Southern Pacific 4-10-2´s on passenger trains

[Anonymous]

I know that SP´s 4-10-2 locomotives were used on Donner Pass in the beginning, where they could pull 17 cars up the hill alone. But soon, they were found too rigid for the curves and tracks there, and where moved to more flater terrain to the Coast Line and the Sunset Route. And they still were used sometimes on passenger trains. I would like to know which passenger trains they have pulled after being placed there, especially, did they ever pull the Sunset Limited in the late 20ies, 30ies and 40ies? And in addition to that I would like to know if the Sunset Limited ever enjoyed All Pullman status back in his heavyweight days.

[ZephyrOverland]

The Sunset Limited was an All-Pullman train through most of the heavyweight era since its inception in 1894. It received coaches in the midst of the depression when the secondary train on the Sunset Route, the Argonaut, was discontinued. This left the Sunset Limited as the only through train between New Orleans and Los Angeles-San Francisco. The Argonaut was restored shortly after it was discontinued, but the Sunset Limited retained its coaches from that point foward.

[daveklepper]

Were any of the 4-10-2's equipped with train communication signals and wires and with steam heat tender connections?

[agentatascadero]

Espee brat that I am, I have ridden every route behind steam, and have never seen, or seen documented, passenger behind 4-10-2's. 2-10-2's, yes, at least on Donner. I'm from Missouri on this one, show me. Guess I've only ridden behind Pacifics, Mountains, Norhterns, and Articulated Consoliddations, and lest I forget, the Ten Wheelers on the Santa Cruz branch on the Suntan.

[daveklepper]

Were not the 2-10-2's only used as helpers with road power providing the steam heat?

[andrechapelon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DeLuxe

I know that SP´s 4-10-2 locomotives were used on Donner Pass in the beginning, where they could pull 17 cars up the hill alone. But soon, they were found too rigid for the curves and tracks there, and where moved to more flater terrain to the Coast Line and the Sunset Route. And they still were used sometimes on passenger trains. I would like to know which passenger trains they have pulled after being placed there, especially, did they ever pull the Sunset Limited in the late 20ies, 30ies and 40ies? And in addition to that I would like to know if the Sunset Limited ever enjoyed All Pullman status back in his heavyweight days.

Check out the book "Three Barrels Of Steam" by Jim Boynoton. There's a chapter on a robbery of the "West Coast Limited" near Saugus, CA in 1929. Train was hauled by #5042. My guess is that "The Owl" and "San Joaquin" also saw 4-10-2's on the point in the late 20's to early 30's from LA to Bakersfield. Given that #5042 was on the point of #59, it's a reasonable assumption that it was equipped with steam heat and signal lines.

SP's 4-8-2's were originally designed for and assigned to the Sunset Route, so I would doubt that the 4-10-2's would have been the road engine on the "Sunset Limited" except in an emergency. They certainly were used as helpers on both freight and passenger trains over Beaumont Hill.

As for the Coast Line, I've seen pictures of 4-10-2's either light or on freights in Santa Clara, San Jose and San Luis Obispo, but I doubt they were used as the road engine on passenger trains on that route. They just didn't have the speed capacity.

Andre