Read that WP received a number of 4-8-4's that were copies of the SP GS-6's. On the WP were they used strictly on passenger trains or were they also used on freights? what part of the WP did they run on? Every on the high line? When did they first appear on the WP? When were they retired?
https://locomotive.fandom.com/wiki/Western_Pacific_No._484
"Western Pacific No. 484 is a Class GS-64 semi-streamlined 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive built by the Lima Locomotive Works in 1943 for the Western Pacific Railroad.
The locomotive spent years working on the Western Pacific Railroad hauling passenger trains and in freight
The following historical and technical information is derived from the books"Steam Locomotives of the Western Pacific" by Stephen M. Hayes, 2010, and"Western Pacific Steam Locomotives, Passenger Trains, and Cars"by Guy L. Dunscomb and Fred A. Stindt, 1980:As World War II raged on, the Western Pacific needed more locomotives to help keep up with the demands of heavy wartime traffic. The Southern Pacific had placed an order for with Lima Locomotive Works in 1943 for 16 more GS-6 engines, which were essentially copies of the earlier GS-2 design for dual purpose use (freight and passenger). The war production board re-allocated six of the engines from this order to the WP, and these engines were classed as GS-64. Like the SP engines all were oil burners, were equipped with trailing truck boosters, Worthington feedwater heaters, and Elesco superheaters. The tenders were the same as those for the SP GS-6's, having 6000 gallons oil and 23,300 gallons water capacity. The GS-64's served across the WP system including the Feather River Canyon pulling freight and passenger trains until until the last was retired by 1953. Sadly, none of the GS-64's were preserved.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
Nice film of the WP. GS-6 pulling freight at the 3:30 mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOklr-KkCVA
Sorry, thought my link would come up if you clicked on it but it won't.
Got to youtube and enter Western Pacific Vol 1 and you'll find it.
The only video I have ever seen of a WP GS-6!
Use the video icon with the Youtube html address
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
steamlocomotive.com page on the GS-64-77s:
https://www.steamlocomotive.com/locobase.php?country=USA&wheel=4-8-4&railroad=wp
This is belated but anyway....During WW2, the War Production Board would not permit any new passenger locomotives to be built, so SP and WP said they needed the Northerns for freight (SP even said, in writing, that the class designation "GS" no longer stood for "Golden State", but "General Service"). I don't know if anybody believed this or whether it was accepted with a wink and a nod. Obviously, once they were delivered, they were used in any service needed. The WPB also decreed that 1) only established designs could be built 2) due to the time it took to set up and tear down jigs and fixtures, no small orders would be accepted. WP wanted six Northerns, so it had to accept its order being tacked on to a SP one. "Piggy-backing on the first of two Southern Pacific orders for its GS-6s was the Western Pacific, which took delivery of this sextet in 1943. The unit price was $206,655.
According to Drury (1993), certain devices that held SP patents, like the oil burner, were removed, but the pointed smokebox and skyline casing were kept. After World War II, the WP added smoke deflectors.
The GS-64s went of service in the early 1950s, 485 operating last in October 1951 and both 483 and 486 closing out in January 1953. Three were then sold to the Southern Pacific for parts."
BEAUSABRE This is belated but anyway....During WW2, the War Production Board would not permit any new passenger locomotives to be built, . . .
This is belated but anyway....During WW2, the War Production Board would not permit any new passenger locomotives to be built, . . .
This statement is partially true. During WW2 the WPB for a time did not allow pure passenger locomotives to be built, but did allow dual service locomotives to be built. The WPB relaxed this requirement in December 1944 and that is why EMD started shipping passenger units in February 1945.
Ed in Kentucky
It should be noted that WP took delivery of their six northerns in June 1943 along with four unit FT set #904. FTs 905 and 906 were delivered in July and September 1943 respectively. Was any consideration given by WP to equip those FT boosters with steam generators?