being rebuilt. Being that they were now the only two passenger equipped SD9s, they were transferred to the San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
-San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, commute service until Caltrain
Caltrain
Caltrain is a California commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. The northern terminus of the rail line is in San Francisco, at 4th and King streets; its southern terminus is in Gilroy...
equipment arrived in 1985.
After 1985, 4450 and its mate 4451 (nicknamed "Huff" and "Puff") were used all around the SP system for officers' specials and other passenger operations. They were favorites of railfans and usually worked together. After the 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....
took over SP operations in the mid-1990s, 4450 and 4451 were assigned to local freight service in the San Francisco Bay Area until 1998, when 4450 was purchased by the Golden Gate Railroad Museum
Golden Gate Railroad Museum
The Golden Gate Railroad Museum is a non-profit railroad museum in California that is dedicated to the preservation of steam and passenger railroad equipment, as well as the interpretation of local railroad history....
at Hunters Point
Hunters Point
Hunters Point refers to the following places:*Bayview-Hunters Point, San Francisco**Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, another name for the San Francisco Naval Shipyard*Hunters Point, Queens, New York City**Hunterspoint Avenue...
in San Francisco and arrived there on April 28, 1998. SP 4451 was transferred to the Northwestern Pacific Railroad
Northwestern Pacific Railroad
The Northwestern Pacific Railroad is a regional railroad serving California's North Coast. The railroad currently runs on 62 miles of the 462 mile main line, stretching from Schellville, California to Eureka, California...
where it presently remains, in derelict condition in Schellville, California
Schellville, California
Schellville is an unincorporated community in Sonoma County, California, United States. Schellville is located at the junction of California State Route 12 and California State Route 121 south of Sonoma...
. In late 2005, the Golden Gate Railroad Museum was evicted from its home and Southern Pacific 4450 was sold to the Feather River Rail Society and will be transferred to the Western Pacific Railroad Museum
Western Pacific Railroad Museum
The Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California, formerly known as the Portola Railroad Museum before , is a heritage railroad that preserves and operates historic American railroad equipment. The museum's mission is to preserve the history of the Western Pacific Railroad and is...
in Portola, California
Portola, California
Portola is the only incorporated city in Plumas County, California, United States. The population was 2,104 at the 2010 census, down from 2,227 at the 2000 census...
. On December 30, 2006, SP 4450 left Hunters Point en route to Portola. It is now part of the WPRM collection. Both SD9s at WPRM are now up for sale. 4404 operational and 4450 not operational.