Southern Pacific 2472

Southern Pacific 2472 is a 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 4-6-2 Pacific locomotives, the other two bring Nos. 2467 and 2479. The 4-6-2 designation means it has 4 leading wheels, 6 driving wheels, and 2 trailing wheels.

SP 2472
SP No. 2472 at the Niles Canyon Railway
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works Serial number 54477 Build date January 1921
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-2 Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Driver dia. 73 in (1,854 mm) Adhesive weight 181,000 lb (82,000 kg) Loco weight 300,000 lb (140,000 kg)[1] Fuel type Oil Boiler pressure 210 psi (1.4 MPa) Cylinder size 25 in × 30 in (635 mm × 762 mm)
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 (revenue service) Restored May 1991 Current owner Golden Gate Railroad Museum Disposition Stored at the Northwestern Pacific Railroad

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.[2][3] It remained there until 1976 when a group of volunteers decided to restore the locomotive.

Restoration work was completed in May 1991 just in time to participate in Railfair 91, which took place in Sacramento, and 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.[4] 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,[5] 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. The remaining pieces of GGRM rolling stock will also be moved from Niles Canyon to Schellville at a date yet to be announced.