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Southern Pacific Steam Roster: Post 1900

Published: March 19, 2025

By: Adam Burns

Given its size it's no surprise the "Friendly Service Route" maintained a large and eclectic fleet of steam locomotives. During the 20th century its notable examples via acquisition came from the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railway and El Paso & Southwestern Railroad.

The SP also acquired a handful of narrow-gauge systems, most notably the Carson & Colorado and Nevada-California-Oregon Railway. Interestingly, as freight feeders components of these 3-foot lines survived as branches well into the late 20th century.

For most railfans the SP is remembered for its unique "Cab Forward" large articulateds utilized in the tunnels and snowsheds of Donner Pass - as well as along the Modoc Line.

In addition was its large fleet of 4-8-4s; while the streamlined examples for the Daylights are most famous, the railroad's fleet of 81 (including the 11 used on the Cotton Belt) were fine machines which powered numerous passenger trains and fast freights.

Steam on the Espee ended between 1956-1959: according to George Drury's book, "Guide To North American Steam Locomotives: Revised Edition," the last steam-powered freight train occurred on November 30, 1956 while the final such passenger run took place on January 22, 1957.

Finally, the very last steam engine to ever operate in regular service on the railroad was narrow-gauge 4-6-0 #9 - a former Nevada-California-Oregon engine - which ran between Laws and Keeler, California on October 19, 1958.

34692934982375275782689304973908.jpgSouthern Pacific 4-8-8-2 "Cab Forward" #4294 (AC-12) at Colton, California; July, 1951. Today, this locomotive is preserved at the California State Railroad Museum. American-Rails.com collection.

Switchers

Wheel Arrangement Class Road Number(s) Quantity Builder(s) Completion Date Retirement Date Notes
0-6-0 S-19 26-29 4 Schenectady 1901, 1903 1936-1937 ex-San Antonio & Aransas Pass (SA&AP), ex-EP&SW
0-6-0 S-3 45-52 8 Schenectady (Alco) 1899-1900 1930-1947 -
0-6-0 S-5 53-77 25 Baldwin 1902-1903 1939-1941 -
0-6-0 S-7 78-81 4 Schenectady (Alco) 1904 1947-1950 -
0-6-0 S-8 82-102 21 Baldwin 1906-1911 1941-1949 -
0-6-0 S-9 103-110 8 Baldwin 1912 1947-1950 -
0-6-0 S-8 111-116 6 Baldwin 1906-1907 1946-1949 ex-Houston & Texas Central (H&TC)
0-6-0 S-9 117-128 12 Baldwin 1913 1947-1954 -
0-6-0 S-10 129-136 8 Baldwin 1917-1918 1950-1953 -
0-6-0 S-13 137-146 10 Baldwin 1920-1921 1952-1956 -
0-6-0 S-14 147-166 20 Lima, T&NO 1924-1926 1952-1957 -
0-8-0 SE-3 175-186 12 T&NO 1930-1936 1952-1957 -
0-6-0 S-16 1002 1 Baldwin 1903 1935 ex-El Paso & Southwestern
0-6-0 S-16 1003-1014 12 Schenectady (Alco) 1907 1932-1936 ex-El Paso & Southwestern
0-6-0 S-57 1077-1101 25 Baldwin 1901-1902 1932-1940 -
0-6-0 S-22 1100 1 Brooks 1922 1951 ex-South San Francisco Beltline
0-6-0 S-57 1102-1106 5 Baldwin 1903 1934-1938 Equipped with Vanderbilt boilers.
0-6-0 S-57 1107-1111 5 Baldwin 1903 1932-1945 -
0-6-0 S-57 1112-1121 12 Schenectady (Alco) 1904 1935-1952 -
0-6-0 S-51 1122-1194 73 Baldwin, Brooks (Alco) 1906-1911 1939-1951 -
0-6-0 S-51 1195-1209 15 Baldwin 1912 1946-1951 -
0-6-0 S-10 1210-1221 12 Baldwin 1913 1954-1958 -
0-6-0 S-11 1222-1231 10 Lima 1914 1953-1958 -
0-6-0 S-10 1232-1246 15 Baldwin 1918 1953-1957 -
0-6-0 S-12 1247-1284 38 SP 1919-1923 1949-1958 -
0-6-0 S-14 1285-1294 10 Lima 1924 1953-1958 -
0-6-0 S-8 1295-1297 3 Brooks (Alco), Baldwin 1908-1909 1940-1950 ex-Arizona Eastern Railroad
0-6-0 S-10 1298-1299 2 Baldwin 1917, 1918 1957, 1958 ex-Arizona Eastern Railroad
0-8-0 SE-2 1301-1306 6 Baldwin 1901, 1903 1935-1950 ex-EP&SW
0-8-0 SE-4 1307-1314 8 SP 1930-1937 1956-1958
0-8-0 SE-2 4500 1 Baldwin 1901 1950 ex-EP&SW
0-8-0 SE-4 4501-4508 8 SP 1930-1937 1956-1958 -
0-8-0 SE-3 4509-4512 4 T&NO 1930, 1936 1956-1958 -
198268271626542g2b2nn2k6o207089.jpgSouthern Pacific 2-6-0 #1760 (Class M-6b) was photographed here by Herb Cearley in its final days of service at Fresno, California during the 1950's. The SP owned hundreds of Moguls dating back to the 19th century with many added to the roster from predecessor railroads. This particular class (M-6b) was all retired by 1958. Author's collection.

Freight Locomotives

Wheel Arrangement Class Road Number(s) Quantity Builder(s) Completion Date Retirement Date Notes
4-6-0 (narrow-gauge) No Class 6, 7 2 Baldwin 1903 1934, 1935 ex-Nevada-California-Oregon Railway
4-6-0 (narrow-gauge) No Class 8, 9, 18 3 Baldwin 1907-1911 1954, 1960, 1955 ex-Nevada-California-Oregon Railway
2-6-0 M-4 410-459 50 Schenectady (Alco), Cooke (Alco) 1899-1901 1934-1955 -
2-6-0 M-7 460-469 10 Baldwin 1902 1928-1929 A Vauclain compound equipped with a Vanderbilt boiler.
2-6-0 M-20 481 1 Baldwin 1908 1953 ex-Dayton & Goose Creek Railway
2-6-0 M-6 482-485 4 Baldwin 1903 1947-1953 -
2-6-0 M-17 495 1 Baldwin 1905 1946 ex-SA&AP
2-6-0 M-18 496 1 Lima 1911 1932 ex-SA&AP
2-6-0 M-19 497-499 3 Baldwin 1911 1932, 1946 -
2-6-0 M-21 520-529 10 T&NO 1928-1930 1950-1954 ex-H&TC
2-6-0 M-11 500-514 15 Baldwin 1912 1952-1957 -
2-6-0 M-6 515-517 3 Baldwin 1903 1947-1953 -
2-6-0 M-9 550-556 7 Brooks (Alco) 1908 1948-1955 ex-H&TC
2-6-0 M-10 560-565 6 Baldwin 1909 1947-1953 ex-H&TC
2-8-2 Mk-5 738-794 57 T&NO, Baldwin, Brooks (Alco) 1913-1921 1953-1957 -
2-8-0 C-8 800-807 8 Baldwin 1904 1950-1955 -
2-8-0 C-9 808-857 50 Baldwin, Brooks (Alco) 1905-1908 1946-1958 -
2-8-0 C-20 867-869 3 Cooke (Alco) 1921 1953-1955 ex-SA&AP
2-8-0 C-21 870 1 Lima 1909 1953-1955 ex-SA&AP
2-8-0 C-22 871-876 6 Pittsburgh (Alco) 1900 1936-1947 ex-SA&AP
2-8-0 C-23 877-884 8 Baldwin 1913 1939-1957 ex-SA&AP
2-8-0 C-24 885-894 10 Lima 1913 1935-1955 ex-SA&AP
2-8-0 C-25 895, 896 2 Schenectady (Alco) 1913 1957, 1956 ex-Texas Midland Railroad
2-10-0 D-1 897-899 3 Baldwin 1903 1934, 1937 ex-SA&AP
2-6-6-2 MM-1 900-911 12 Baldwin 1910 1929-1930 Formerly 950-961.
2-10-2 F-1, F-4, F-5 900-999 (not sequential) 83 Baldwin, Brooks (Alco) 1917-1924 1953-1957 Transferred from the Pacific Lines.
2-6-0 M-4 1615-1719 103 Schenectady (Alco), Cooke (Alco) 1899-1901 1932-1957 -
2-6-0 M-7 1720-1724 5 Baldwin 1901 1934-1954 A Vauclain compound design equipped with a Vanderbilt boiler.
2-6-0 M-6 1725-1769 45 Baldwin 1901 1934-1958 A Vauclain compound design.
2-6-0 M-7 1770-1779 10 Baldwin 1902 1954-1958 A Vauclain compound design equipped with a Vanderbilt boiler.
2-6-0 M-6 1780-1802 23 Baldwin 1902-1903 1939-1958 A Vauclain compound design.
2-6-0 M-6 1803 1 Baldwin 1902 1953 ex-Cananea, Río Yaqui y Pacífico
2-6-0 M-9 1804-1818 15 Brooks (Alco) 1908 1934-1958 -
2-6-0 M-9 1819-1822 4 Baldwin 1909 1950-1953 -
2-6-0 M-6 1823-1825 3 SP 1917, 1918 1946-1957 -
2-6-0 M-9 1826, 1827 2 SP 1918 1952, 1953 -
2-6-0 M-9 1828-1830 3 Brooks (Alco) 1908 1950-1954 ex-Arizona Eastern Railroad
2-6-0 M-11 1831-1836 6 Baldwin 1909 1949-1956 ex-Arizona Eastern Railroad
2-6-2 Pr-1 1900-1903 4 Baldwin 1902 1932-1935 ex-EP&SW
2-6-2 Pr-2 1904-1905 2 Baldwin 1904 1935, 1932 -
2-8-0 C-32 2500 1 Baldwin 1906 1948 ex-Nacozari Railroad
2-8-0 C-13 2501 1 Lima 1905 1925 ex-Salem, Falls City & Western (SCF&W)
2-8-0 C-11 2502 1 Schenectady (Alco) 1904 1934 ex-Butte County Railroad
2-8-0 C-12 2503 1 Baldwin 1902 1936 ex-Butte County Railroad
2-8-0 C-15 2505-2508 4 Baldwin 1900 1939-1950 ex-EP&SW
2-8-0 C-15 2509 1 Baldwin 1901 1923 ex-EP&SW
2-8-0 C-17 2510-2511 2 Baldwin 1902, 1905 1949 ex-EP&SW
2-8-0 C-9 2513-2599 87 Baldwin 1906-1907 1949-1958 -
2-8-0 C-3 2606-2611 6 Schenectady (Alco) 1900 1935-1951 A cross-compound design.
2-8-0 C-4 2612-2623 12 Schenectady (Alco) 1901 1935-1957 A cross-compound design.
2-8-0 C-5 2624-2677 54 Baldwin 1901-1903 1934-1953 A Vauclain compound design.
2-8-0 C-5 2678-2693 16 Baldwin 1903-1904 1935-1952 -
2-8-0 C-8 2694-2751 58 Baldwin 1904 1952-1958 -
2-8-0 C-9 2752-2830 79 Baldwin 1905-1908 1951-1958 -
2-8-0 C-10 2831-2838 8 Baldwin 1911 1952-1958 -
2-8-0 C-10 2839-2857 19 SP 1917-1919 1949-1958 -
2-8-0 C-9 2858-2860 3 Brooks (Alco) 1908 1953-1954 ex-Arizona Eastern Railroad
2-8-0 C-11 2861-2864 4 Baldwin 1920-1921 1958 ex-SSW
2-8-0 C-12 2865-2868 4 Baldwin 1923 1958 ex-SSW
2-8-2 Mk-2 3200-3215 16 Baldwin 1911 1934-1956 -
2-8-2 Mk-4 3216-3240 25 Baldwin 1913 1934-1956 -
2-8-2 Mk-5 3236-3249 14 Baldwin 1913 1951-1956 -
2-8-2 Mk-5 3270-3277 8 Baldwin, Lima 1913-1917 1952-1956 -
2-8-2 Mk-6 3250-3269 20 Lima 1914 1951-1957 -
2-8-2 Mk-10 3295-3296 2 Brooks (Alco) 1923 1953 ex-Minarets & Western Railway
2-8-2 Mk-11 3297-3298 2 Brooks (Alco) 1914 1953, 1954 ex-Chicago & Illinois Midland
2-8-2 Mk-7 3300-3309 10 Schenectady (Alco) 1913, 1916 1950-1954 ex-EP&SW
2-8-2 Mk-8 3310-3314 5 Schenectady (Alco) 1918 1951-1954 ex-EP&SW
2-8-2 Mk-9 3315-3324 10 Schenectady (Alco) 1920 1950-1955 ex-EP&SW
2-8-0 C-18 3400-3409 10 Baldwin 1902, 1903 1932-1959 ex-EP&SW
2-8-0 C-19 3410-3426 17 Baldwin 1904 1934-1959 ex-EP&SW
2-8-0 C-20 3440-3444 5 Baldwin 1906 1951 (sold) ex-EP&SW
2-8-0 C-21 3445-3449 5 Baldwin 1906-1907 1951 (sold) ex-EP&SW
2-8-0 C-22 3452-3469 18 Schenectady (Alco) 1907 1951 (sold) ex-EP&SW
2-8-0 C-23 3450-3451 2 Schenectady (Alco) 1907 1951 (sold) ex-EP&SW
2-8-4 B-1 3500-3509 10 Lima 1928 1950-1951 ex-Boston & Maine
2-10-2 F-2 3600 1 Brooks (Alco) 1918 Transferred to the T&NO in 1946. -
2-10-2 F-1 3601-3652 52 Brooks (Alco), Baldwin 1917, 1919 1952-1958 -
2-10-2 F-3 3653-3667 15 Baldwin 1921 1952-1958 -
2-10-2 F-4 3668-3717 50 Baldwin 1922 1951-1958 -
2-10-2 F-5 3718-3768 51 Baldwin 1923-1924 1949-1956 Most examples later transferred to the T&NO.
2-10-2 F-6 3769 1 Baldwin 1924 1955 -
4-10-2 SP-1 5000-5015 16 Schenectady (Alco) 1925 1951-1954 -
4-10-2 SP-2 5016-5038 23 Schenectady (Alco) 1926 1953-1955 -
4-10-2 SP-3 5039-5048 10 Schenectady (Alco) 1927 1953-1954 -
2971276127356128372198209858723697.jpgOne of Southern Pacific's workhorse 2-8-0s, #2514 (C-9), is seen here in Los Angeles during the 1950s. Mac Owen collection.

Passenger Locomotives

Wheel Arrangement Class Road Number(s) Quantity Builder(s) Completion Date Retirement Date Notes
4-4-0 E-23 261-265 5 Cooke (Alco) 1900 1941-1951 -
4-4-0 E-39 205-209 5 Baldwin 1924 1946 ex-SA&AP
4-4-0 E-40 220-223 4 Baldwin 1922 1947, 1954 ex-SA&AP
4-4-0 E-41 224 1 Baldwin 1921 1946 ex-Dayton & Goose Creek
4-4-2 A-2 285-288 4 Baldwin 1903 1921 A Vauclain compound design.
4-4-2 A-3 289-292 4 Schenectady (Alco), Baldwin 1904 1932 -
4-6-0 T-28 700-711 12 Brooks (Alco), Baldwin 1908, 1911 1954-1955 -
4-6-0 T-38 369-374 6 Baldwin 1907-1908 1930-1937 ex-SA&AP
4-6-2 P-5 600-609 10 Baldwin 1912 1952-1957 Formerly 900-909.
4-6-2 P-6 610-621 12 Brooks (Alco) 1913 1952-1954 Formerly 920-931.
4-6-2 P-9 622-630 1 Baldwin 1923 1953-1955 -
4-6-2 P-13 631-633 3 Baldwin 1928 1954-1955 -
4-6-2 P-14 650-652 3 Brooks (Alco) 1913 1954-1955 Formerly 2455-2457
4-8-4 GS-1 700-703 4 Baldwin 1930 1954-1956 -
4-4-0 E-23 1445-1458 14 Cooke (Alco) 1900 1932-1945 -
4-4-0 E-27 1526-1540 15 Baldwin 1911 1934 -
4-6-0 T-35 2101 1 Schenectady (Alco) 1900 1926 ex-EP&SW
4-6-0 T-36 2102-2104 3 Manchester Locomotive Works (Alco) 1902 1934-1947 ex-EP&SW
4-6-0 T-37 2105, 2106 2 Rhode Island (Alco) 1903 1952, 1951 ex-EP&SW
4-6-0 T-25 2274-2281 8 Cooke (Alco) 1901 1926-1934 -
4-6-0 T-26 2283-2300 18 Baldwin 1901 1934-1951 A Vauclain compound design.
4-6-0 T-27 2282 1 Baldwin 1900 1928 A Camelback design.
4-6-0 T-23 2301-2310 10 Baldwin 1903 1949-1954 -
4-6-0 T-28 2311-2352 42 Baldwin 1907-1911 1949-1957 -
4-6-0 T-31 2353-2362 10 Baldwin 1912 1953-1957 -
4-6-0 T-32 2363-2370 8 Brooks 1913 1953-1956 -
4-6-0 T-32 2371-2384 14 SP 1917-1920 1952-1957 -
4-6-0 T-57 2385 1 Baldwin 1906 - ex-Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad
4-6-0 T-58 2386 1 Baldwin 1907 - ex-Las Vegas & Tonopah
4-6-2 P-1 2400-2427 28 Baldwin 1904-1907 1934-1954 Nine examples were later rebuilt as Class P-4.
4-6-2 P-3 2428-2437 10 Baldwin 1911 1947-1954 -
4-6-2 P-5 2438-2452 15 Baldwin 1912 1947-1953 -
4-6-2 P-6 2453-2458 6 Brooks (Alco) 1913 1955-1957 -
4-6-2 P-3 2459, 2460 2 SP 1917, 1918 1952, 1948 -
4-6-2 P-8 2461-2475 15 Baldwin 1921 1953-1958 -
4-6-2 P-7 2476-2477 2 Lima 1917 1958 ex-Arizona Eastern Railroad
4-6-2 P-10 2478-2491 14 Baldwin 1923-1924 1954-1958 -
4-4-2 A-1 3000-3015 16 Baldwin 1902 1922-1925 A Vauclain compound design.
4-4-2 A-6 3000-3003 4 SP 1927-1928 1948-1952 Rebuilt from Class A-3.
4-4-2 A-2 3016-3024 9 Baldwin 1903 1915-1918 A Vauclain compound design equipped with a Vanderbilt boiler.
4-4-2 A-3 3025-3071 47 Schenectady (Alco), Baldwin, Brooks (Alco) 1904-1908 1932-1952 -
4-4-2 A-5 3072-3074 3 Baldwin 1911 1935 -
4-6-2 P-11 3100-3109 10 Baldwin 1907 1939-1950 ex-EP&SW
4-6-2 P-12 3120-3129 10 Brooks (Alco) 1917 1947-1953 -
4-8-2 Mt-1 4300-4327 28 Schenectady (Alco) 1923-1924 1952-1957 -
4-8-2 Mt-2 4385-4390 6 Brooks (Alco) 1924 1951, 1953 -
4-8-2 Mt-3 4328-4345 18 SP 1925-1926 1953-1958 -
4-8-2 Mt-4 4346-4366 21 SP 1926-1929 1953-1958 -
4-8-2 Mt-5 4367-4376 10 SP 1929-1930 1953-1958 -
4-8-4 GS-1 4400-4409 10 Baldwin 1930 1954-1957 -
4-8-4 GS-2 4410-4415 6 Lima 1936 1954-1958 -
4-8-4 GS-3 4416-4424 9 Lima 1937 1954-1958 -
4-8-4 GS-4 4430-4457 28 Lima 1941-1942 1956-1958 -
4-8-4 GS-5 4458-4459 2 Lima 1942 1958, 1956 Equipped with roller bearings.
4-8-4 GS-6 4460-4469 10 Lima 1943 1954-1958 -
4-8-4 GS-7 4475-4481 7 Baldwin 1930 1955-1957 ex-SSW
4-8-4 GS-8 4485-4488 4 SSW 1937, 1942 1956, 1958 -
30002884510098u81045837x98.jpgOnly a year old, Southern Pacific 2-8-8-4 #3800 (AC-9) steams westbound with a 70-car manifest outside of Tucumcari, New Mexico on May 11, 1940. Richard Kindig photo.

Articulated Designs

Wheel Arrangement Class Road Number(s) Quantity Builder(s) Completion Date Retirement Date Notes
2-8-8-4 AC-9 3800-3811 12 Lima 1939 1953-1956 A standard Yellowstone design.
4-6-6-2 ("Cab Forward") MM-2 3900-3911 12 Baldwin 1911 1946-1948 Originally built as 2-6-6-2s.
2-6-6-2 MM-3 3930-3931 2 Schenectady (Alco) 1920 1954, 1951 ex-Verde Tunnel & Smelter Railroad Company
2-8-8-2 ("Cab Forward") MC-1 4000-4001 2 Baldwin 1909 1948-1949 Later rebuilt as Class AC-1.
2-8-8-2 ("Cab Forward") MC-2 4002-4016 15 Baldwin 1909 1935-1949 Later rebuilt as Class AC-1.
2-8-8-2 ("Cab Forward") MC-4 4017-4028 12 Baldwin 1911 1935-1948 Later rebuilt as Class AC-2.
2-8-8-2 ("Cab Forward") MC-6 4029-4048 20 Baldwin 1912-1913 1936-1949 Later rebuilt as Class AC-3.
4-8-8-2 ("Cab Forward") AC-4 4100-4109 10 Baldwin 1929 1953-1955 -
4-8-8-2 ("Cab Forward") AC-5 4110-4125 16 Baldwin 1929 1952-1955 -
4-8-8-2 ("Cab Forward") AC-6 4126-4150 25 Baldwin 1930 1953-1955 -
4-8-8-2 ("Cab Forward") AC-7 4151-4176 26 Baldwin 1937 1954-1958 -
4-8-8-2 ("Cab Forward") AC-8 4177-4204 28 Baldwin 1939 1954-1958 -
4-8-8-2 ("Cab Forward") AC-10 4205-4244 40 Baldwin 1942 1955-1958 -
4-8-8-2 ("Cab Forward") AC-11 4245-4274 30 Baldwin 1942-1943 1954-1958 -
4-8-8-2 ("Cab Forward") AC-12 4275-4294 20 Baldwin 1943-1944 1955-1958 -

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