The SP 4449 "Daylight" 4-8-4 Steam Locomotive

The SP 4449 is quite a celebrity amongst the railfan community today and even with the general public. However, when Southern Pacific (SP) originally ordered the locomotive it was just one of nearly six-dozen the railroad would come to own. These Northern-type steam locomotives with a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement were used in all types of service on the SP but the class in which the 4449 was built was meant to be used primarily in passenger services, thus allowing it and its companions to be adorned in the railroad's famed "Daylight" livery. After retirement in 1957 the 4449 was donated a year later to Portland, Oregon where it remained on static display until being used for the Freedom Train in the mid-1970s. Since this time SP 4449 has been carefully preserved and maintained, and normally sees a limited operating schedule each year.

This versatility, along with the locomotive being equipped with some of the latest technology, made the Northern Type one of the most successful designs of all time with over 1,000 built for 36 different railroads. Perhaps the most well known Northerns to ever operate including the Norfolk & Western’s handsome J Class, Southern Pacific’s Golden States, and New York Central’s Niagaras just to name a few (there were many others). The SP 4449 was built as one of the railroad's later orders of Golden States, not built until 1941 as part of the railroad's GS-4 Class manufactured by the Lima Locomotive Works as an order of twenty locomotives. The first ten the railroad received arrived in 1930 from Baldwin Locomotive Works as Class GS-1 and generally worked in freight service with 73.5" drivers producing between 62,000 and 76,000 pounds of tractive effort.

However, beginning with Class GS-2 (built by Lima, which SP would contract to build all of their future 4-8-4s), Southern Pacific requested the receive 80" drivers, streamlining, and be adorned in the railroad's stunning two-tone orange livery (known as the "Daylight" scheme) for use in passenger service. This setup would last until SP's final order of 4-8-4s, Class GS-6.

Interesting, Southern Pacific did not take another order for 4-8-4s between 1930 and 1937, when their Class GS-2 designs were put into service. There was little differences amongst all the models save for differing driver sizes along with the fact that each new class was a little heavier than the previous, thus allowing for an improvement in tractive effort (generally speaking). For a look at all of SP's "Golden State" classes please refer to the chart below.

Southern Pacific's Golden State Class 4-8-4s

As noted and earlier above SP 4449 was delivered in 1941 as part of Class GS-4, the largest single class of 4-8-4s on the railroad's roster. Upon arriving on the railroad, SP 4449 quickly went to work on May 30, 1941 hauling the popular Coast Daylight between San Francisco and Los Angeles. A year later in 1942, SP 4449 began service on the Sunset Limited and Golden State passenger trains. Through the mid-1950s SP 4449 remained on the point of these trains until it lost its Daylight livery and was reassigned to the San Joaquin Daylight and used in freight service.

The locomotive was finally retired in early October, 1957 after finally being bumped entirely for diesel locomotives. A year later in April, 1958 it was donated to the city of Portland, Oregon and ironically was only saved because of its place in Southern Pacific's dead line allowing it to be easily switched out.

The locomotive remained exposed to vandals and the elements in Portland's Oaks Park for fifteen years before being considered to pull the American Freedom Train in 1974. Luckily, since the 4-8-4 was still in good condition mechanically it was ultimately chosen to pull the train and restoration began later that year, and was completed by April, 1975.

Hauling the Freedom Train gave SP 4449 an entirely new life and with a new red, white, and blue livery the locomotive became an instant celebrity throughout the 1970s. Following the completion of the Freedom Train the 4-8-4 it returned to Portland but this time was kept in a secure location and out of the weather, remaining in operating condition.

Since that time SP 4449 has become one of the most famous steam locomotives in the country and returned with its fabled Daylight livery in 1981 for the California State Railroad Museum's inaugural Railfair that year. Over the years the locomotive has starred in numerous shows and events and today is maintained by the Friends of the 4449 and Doyle McCormack who oversees its well-being in Portland. For more technical data on the SP 4449 and the railroad's 4-8-4s in general please click here. Also for more information on the Friends please click here.

Please Click Here To Return To The Main Steam Locomotives Section

Also consider Daylight Freedom Special: Southern Pacific 4449 Returns to the Rails, part of Pentrex's large library of railroad videos this title covers the 4449's jaunts in 2002 when it returned to the rails wearing its famous Freedom Train livery. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing one or both of these items please visit the link below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

Share Your Thoughts