Southern Pacific 6051
Encyclopedia
Southern Pacific Railroad
's (SP) number 6051 is an EMD E9
diesel locomotive
. It was one of nine E9s built for SP by EMD in December 1954 as Construction Number 20100 on SP Order Number P-1041 and EMD Order Number 2068. It entered service on January 4, 1955 at Los Angeles
. These nine locomotives allowed the dieselization of the Coast Daylight and "Lark
" passenger trains. The units operated with E7
s, ALCO PA
s, and other passenger equipped diesels as required. Assigned to the Los Angeles passenger pool for its entire career, it worked north via the Coast Line to San Francisco or east on the Sunset route to El Paso
or New Orleans. When SP and Rock Island began pooling locomotives on the Chicago-Los Angeles "Golden State" in 1967, it also worked those trains until they were discontinued the following year, often in mixed SP/Rock Island consists. SP 6051 is the only surviving Southern Pacific passenger-dedicated diesel locomotive, and it currently resides at the California State Railroad Museum
in Sacramento, California
.
6051 was delivered in the "Daylight" paint scheme, with Farr-Aire intake grilles, a Pyle National Gyralight in the upper headlight housing, nose MU connections, dynamic braking, Nathan model M5R24 air horn
(it currently sports a Nathan P5), a single Model 4740 steam generator producing 4500lbs. of steam per hour, a 1200 gallon fuel tank, a 1350 gallon boiler water tank, automatic transition, and a freight pilot. It weighed 336,000 pounds and had 56,600 pounds of Starting Tractive Effort. Gear ratio was 55:22, with the Locomotive Overspeed set at 83 M.P.H. In May 1958, SP 6051 was painted in the experimental black with orange nose "halloween" paint scheme. It received the gray and scarlet "bloody nose" paint scheme shortly afterward, likely in 1959. SP 6051 was retired on December 24, 1969 and was donated to the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society at the end of the year along with BLW DRS6-6-1500 5208 and EMD F7A 6402, largely through the efforts of SP Vice President Larry Hoyt. All three units were in turn deeded to the California State Railroad Museum on June 22, 1978 and placed on display near the Sacramento train station or stored at SP's Sacramento General Shops until the California State Railroad Museum was built. SP 6051 was cosmetically and mechanically restored in the early 1980s and is in its original 1955 appearance in the "Daylight" paint scheme. SP 6051 was also part of the 1981 "Railfair" festivities to celebrate the opening of the California State Railroad Museum.
Southern Pacific 6051 is occasionally used as an ambassador outside of the museum for special occasions in California. Its first trip was when it operated under its own power for display in San Francisco in April, 1985. Over the Daylight Saving Time timechange weekend later that month, it operated on the "Western Rail Day" special trains for SP employees that made a round trip between San Jose and Sacramento on both Saturday and Sunday (the 6051 was returned to the museum during the eastbound trip that Sunday). Other highlights include SP 6051 leading an Operation Lifesaver
excursion train in 1987, attending the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal's 50th anniversary celebration in 1989, and in September of 2005, SP 6051 and Amtrak 281, an EMD F40PH
that is also preserved at the CSRM, made a trip from Sacramento to San Francisco, where it picked up Southern Pacific 2467
, a 4-6-2
steam locomotive
at the Golden Gate Railroad Museum
, and brought it to Sacramento for display at the CSRM.
SP 6051 has made two appearances in the recent past at special events at the Union Pacific's ex-SP yard in Roseville, California
. In August, 2006 it attended the unveiling of Union Pacific's Southern Pacific Heritage Unit, UP 1996
. In April, 2009 it participated in a display along with Union Pacific 844
and various other pieces of equipment for Roseville's centennial celebration.
As of 2011, it is on display inside CSRM's gallery of historic equipment.
The only other surviving "Daylight" engine is Southern Pacific 4449
, one of the steam locomotives originally displaced by diesels like SP 6051.
6051 is now scheduled to pull the CSRM's Polar Express trains for 2011
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) number 6051 is an EMD E9
EMD E9
The EMD E9 was a , A1A-A1A passenger train-hauling diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division of La Grange, Illinois between April 1954 and January 1964. 100 cab-equipped lead A units were produced, along with 44 cabless booster B units. All were for service within 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...
. It was one of nine E9s built for SP by EMD in December 1954 as Construction Number 20100 on SP Order Number P-1041 and EMD Order Number 2068. It entered service on January 4, 1955 at Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. These nine locomotives allowed the dieselization of the Coast Daylight and "Lark
Lark (passenger train)
The Lark was an overnight passenger train of the Southern Pacific Company on the 470-mile run between San-Francisco and Los-Angeles. It became a streamliner on July 10, 1941 and was discontinued in April 1968...
" passenger trains. The units operated with E7
EMD E7
The EMD E7 was a , A1A-A1A passenger train locomotive manufactured by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division of La Grange, Illinois. The cab version, or E7A, was manufactured from February, 1945 to April, 1949, and 428 were produced. The booster version, or E7B, was manufactured from March, 1945...
s, ALCO PA
ALCO PA
ALCO PA refers to a family of A1A-A1A diesel locomotives built to haul passenger trains that were built in Schenectady, New York in the United States by a partnership of the American Locomotive Company and General Electric between June, 1946 and December, 1953...
s, and other passenger equipped diesels as required. Assigned to the Los Angeles passenger pool for its entire career, it worked north via the Coast Line to San Francisco or east on the Sunset route to El Paso
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
or New Orleans. When SP and Rock Island began pooling locomotives on the Chicago-Los Angeles "Golden State" in 1967, it also worked those trains until they were discontinued the following year, often in mixed SP/Rock Island consists. SP 6051 is the only surviving Southern Pacific passenger-dedicated diesel locomotive, and it currently resides at 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....
in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, 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,...
.
6051 was delivered in the "Daylight" paint scheme, with Farr-Aire intake grilles, a Pyle National Gyralight in the upper headlight housing, nose MU connections, dynamic braking, Nathan model M5R24 air horn
Train horn
Train horns are audible warning devices found on most diesel and electric locomotives. Their primary purpose is to alert persons and animals to the presence of a train, especially when approaching a grade crossing. They are also used for acknowledging signals given by railroad employees Train horns...
(it currently sports a Nathan P5), a single Model 4740 steam generator producing 4500lbs. of steam per hour, a 1200 gallon fuel tank, a 1350 gallon boiler water tank, automatic transition, and a freight pilot. It weighed 336,000 pounds and had 56,600 pounds of Starting Tractive Effort. Gear ratio was 55:22, with the Locomotive Overspeed set at 83 M.P.H. In May 1958, SP 6051 was painted in the experimental black with orange nose "halloween" paint scheme. It received the gray and scarlet "bloody nose" paint scheme shortly afterward, likely in 1959. SP 6051 was retired on December 24, 1969 and was donated to the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society at the end of the year along with BLW DRS6-6-1500 5208 and EMD F7A 6402, largely through the efforts of SP Vice President Larry Hoyt. All three units were in turn deeded to the California State Railroad Museum on June 22, 1978 and placed on display near the Sacramento train station or stored at SP's Sacramento General Shops until the California State Railroad Museum was built. SP 6051 was cosmetically and mechanically restored in the early 1980s and is in its original 1955 appearance in the "Daylight" paint scheme. SP 6051 was also part of the 1981 "Railfair" festivities to celebrate the opening of the California State Railroad Museum.
Southern Pacific 6051 is occasionally used as an ambassador outside of the museum for special occasions in California. Its first trip was when it operated under its own power for display in San Francisco in April, 1985. Over the Daylight Saving Time timechange weekend later that month, it operated on the "Western Rail Day" special trains for SP employees that made a round trip between San Jose and Sacramento on both Saturday and Sunday (the 6051 was returned to the museum during the eastbound trip that Sunday). Other highlights include SP 6051 leading an Operation Lifesaver
Operation Lifesaver
Operation Lifesaver is an organization originally started in Idaho in 1972 as a six-week, one-time public awareness campaign sponsored by the office of Governor Cecil Andrus, the Idaho Peace Officers and Union Pacific Railroad after years of increasing grade crossing accidents.As a result of...
excursion train in 1987, attending the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal's 50th anniversary celebration in 1989, and in September of 2005, SP 6051 and Amtrak 281, an EMD F40PH
EMD F40PH
-Amtrak NPCU Conversions:In later years, as Amtrak's F40PH fleet was being replaced by the newer GE Genesis-series locomotives, Amtrak converted a number of the retired units—generally ones with major mechanical problems limiting their value in the resale or lease marketplace—into "Non-Power...
that is also preserved at the CSRM, made a trip from Sacramento to San Francisco, where it picked up Southern Pacific 2467
Southern Pacific 2467
Southern Pacific Railroad 2467 is one of 15 heavy 4-6-2 Pacific type steam locomotives built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1921, designated the P-8 class. 2467 was retired from service in 1956. On July 25th, 1960 the locomotive was donated to Oakland, California. In July 1990 it was acquired by...
, a 4-6-2
4-6-2
4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
steam locomotive
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...
at 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....
, and brought it to Sacramento for display at the CSRM.
SP 6051 has made two appearances in the recent past at special events at the Union Pacific's ex-SP yard in Roseville, California
Roseville, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Roseville had a population of 118,788. The population density was 3,279.4 people per square mile...
. In August, 2006 it attended the unveiling of Union Pacific's Southern Pacific Heritage Unit, UP 1996
Union Pacific 1996
Union Pacific 1996 is a SD70ACe locomotive owned by Union Pacific Railroad . It is the sixth locomotive to receive a commemorative paint scheme in honor of UP's predecessor railroads as part of UP's "Heritage Series". It was unveiled on August 19, 2006, and is currently operating in regular...
. In April, 2009 it participated in a display along with Union Pacific 844
Union Pacific 844
Union Pacific 844 is a 4-8-4 steam locomotive owned by Union Pacific Railroad. It was the last steam locomotive delivered to Union Pacific and is unique in that it is the only steam locomotive never retired by a North American Class I railroad....
and various other pieces of equipment for Roseville's centennial celebration.
As of 2011, it is on display inside CSRM's gallery of historic equipment.
The only other surviving "Daylight" engine is Southern Pacific 4449
Southern Pacific 4449
Southern Pacific 4449 is the only surviving example of Southern Pacific Railroad's GS-4 class of steam locomotives. The GS-4 is a streamlined 4-8-4 type steam locomotive...
, one of the steam locomotives originally displaced by diesels like SP 6051.
6051 is now scheduled to pull the CSRM's Polar Express trains for 2011