Southern Pacific 4449

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Southern Pacific 4449
SP No. 4449 under steam with an Amtrak P42DC on October 21, 2012
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Lima Locomotive Works Serial number 7817 Build date May 20, 1941 Rebuild date 1974–1975
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-4 Northern Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Leading dia. 36 in (914 mm) Driver dia. 80 in (2,032 mm)[1] Trailing dia. 45+1⁄2 in (1,156 mm) Length 110 ft (34 m)[1] Width 10 ft (3 m) Height 16 ft 4 in (4.98 m) Adhesive weight 275,700 lb (125,100 kg) Loco weight 475,000 lb (215,000 kg)[2] Tender weight 395,600 lb (179,400 kg) Total weight 870,600 lb (394,900 kg) Fuel type Fuel oil Fuel capacity 6,275 gal Water cap. 23,500 gal Firebox: ​  • Grate area 90.4 sq ft (8.40 m2) Boiler pressure 300 psi (2.07 MPa) Heating surface 4,887 sq ft (454.0 m2) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 2,086 sq ft (193.8 m2) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 25.5 in × 32 in (648 mm × 813 mm) dia × stroke
Performance figures Maximum speed 110 mph (180 km/h) Tractive effort Engine: 64,800 lbf (288.24 kN) Booster: 13,850 lbf (61.61 kN) Total: 78,650 lbf (349.85 kN) Factor of adh. 4.16 4.286 with booster
Career Operators Southern Pacific (1941-1957; 1974-1996) Oregon Rail Heritage Center BNSF Railway (Employee Event only) Class GS-4 Number in class 28 Numbers Southern Pacific 4449 American Freedom Train 4449 Portland and Western 4449 Willamette and Pacific 4449 BNSF 4449 UPY 845 Nicknames "The Daylight" "The Queen of Steam" First run May 30, 1941 (revenue service) Last run September 24, 1956 (revenue service) Retired October 2, 1957 (revenue service) Preserved April 24, 1958 Restored April 21, 1975 Current owner The City of Portland, Oregon Disposition Operational

Southern Pacific 4449, also known as the Daylight, is the only surviving example of Southern Pacific Railroad's "GS-4" class of 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotives and one of only two GS-class locomotives surviving, the other being "GS-6" 4460 at the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri. GS is an abbreviation of "General Service" or "Golden State," a nickname for California (where the locomotive was operated in regular service).

The locomotive was built by Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio for the Southern Pacific in May 1941; it received the red-and-orange "Daylight" paint scheme for the passenger trains of the same name which it hauled for most of its service career. No. 4449 was retired from revenue service in 1956 and put into storage. In 1958, the Southern Pacific donated the locomotive to the City of Portland, Oregon. The City then put the locomotive on static display near Oaks Amusement Park, where it remained until 1974.

After this, No. 4449 was then restored to operation for use in the American Freedom Train, which toured the 48 contiguous United States as part of the nation's 1976 Bicentennial celebration. The locomotive has operated in excursion service since 1984.

The locomotive's operations are now based at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in Portland, Oregon where it is maintained by a non-profit group of volunteers named "The Friends of SP 4449". In 1983, a poll of Trains magazine readers selected 4449 as being the most popular locomotive in the United States.^[3]