Southern Pacific 2479
Encyclopedia
Southern Pacific Railroad
(SP) 2479 is one of six heavy 4-6-2
Pacific type steam locomotive
s built by Baldwin Locomotive Works
in 1923, designated the P-10 class. 2479 was retired from service in 1956. the locomotive is currently undergoing restoration to operating condition by the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation
; it is one of three surviving Southern Pacific 4-6-2
steam locomotives.
, and Ogden, Utah
, a total 568 miles, without changing engines. Average speed was 35 mph including stops. This would require road speeds of about 60 mph.
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
, commute service. The 2479 ended its service on these routes.
In February 1937, disaster struck the 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. Although 2479 experienced heavy damage, it was rebuilt and placed back in revenue service. 2479 was again rebuilt at Southern Pacific Railroad's Bayshore shops on August 2, 1941, increasing its boiler pressure to 210 psi, and its tractive effort to 45,850 lb. Its retirement came on July 19, 1956, as steam locomotion technology was replaced with newer diesel locomotive
s. SP 2479 was donated and moved to the Santa Clara County fairgrounds on September 6, 1958.
At the end of 1994, the SCVRRA merged with the San Jose Trolley Corporation to form the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation
(CTRC), 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 and interpretive venue. One of the underlying reasons for the merger was that the new organization could be a more effective fund raising vehicle.
To date, the principal source of funding for the locomotive restoration has been the Santa Clara County Historical Heritage Commission and volunteer fund raising efforts over the years. Approximately, $350,000 has been raised to date. 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 continues to progress as 2479's pistons are removed from its cylinders. At the end of October 2008 the CTRC
passed a major milestone as 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.
2479's current location is at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in San Jose, California
. Its future home will be the San Jose Railroad Museum, which is currently looking for a location.
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) 2479 is one of six heavy 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...
Pacific type 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...
s 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 1923, designated the P-10 class. 2479 was retired from service in 1956. the locomotive is currently undergoing restoration to operating condition by the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation
California Trolley and Railroad Corporation
Established in 1982, the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation is a 501 non-profit organization with a mission to preserve and reflect the rich legacy of rail transportation in the Santa Clara Valley for the educational and recreational benefit of current and future generations.Among the...
; it is one of three surviving Southern Pacific 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 locomotives.
Design and initial use
The six locomotives in 2479's class were designed to pull such trains as the Overland Limited between Sparks, NevadaSparks, Nevada
Sparks is a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States, located east of Reno, Nevada. The 2010 U.S. Census Bureau population count was 90,264. Sparks is often referred to as half of a twin city .-Geography and Climate:...
, and Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
, a total 568 miles, without changing engines. Average speed was 35 mph including stops. This would require road speeds of about 60 mph.
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
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...
and Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, the Sunset Limited between Los Angeles and El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, and the Sparks to Ogden run. As larger 4-8-2
4-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
class locomotives were assigned to these name trains, the 4-6-2 classes were reassigned to local passenger runs between Sacramento
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,...
and Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
and the San Francisco-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. The 2479 ended its service on these routes.
In February 1937, disaster struck the 2479. Pulling a passenger train called "The Owl" and steaming at 70 mph as it approached Selma, California
Selma, California
Selma is a city in Fresno County, California. The population was 23,219 at the 2010 census, up from 19,240 at the 2000 census. Selma is located southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 308 feet .-Geography:...
, the locomotive struck a car lodged on the tracks
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
. 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
Railroad engineer
A railroad engineer, locomotive engineer, train operator, train driver or engine driver is a person who drives a train on a railroad...
and the fireman were killed. Although 2479 experienced heavy damage, it was rebuilt and placed back in revenue service. 2479 was again rebuilt at Southern Pacific Railroad's Bayshore shops on August 2, 1941, increasing its boiler pressure to 210 psi, and its tractive effort to 45,850 lb. Its retirement came on July 19, 1956, as steam locomotion technology was replaced with newer 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...
s. SP 2479 was donated and moved to the Santa Clara County fairgrounds on September 6, 1958.
Preservation and restoration
Since 1989, the volunteers of the Santa Clara Valley Railroad Association (SCVRRA) have averaged over 5,000 hours per year on the restoration of SP 2479. This amounts to approximately twenty-five person years expended. This time 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.At the end of 1994, the SCVRRA merged with the San Jose Trolley Corporation to form the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation
California Trolley and Railroad Corporation
Established in 1982, the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation is a 501 non-profit organization with a mission to preserve and reflect the rich legacy of rail transportation in the Santa Clara Valley for the educational and recreational benefit of current and future generations.Among the...
(CTRC), a not-for-profit educational organization with the mission to preserve historic rail equipment of importance to the history of the Santa Clara Valley
Santa Clara Valley
The Santa Clara Valley is a valley just south of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California in the United States. Much of Santa Clara County and its county seat, San José, are in the Santa Clara Valley. The valley was originally known as the Valley of Heart’s Delight for its high concentration...
and to provide and interpretive venue. One of the underlying reasons for the merger was that the new organization could be a more effective fund raising vehicle.
To date, the principal source of funding for the locomotive restoration has been the Santa Clara County Historical Heritage Commission and volunteer fund raising efforts over the years. Approximately, $350,000 has been raised to date. 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 continues to progress as 2479's pistons are removed from its cylinders. At the end of October 2008 the CTRC
California Trolley and Railroad Corporation
Established in 1982, the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation is a 501 non-profit organization with a mission to preserve and reflect the rich legacy of rail transportation in the Santa Clara Valley for the educational and recreational benefit of current and future generations.Among the...
passed a major milestone as 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.
2479's current location is at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in 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...
. Its future home will be the San Jose Railroad Museum, which is currently looking for a location.