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Southern Pacific 2472
SP No. 2472 at the Niles Canyon Railway
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works Serial number 54477 Build date March 1921 Rebuild date 1976–1991
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-2  • UIC 2'C1' Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Driver dia. 73 in (1,854 mm) Wheelbase 75.80 ft (23.10 m) ​  • Engine 35.50 ft (10.82 m)  • Drivers 13 ft (4.0 m) Axle load 60,700 lb (27,500 kg) Adhesive weight 180,000 lb (82,000 kg) Loco weight 297,800 lb (135,100 kg) Tender weight 160,800 lb (72,900 kg) Total weight 457,800 lb (207,700 kg) Fuel type Oil Fuel capacity 4,000 US gal (15,000 L; 3,300 imp gal) Water cap. 12,000 US gal (45,000 L; 10,000 imp gal) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 70.40 sq ft (6.540 m) Boiler pressure 210 psi (1.4 MPa) Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 283 sq ft (26.3 m) Cylinder size 25 in × 30 in (635 mm × 762 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts
Performance figures Tractive effort 46,800 lbf (208.18 kN) Factor of adh. 4.15
Career Operators Southern Pacific Class P-8 Number in class 15 Numbers SP 2472 Delivered April 15, 1921 Retired February 7, 1957 Preserved April 10, 1959 Restored April 30, 1991 Current owner Golden Gate Railroad Museum Disposition Operational, based in Sunol, California

Southern Pacific 2472 is a P-8 Class 4-6-2 heavy "Pacific" type steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) in 1921. SP No. 2472 is one of three surviving Southern Pacific P-8 class 4-6-2 Pacific locomotives, the other two bring Nos. 2467 and 2479. The 4-6-2 designation means it has four leading wheels, six driving wheels, and two trailing wheels.

History

Early years

SP 2472 and the other "Pacific" locomotives served the Overland Route from Ogden, Utah, to Oakland, California. On November 30, 1929, SP's Ogden shops added a feedwater heater to the locomotive, which increased its overall weight to 300,000 lb (140,000 kg). SP 2472 again underwent a rebuild at SP's Bayshore shops in Brisbane, California (San Mateo County), completed on November 26, 1940, which increased its boiler pressure to 210 psi (1,400 kPa) and its tractive effort to 45,850 pounds-force (204.0 kN).

After being replaced by the 4-8-2 "Mountain" type locomotives, 2472 and all other Pacific locomotives were sent to work Sacramento-Oakland passenger trains and San Francisco-San Jose commute trains, along with occasional freight service. This locomotive was retired from regular revenue service on February 7, 1957, during Southern Pacific's dieselization, and on April 10, 1959, 2472 was donated to San Mateo County, which put the unit on static display at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds. It remained there until 1976 when a group of volunteers decided to restore the locomotive.

Excursion service

Restoration work was completed on April 30, 1991 just in time to participate in Railfair 91, which took place in Sacramento on May 1 1991, it featured other famous steam locomotives, such as Southern Pacific GS-4 4-8-4 "Northern" 4449, Union Pacific FEF-3 4-8-4 844, Union Pacific 4-6-6-4 "Challenger" 3985, Union Pacific 0-6-0 4466, and British Great Northern Railway J13 0-6-0 tank locomotive 1247. In the 1990s and early 2000s, 2472 pulled several excursions and Caltrain specials such as the "Toys for Tots", and double-headed on an excursion in 1992 (during the NRHS Convention) with the 4449.

SP 2472 received Federal Railroad Administration-mandated boiler work at Hunters Point Naval Base in San Francisco, during 2005–06 when the Golden Gate Railroad Museum (GGRM) was located there. The GGRM and all other tenants at Hunter's Point had to leave the former navy base in 2006 due to redevelopment. The initial equipment move took place in February 2006, although an extended lease on the shop building allowed work to continue on 2472 for ten more months. On December 31, 2006, SP 2472 and the remaining pieces of GGRM rolling stock completed relocation to the Niles Canyon Railway, located in Sunol, California, on the east side of San Francisco Bay.

The locomotive became serviceable in February 2008, and was stored in Niles Canyon at the Brightside Yard between operations. SP 2472 has operated in Niles Canyon, usually on Memorial Day weekends and Labor Day weekends, and on other dates as announced.

In Spring 2015, the Golden Gate Railroad Museum announced that they will be leaving Niles Canyon and SP 2472 would pull the last excursions in Niles Canyon on the 2015 Labor Day weekend. The relocation move of SP 2472 to the Northwestern Pacific Railroad in Schellville, California started on March 1, 2020 when the P-8 Pacific-type steam locomotive, along with two former Southern Pacific Railroad diesel locomotives (both in operating condition) that belong to GGRM, were towed by two Union Pacific locomotives towards Schellville. On October 9, 2021, 2472 was fired up for the first time since 2015. It made its excursion return hauling Labor Day Weekend trains on September 4th through the 5th, it will likely be the engine's last run before it goes down for its 15-year-overhaul.

See also

• Southern Pacific 1744
• Southern Pacific 2353
• Southern Pacific 745
• Southern Pacific 786

References

1. Bailey, Douglas C. "Southern Pacific RR No. 2472". SteamLocomotive.info.
2. Diebert, Timothy S. & Strapac, Joseph A. (1987). Southern Pacific Company Steam Locomotive Compendium. Shade Tree Books. p. 178. ISBN 0-930742-12-5.
3. Johnsen, Kenneth G. (1990). Pacific: 2472's Family Album. Glendale, California: Interurban Press. p. 111. ISBN 0-87046-092-7.
4. "Renaissance of the Hunters Point Shipyard". Hunters Point Naval Shipyard Redevelopment Agency. Archived from the original on February 26, 2008.
5. "Southern Pacific No. 2472 steams again after six years". Trains News Wire. Kalmbach Publishing. February 22, 2008. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011. Retrieved February 27, 2008. (subscription required)
6. "Southern Pacific 4-6-2 2472 to Lead Excursions For First Time Since 2015". Railfan & Railroad Magazine. August 8, 2022.

External links

• Southern Pacific P-8 No.2472 by Golden Gate Railroad Museum
• 2472 in Niles Canyon (DVD about the 2008 Memorial Day Weekend Excursion in Niles Canyon)

• Southern Pacific Railroad locomotives
• Baldwin locomotives
• 4-6-2 locomotives
• Individual locomotives of the United States
• Transportation in the San Francisco Bay Area
• Alameda County, California
• Standard gauge locomotives of the United States
• Railway locomotives introduced in 1921
• Preserved steam locomotives of California