Southern Pacific class GS-5
Encyclopedia
The GS-5 was a streamlined 4-8-4
Northern type steam locomotive
that served the Southern Pacific Company from 1942 to 1958. Only two locomotives were built by the Lima Locomotive Works
and were numbered 4458 and 4459. GS stands for "Golden State" or "General Service."
The GS-5s are exactly identical in appearance to the GS-4
s. They only difference was that they were equipped with roller bearings, which gave the locomotive a much smoother ride and added extra weight. 4458 was equipped with roller bearings from the Timken Company
and 4459 used SKF
brand roller bearings. They featured a silver smokebox
with a dual-headlight casing (top headlight was a mars light), and a fully enclosed, all-weather cab. 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-5's were designed for high-speed passenger service on Southern Pacific's premier passenger trains, the Coast Daylight, San Joaquin Daylight
and Sunset Limited
. In later years they were painted black and had their side skirting removed for easier maintenance. The GS-5s were considered the best when it came to the GS series, and ended their careers on Southern Pacific's San Joaquin Valley
line.
Neither of the two GS-5 locomotives survive.
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 1942 to 1958. Only two locomotives 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 4458 and 4459. GS stands for "Golden State" or "General Service."
The GS-5s are exactly identical in appearance to the GS-4
Southern Pacific class GS-4
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...
s. They only difference was that they were equipped with roller bearings, which gave the locomotive a much smoother ride and added extra weight. 4458 was equipped with roller bearings from the Timken Company
Timken Company
The Timken Company is a global manufacturer of bearings, alloy steels, and related components and assemblies.- History :The company was founded by Henry Timken in St. Louis, Missouri in 1899 and incorporated as The Timken Roller Bearing Axle Company. A year earlier, in 1898, Timken got a patent...
and 4459 used SKF
SKF
SKF, Svenska Kullagerfabriken AB , later AB SKF, is a Swedish bearing company founded in 1907, supplying bearings, seals, lubrication and lubrication systems, maintenance products, mechatronics products, power transmission products and related services globally.-History:The company was founded on...
brand roller bearings. They featured a 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...
with a dual-headlight casing (top headlight was a mars light), and a fully enclosed, all-weather cab. 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-5's were designed for high-speed passenger service on Southern Pacific's premier passenger trains, 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...
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...
. In later years they were painted black and had their side skirting removed for easier maintenance. The GS-5s were considered the best when it came to the GS series, and ended their careers on Southern Pacific'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...
line.
Neither of the two GS-5 locomotives survive.