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) 2579 is a heavy 2-8-0

2-8-0

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...

 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 1906, a typical example of over 350 locomotives called "Consolidations". 2579 was retired from service in 1956 and is currently in display in the Veterans Memorial Park

Klamath Falls Veterans Memorial Park

The Klamath Falls Vererans Memorial Park is a recreational park located on Lake Ewauna in downtonw Klamath Falls, Oregon. It was established in 2007 as a memorial honoring those who have served and/or are serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, Coast Guard and Wartime Merchant Marine...

 in Klamath Falls, Oregon

Klamath Falls, Oregon

Klamath Falls is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sat, although no falls currently exist; the name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892...

. Last used in revenue service in November 1956, 2579 was donated to the City of Klamath Falls on September of 1957.

History

Locomotive 2579 worked on many different duties for the Southern Pacific system from the early 1900s well into 1956, even handling passenger trains on rare occasions. The project and cost for its construction were sworn to congress on July 23, 1887. Construction was completed in 1906.

Locomotive #2579 is a typical example of steam locomotives called "consolidations" that were used by the Southern Pacific Railroad. At nearly 400,000 pounds and at 71 feet in length, #2579 was utilized for freight on the SP's Portland, Sacramento, Shasta, and Western Divisions. It was retired from steam freight operations in November, 1956 and vacated from the active roster of locomotives in May of 1957.

Southern Pacific Locomotive #2579 was donated to the City of Klamath Falls on September 8, 1957. Since then, SP2579 has been on display in Veterans Memorial Park along the shores of Lake Ewauna, near the junction of Main Street and US97. ["Southern Pacific's 2579 and Klamath Falls, Oregon" by Larry Castle and Tom Dill; Klamath Falls City Parks, 2011]