The Southern Pacific GS-4 is a class of semi-streamlined 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) from 1941 to 1958. A total of twenty-eight were built by the Lima Locomotive Works, numbered 4430 through 4457. GS stands for "Golden State" or "General Service."
Unlike the GS-3, the GS-4 had a dual-headlight casing (the top headlight was a Mars Light) on the silver smokebox. Another change was the all-weather cab. It retained the skyline casing atop the boiler, skirting on the sides, an air horn to supplement the whistle, and teardrop classification lights. They carried the orange and red "Daylight" paint scheme.
The GS-4s were passenger engines capable of 120 mph (190 km/h), though timetable speed limit never exceeded 75 mph (121 km/h) (the maximum speed allowed in the Salinas Valley). Southern Pacific's premier passenger trains were pulled by GS-4s: the Coast Daylight, San Joaquin Daylight, Lark, Cascade, Golden State, and the Sunset Limited. During wartime and in the first years after the war, some of the GS-4 locomotives were painted black; by 1948 all had been repainted Daylight colors. Between 1947 and 1956 most were painted black again, had their side skirts removed for easier maintenance, and were reassigned to the San Jose-San FranciscoPeninsula Commute service, freight service, and the occasional San Joaquin Daylight (steam locomotives remained on that train as late as 1956, which made it the last streamliner train to be pulled by steam on the Southern Pacific) until they were replaced by diesel locomotives. GS-4 No. 4443 pulled one of the final steam excursions on the Southern Pacific in 1957. A GS-4 pulled its last passenger train in October 1958, and they were all retired by the end of the year.
The tender of No. 4444 (the last GS-4 to be scrapped) was rebuilt by SP and used as a "hammer car" to test impacts on hydracushion boxcars; it was scrapped in the early 1970s.
Preservationedit
Southern Pacific 4449 is the only surviving GS-4 locomotive and is one of the most recognizable locomotives of all time. It was donated to the City of Portland in 1958 and moved to Oaks Amusement Park for static display, where it was repeatedly vandalized and had many of its external parts stolen (E.g.: builder's plate and whistle) until December 1974 when the locomotive was removed from the park to undergo a restoration. From August 1975 to December 1976, No. 4449 shared duties with several other steam locomotives pulling the American Freedom Train (that train was pulled by Reading T-1 2101) throughout the U.S. No. 4449 is still operational and since mid-2012 resides at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in Portland along with other preserved locomotives and rolling stock.
No. 4449 was featured in the 1986 Burt Lancaster-Kirk Douglas action comedy Tough Guys as the Gold Coast Flyer. In the film, No. 4449 is hijacked and run off the end of the track across the Mexican border. A full-size wooden replica of the locomotive was used to shoot the crash scene.
Church, Robert J. (2004). Southern Pacific Daylight Locomotives (1st ed.). Signature Press. ISBN1-930013-11-6.
Diebert, Timothy S. & Strapac, Joseph A. (1987). Southern Pacific Company Steam Locomotive Compendium. Shade Tree Books. ISBN0-930742-12-5.
The American Freedom Train Foundation (1975). The American Freedom Train Official Commemorative Program 1975 / 1976. The American Freedom Train Foundation.
External linksedit
Friends of SP 4449
The Southern Pacific Technical and Historical Society
The Museum of America's Freedom Trains
Southern Pacific Coast Daylight Engines
April 10, 2024
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This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations October 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Southern Pacific GS 4 is a class of semi streamlined 4 8 4 Northern type steam locomotive operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad SP from 1941 to 1958 A total of twenty eight were built by the Lima Locomotive Works numbered 4430 through 4457 GS stands for Golden State or General Service Southern Pacific GS 4SP GS 4 4454 being used on the Coast Daylight in 1954 Type and originPower typeSteamBuilderLima Locomotive WorksSerial number7798 7817 7848 7855Build dateApril May 1941 20 March April 1942 8 Total produced28SpecificationsConfiguration Whyte4 8 4 UIC2 D2 h2Gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm standard gaugeLeading dia 36 in 914 mm Driver dia 80 in 2 032 mm Trailing dia 45 1 2 in 1 156 mm Wheelbase88 23 ft 26 89 m Height16 ft 4 in 4 98 m Axle load69 000 lb 31 000 kg 31 t Adhesive weight275 700 lb 125 100 kg 125 1 t Loco weight475 000 lb 215 000 kg 215 t Total weight870 600 lb 394 900 kg 394 9 t Fuel typeOilFuel capacity5 880 US gal 22 300 L 4 900 imp gal Water cap 23 500 US gal 89 000 L 19 600 imp gal Firebox Grate area90 4 sq ft 8 40 m2 Boiler pressure300 psi 2 07 MPa Heating surface Firebox385 sq ft 35 8 m2 Total surface4 887 sq ft 454 0 m2 Superheater Heating area2 086 sq ft 193 8 m2 CylindersTwo outsideCylinder size25 1 2 in 32 in 648 mm 813 mm Valve gearWalschaertsValve typePistonPerformance figuresMaximum speed120 mph 190 km h Tractive effortEngine 64 800 lbf 288 24 kN Booster 13 850 lbf 61 61 kN Total 78 650 lbf 349 85 kN CareerOperatorsSouthern PacificClassGS 4Numbers4430 4457First runApril 1941RetiredOctober 1958PreservedNo 4449 operational in excursion serviceRestoredApril 21 1975Current ownerThe City of Portland OregonDispositionNo 4449 preserved remainder scrapped Contents 1 History 2 Preservation 3 In film 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory editUnlike the GS 3 the GS 4 had a dual headlight casing the top headlight was a Mars Light on the silver smokebox Another change was the all weather cab It retained the skyline casing atop the boiler skirting on the sides an air horn to supplement the whistle and teardrop classification lights They carried the orange and red Daylight paint scheme The GS 4s were passenger engines capable of 120 mph 190 km h though timetable speed limit never exceeded 75 mph 121 km h the maximum speed allowed in the Salinas Valley Southern Pacific s premier passenger trains were pulled by GS 4s the Coast Daylight San Joaquin Daylight Lark Cascade Golden State and the Sunset Limited During wartime and in the first years after the war some of the GS 4 locomotives were painted black by 1948 all had been repainted Daylight colors Between 1947 and 1956 most were painted black again had their side skirts removed for easier maintenance and were reassigned to the San Jose San Francisco Peninsula Commute service freight service and the occasional San Joaquin Daylight steam locomotives remained on that train as late as 1956 which made it the last streamliner train to be pulled by steam on the Southern Pacific until they were replaced by diesel locomotives GS 4 No 4443 pulled one of the final steam excursions on the Southern Pacific in 1957 A GS 4 pulled its last passenger train in October 1958 and they were all retired by the end of the year The tender of No 4444 the last GS 4 to be scrapped was rebuilt by SP and used as a hammer car to test impacts on hydracushion boxcars it was scrapped in the early 1970s Preservation editSouthern Pacific 4449 is the only surviving GS 4 locomotive and is one of the most recognizable locomotives of all time It was donated to the City of Portland in 1958 and moved to Oaks Amusement Park for static display where it was repeatedly vandalized and had many of its external parts stolen E g builder s plate and whistle until December 1974 when the locomotive was removed from the park to undergo a restoration From August 1975 to December 1976 No 4449 shared duties with several other steam locomotives pulling the American Freedom Train that train was pulled by Reading T 1 2101 throughout the U S No 4449 is still operational and since mid 2012 resides at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in Portland along with other preserved locomotives and rolling stock In film editNo 4449 appeared in the 1990 drama Come See the Paradise No 4449 was featured in the 1986 Burt Lancaster Kirk Douglas action comedy Tough Guys as the Gold Coast Flyer In the film No 4449 is hijacked and run off the end of the track across the Mexican border A full size wooden replica of the locomotive was used to shoot the crash scene An unknown GS 4 appeared in the 1964 movie Dear Heart as the 20th Century Limited GS 4 No 4443 appeared in the opening credits of the 1957 Frank Sinatra film Pal Joey 1 Another GS 4 appeared as the main setting for the 1951 Alfred Hitchcock thriller Strangers on a Train 4449 has been fitted with an IMAX camera in 2018 to be filmed for the upcoming IMAX film Train Time Gallery edit nbsp Front view of the GS 4s nbsp An N scale model of GS 4 4432 nbsp Southern Pacific 4449 the youngest and sole remaining GS 4 locomotive under steam in Tacoma Washington in June 2011See also editSouthern Pacific class GS 7References edit filmrailfan 2021 12 01 Pal Joey 1957 More Obscure Train Movies Retrieved 2023 11 07 Church Robert J 2004 Southern Pacific Daylight Locomotives 1st ed Signature Press ISBN 1 930013 11 6 Diebert Timothy S amp Strapac Joseph A 1987 Southern Pacific Company Steam Locomotive Compendium Shade Tree Books ISBN 0 930742 12 5 The American Freedom Train Foundation 1975 The American Freedom Train Official Commemorative Program 1975 1976 The American Freedom Train Foundation External links editFriends of SP 4449 The Southern Pacific i e Espee Golden State Locomotives Classes GS 1 to GS 6 The Southern Pacific Technical and Historical Society The Museum of America s Freedom Trains Southern Pacific Coast Daylight Engines Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Southern Pacific class GS 4 amp oldid 1193641940, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
