Southern Pacific class GS-4
Encyclopedia
The GS-4 was a streamlined 4-8-4
Northern type steam locomotive
that served the Southern Pacific Company from 1941 to 1958. They were built by the Lima Locomotive Works
and were numbered 4430 through 4457. GS stands for "Golden State" or "General Service."
The GS-4 had a slightly different appearance than that of the GS-3
, most drastically the dual-headlight casing (top headlight was a mars light
) on the silver smokebox
. Another change in appearance was the cab, which was changed to a fully enclosed, all-weather cab, a feature not commonly found on steam engines. It retained the skyline casing on the top of the boiler, skirting on the sides, an air horn, teardrop classification lights, and whistles. They received the orange and red "Daylight" paint scheme.
The GS-4s were designed for high-speed passenger service and capable of running at sustained speeds of up to 110 mi/h. Southern Pacific's premier passenger trains were pulled by GS-4s, the Coast Daylight, San Joaquin Daylight
, Lark
, Cascade, Golden State and Sunset Limited
, as well as many other Southern Pacific name trains. During wartime and also in the first years after the war some of the GS-4 locomotives were painted entirely black, and it wasn't until 1948 that all engines were painted into Daylight colors again. Starting in March 1950, they were gradually painted black again and also had their side skirtings removed for easier maintenance, and were re-assigned to the San Jose
-San Francisco
commute trains, freight service and the occasional San Joaquin Daylight (the GS-4 locomotives remained on that train as late as 1956 which made the San Joaquin Daylight the last streamliner train to be pulled by steam on the Southern Pacific) until new diesels arrived and they were retired. The last GS-4 engines were deskirted and painted into black in 1956, and after the last GS-4 pulled a passenger train in 1957, the GS-4s spent the last year of operation in front of freight trains along the coast and valley routes and finally were retired in 1958. GS-4 number 4443 pulled one of the final movements of steam on the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1957.
is the only surviving GS-4 locomotive. Arguably, it is one of the most recognizable locomotives of all time. 4449 was donated to Oaks Park in Portland, Oregon
, in 1958. In December 1974, 4449 was moved from Oaks Park to undergo restoration. From August 1975 to December 1976, 4449 shared duties with several other steam locomotives pulling the American Freedom Train
throughout the U.S. 4449 is still operational and currently resides at the Brooklyn Roundhouse in Portland along with many other preserved locomotives and rolling stock.
The tender of SP 4444 (the last GS-4 to be scrapped) was kept and rebuilt by SP and was used as a "hammer car" to test impacts on hydracushon boxcars, but was scrapped in the early 1970s.
4-8-4
Under the Whyte notation classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-4 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles .Other equivalent classifications are:UIC classification: 2D2...
Northern 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...
that served the Southern Pacific Company from 1941 to 1958. They were built by the Lima Locomotive Works
Lima Locomotive Works
Lima Locomotive Works was an American firm that manufactured railroad locomotives from the 1870s through the 1950s. The company took the most distinctive part of its name from its main shops location in Lima, Ohio. The shops were located between the Baltimore & Ohio's Cincinnati-Toledo main line...
and were numbered 4430 through 4457. GS stands for "Golden State" or "General Service."
The GS-4 had a slightly different appearance than that of the GS-3
Southern Pacific class GS-3
The GS-3 was a streamlined 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotive that served the Southern Pacific Company from 1938 to 1957. They were built by Lima Locomotive Works and were numbered 4416 through 4429. GS stands for "Golden State" or "General Service."...
, most drastically the dual-headlight casing (top headlight was a mars light
Mars Light
Mars Lights are signal-safety lights used in the United States and built by Mars Signal Light Company for railroad locomotives and fire apparatus...
) on the silver smokebox
Smokebox
A smokebox is one of the major basic parts of a Steam locomotive exhaust system. Smoke and hot gases pass from the firebox through tubes where they pass heat to the surrounding water in the boiler. The smoke then enters the smokebox, and is exhausted to the atmosphere through the chimney .To assist...
. Another change in appearance was the cab, which was changed to a fully enclosed, all-weather cab, a feature not commonly found on steam engines. It retained the skyline casing on the top of the boiler, skirting on the sides, an air horn, teardrop classification lights, and whistles. They received the orange and red "Daylight" paint scheme.
The GS-4s were designed for high-speed passenger service and capable of running at sustained speeds of up to 110 mi/h. Southern Pacific's premier passenger trains were pulled by GS-4s, the Coast Daylight, San Joaquin Daylight
San Joaquin Daylight
The San Joaquin Daylight was a Southern Pacific passenger train inaugurated between Los Angeles and Oakland Pier by way of the San Joaquin Valley and Tehachapi Pass on July 4, 1941. It operated until the advent of Amtrak in 1971.-Passenger cars:Pullman-Standard built coaches were assigned to the...
, 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...
, Cascade, Golden State and Sunset Limited
Sunset Limited
The Sunset Limited is a passenger train that for most of its history has run between New Orleans, Louisiana and Los Angeles, California, and that from early 1993 through late August 2005 also ran east of New Orleans to Jacksonville, Florida, making it during that time the only true transcontinental...
, as well as many other Southern Pacific name trains. During wartime and also in the first years after the war some of the GS-4 locomotives were painted entirely black, and it wasn't until 1948 that all engines were painted into Daylight colors again. Starting in March 1950, they were gradually painted black again and also had their side skirtings removed for easier maintenance, and were re-assigned to the San Jose
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...
-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...
commute trains, freight service and the occasional San Joaquin Daylight (the GS-4 locomotives remained on that train as late as 1956 which made the San Joaquin Daylight the last streamliner train to be pulled by steam on the Southern Pacific) until new diesels arrived and they were retired. The last GS-4 engines were deskirted and painted into black in 1956, and after the last GS-4 pulled a passenger train in 1957, the GS-4s spent the last year of operation in front of freight trains along the coast and valley routes and finally were retired in 1958. GS-4 number 4443 pulled one of the final movements of steam on the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1957.
Preservation
Southern Pacific 4449Southern 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...
is the only surviving GS-4 locomotive. Arguably, it is one of the most recognizable locomotives of all time. 4449 was donated to Oaks Park in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, in 1958. In December 1974, 4449 was moved from Oaks Park to undergo restoration. From August 1975 to December 1976, 4449 shared duties with several other steam locomotives pulling the American Freedom Train
American Freedom Train
The United States has seen two national 'Freedom Trains'. The 1947–1949 Freedom Train was a special exhibit train that toured the United States in the later half of the 1940s. A similar train called the American Freedom Train toured the country for the United States Bicentennial celebration in...
throughout the U.S. 4449 is still operational and currently resides at the Brooklyn Roundhouse in Portland along with many other preserved locomotives and rolling stock.
The tender of SP 4444 (the last GS-4 to be scrapped) was kept and rebuilt by SP and was used as a "hammer car" to test impacts on hydracushon boxcars, but was scrapped in the early 1970s.