El Gobernador
Encyclopedia
El Gobernador was a 4-10-0
steam locomotive
built by Central Pacific Railroad
at the railroad's Sacramento, California
shops
. It was the last of Central Pacific's locomotives to receive an official name and was also the only locomotive of this wheel arrangement to operate on United States
rails. At the time it was built, El Gobernador was the largest railroad locomotive in the world. Its name is reminiscent of the railroad's first locomotive, Gov. Stanford
, as El Gobernador is Spanish
for The Governor.
This locomotive is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a "Mastodon"
type. However, this was the unofficial name for an earlier engine, No. 229
, the first 4-8-0
ever built. Both engines looked nearly identical, except that El Gobernador was longer and had an additional pair of drivers.
' s construction was completed in February 1883, amid much fanfare from the railroad, but it didn't enter service until March 1884, just over a year later.
During this time, while still in Sacramento, the gigantic engine was used as an advertising tool by the railroad, to spectacular effect. According to author Guy L. Dunscomb, the engine was kept under steam near the Central Pacific's passenger depot, where it would await the arrival of passenger trains coming in from the east. As the train arrived, El Gobernador would steam past the depot dragging a long line of empty freight cars behind it and causing quite a stir in the process. The engine would then be decoupled and placed on adjacent trackage, where the passengers could get a good look at the monster up close.
Part of the delay between construction and operation was due to the railroad's track and infrastructure of the time. It was originally designed to haul trains out of California
's San Joaquin Valley
via Tehachapi Loop
. The locomotive was disassembled into five large subassemblies for transportation to the pass because it was thought to be too heavy for the various bridges along the route to the pass.
Operationally, the locomotive didn't fare as well as was hoped due to its large cylinder size and small fire grate area (one fireman even commented disgustedly, "All Hell couldn't keep steam up in that engine!"). During initial shakedown runs around Sacramento, it was found, for example, that the engine's cylinders, which were originally built with innovative rotary valves, were not working properly. This necessitated casting an all-new set of cylinders with conventional slide valves and a Stevens valve gear.
Central Pacific attempted to further remedy the problems in an 1885 rebuild which increased the locomotive's weight to 154,400 lb (70,000 kg), with 121,600 lb (55,200 kg) on the drivers. It was during this time that coal was apparently tried as a fuel in an effort to gain better steam economy. Several photographs exist of the locomotive in the Kernville yard, its tender loaded with coal instead the usual cord wood. In the railroad's 1891 renumbering plan, El Gobernador received road number 2050. The rebuild wasn't as successful as the railroad hoped and the locomotive was scrapped on July 15, 1894. After dismantling, the engine's massive boiler was used to provide steam for stationary engines in the railroad shops at Sacramento well into the 20th century.
Sadly, this engine appears to have largely been a victim of impatience on the part of the road's president, Leland Stanford
. A locomotive this size had never been constructed before and proved to be a unique engineering challenge. For example, the engine's frame alone was so large, that it had to be cast in two separate sections instead of all at once as with other locomotives built at Sacramento.
As soon as master mechanic A.J. Stevens was able to figure out a part, Stanford would order it built and installed on the new engine, without giving any proper time for testing.
Stanford also apparently kept the other members of the The Big Four (minus Mark Hopkins
, who had died several years before) in the dark about the project as well. Once, while Stanford was away, Charles Crocker
came through the locomotive works on a tour of inspection and saw the partially completed El Gobernador under construction. Having not been told about the project, he angrily demanded to know what they were up to. When told by A.J. Stevens that they were attempting to build the largest engine in the world, Crocker ordered all work stopped immediately.
Meanwhile, Stanford returned to find that no new work had been done on the engine and when informed of the events that transpired, Crocker's orders were countermanded in no uncertain terms.
4-10-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-10-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels, ten powered and coupled driving wheels, and no trailing wheels. Central Pacific Railroad's El Gobernador, built in 1883, was the only locomotive with this wheel...
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...
built by Central Pacific Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
at the railroad's 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,...
shops
Sacramento Railyards
The Sacramento Railyards is an urban infill brownfield project of approximately at the western terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad in the Richards Boulevard neighborhood of the city of Sacramento, California...
. It was the last of Central Pacific's locomotives to receive an official name and was also the only locomotive of this wheel arrangement to operate on United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rails. At the time it was built, El Gobernador was the largest railroad locomotive in the world. Its name is reminiscent of the railroad's first locomotive, Gov. Stanford
Gov. Stanford
Gov. Stanford is a 4-4-0 steam locomotive originally built in 1862 by Norris Locomotive Works. It entered service on November 9, 1863 and it was used in the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad in North America by Central Pacific Railroad bearing road number 1...
, as El Gobernador is Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for The Governor.
This locomotive is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a "Mastodon"
Mastodon (steam locomotive)
Mastodon was the unofficial name of the Central Pacific Railroad's number 229, the world's first successful 4-8-0 steam locomotive.-History and career:...
type. However, this was the unofficial name for an earlier engine, No. 229
Mastodon (steam locomotive)
Mastodon was the unofficial name of the Central Pacific Railroad's number 229, the world's first successful 4-8-0 steam locomotive.-History and career:...
, the first 4-8-0
4-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels. The type was nicknamed the Mastodon or Twelve-wheeler in North America....
ever built. Both engines looked nearly identical, except that El Gobernador was longer and had an additional pair of drivers.
Construction and operation
El GobernadorDuring this time, while still in Sacramento, the gigantic engine was used as an advertising tool by the railroad, to spectacular effect. According to author Guy L. Dunscomb, the engine was kept under steam near the Central Pacific's passenger depot, where it would await the arrival of passenger trains coming in from the east. As the train arrived, El Gobernador would steam past the depot dragging a long line of empty freight cars behind it and causing quite a stir in the process. The engine would then be decoupled and placed on adjacent trackage, where the passengers could get a good look at the monster up close.
Part of the delay between construction and operation was due to the railroad's track and infrastructure of the time. It was originally designed to haul trains out of 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...
's San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
via Tehachapi Loop
Tehachapi Loop
The Tehachapi Loop is a long 'spiral', or helix, on The Union Pacific Railroad through Tehachapi Pass, in south central California. The railroad line connects Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Antelope Valley. The loop takes its name from the circuitous route it takes, in...
. The locomotive was disassembled into five large subassemblies for transportation to the pass because it was thought to be too heavy for the various bridges along the route to the pass.
Operationally, the locomotive didn't fare as well as was hoped due to its large cylinder size and small fire grate area (one fireman even commented disgustedly, "All Hell couldn't keep steam up in that engine!"). During initial shakedown runs around Sacramento, it was found, for example, that the engine's cylinders, which were originally built with innovative rotary valves, were not working properly. This necessitated casting an all-new set of cylinders with conventional slide valves and a Stevens valve gear.
Central Pacific attempted to further remedy the problems in an 1885 rebuild which increased the locomotive's weight to 154,400 lb (70,000 kg), with 121,600 lb (55,200 kg) on the drivers. It was during this time that coal was apparently tried as a fuel in an effort to gain better steam economy. Several photographs exist of the locomotive in the Kernville yard, its tender loaded with coal instead the usual cord wood. In the railroad's 1891 renumbering plan, El Gobernador received road number 2050. The rebuild wasn't as successful as the railroad hoped and the locomotive was scrapped on July 15, 1894. After dismantling, the engine's massive boiler was used to provide steam for stationary engines in the railroad shops at Sacramento well into the 20th century.
Sadly, this engine appears to have largely been a victim of impatience on the part of the road's president, Leland Stanford
Leland Stanford
Amasa Leland Stanford was an American tycoon, industrialist, robber baron, politician and founder of Stanford University.-Early years:...
. A locomotive this size had never been constructed before and proved to be a unique engineering challenge. For example, the engine's frame alone was so large, that it had to be cast in two separate sections instead of all at once as with other locomotives built at Sacramento.
As soon as master mechanic A.J. Stevens was able to figure out a part, Stanford would order it built and installed on the new engine, without giving any proper time for testing.
Stanford also apparently kept the other members of the The Big Four (minus Mark Hopkins
Mark Hopkins
Mark Hopkins was one of four principal investors who formed the Central Pacific Railroad along with Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, and Collis Huntington in 1861.-Early years:...
, who had died several years before) in the dark about the project as well. Once, while Stanford was away, Charles Crocker
Charles Crocker
Charles Crocker was an American railroad executive.-Early years:Crocker was born in Troy, New York, to a modest family and moved to an Indiana farm at age 14. He soon became independent, working on several farms, a sawmill, and at an iron forge. In 1845 he founded a small, independent iron...
came through the locomotive works on a tour of inspection and saw the partially completed El Gobernador under construction. Having not been told about the project, he angrily demanded to know what they were up to. When told by A.J. Stevens that they were attempting to build the largest engine in the world, Crocker ordered all work stopped immediately.
Meanwhile, Stanford returned to find that no new work had been done on the engine and when informed of the events that transpired, Crocker's orders were countermanded in no uncertain terms.
External links
- Southern Pacific, El Gobernador 4-10-0 Steam Locomotive - includes a side photo of the locomotive