Cab forwards were a very distinct locomotive found, worldwide, only on the southern pacific in use over the sierra nevada mountain range as well as the railroads main line between dunsmuir, california to portland, oregon. The southern pacific cab forward is a classic oilburner from the glory days of us steam, and now you can drive this distinctive heavyweight over the donner pass in train simulator. A cab forward road engine and two cab forward helpers climb to cascade summit with a freight train. The southern pacific reporting mark sp or espee from the railroad initials sp was an american class i railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated in the western united states. Likely the most unique, but very effective, steam locomotive design ever conceived and built was the southern pacifics cab forwards, which would go on to be one of the signature features of. From the films of hank griffiths on the pentrex show big boys, cab forwards, challengers and. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. They were built by baldwin locomotive works during world war ii, with the first, number 4275, entering service on october 27, 1943, and the last, 4294, on march 19, 1944. This is the interior center view of southern pacific cabforward no. Dec 03, 2016 amazing american cab forward steam loco 2007. By accident, i have a car about 23rds into the train where it sounds like a prototypical flat wheel on one of the cars. The mc2s, 40024016, were delivered as cab forwards. This is one of the most informative books ive ever seen on the subject of steam locomotives, and especially on those particular locos of the southern pacific, the cabforward articulated giants that became the steamera identity of that railroad.
However, to name a few it had three important main lines which continue as important arteries under union pacific today, the overland route san francisco to the midwest, the golden state route the southwest to kansas city, and the sunset route the pacific coast to the. Cab forwards were a distinct trademark of the southern pacific. Southern pacific 4294, the last of its kind, resides at the california state railroad museum. Carte postale moderne cab forward locomotive this is the last steam locomotive purchased by the southern pacific railr and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The main rods are gone, the classification lights are missing, the air horn has been removed from below the headlight, and the low vent for. They were built by baldwin locomotive works during world war ii, with the first, number 4275, entering service on october 27, 1943, and the last, 4294, on. A collection of beautiful shots of various power of the southern pacific railroad featuring steam and diesel images, both old and recent. Cab forward steam locomotives classic streamliners. The cabforward, exclusive trademark of the southern pacific for nearly half a century, was the outgrowth of the companys superb engineering department. The best known example of the cab forward design in the united states, the southern pacific cab forward also known to a lesser extent as cab infronts and cab aheads placed the cab at the front by the simple expedient of turning the entire locomotive, minus the tender, by 180 degrees.
Published by central valley railroad publications, wilton, ca 1982. The 4274 was the last cab forward to operate on the southern paci. Southern pacific railroad in the cascades cab forward. The helpers are cut out, turned, and return light to oakridge. The locomotive looks as if it is backwards and facing the wrong direction. Southern pacific 4882 cab forward locomotives in the usa the sacramento division of the southern pacific had close to 150 miles of grades of up to 2. The locomotive looks much like its backward and facing the wrong direction but this design was very deliberate and its purpose was to keep train crews away from the thick smoke. Cab forward the story of southern pacific articulateds by robert church. Central valley railroad publications, 1982 articulated locomotives 310 pages. The sights and sounds of a southern pacific cab forward. Southern pacific lionmaster tmcc 4882 ac12 cab forward.
Railfan depot southern pacific cab forward facebook. Today it is preserved at the california state railroad museum csrm in sacramento. Within its 88 pages this book has 70 photographs, 47 of them in color of sp 4294 on display at the california state railroad museum in sacramento. It was unfortunate that the 4274 was not saved from being scrapped. They range from yard goats up through the daylight gs series and the ac cab forward series of locos as well as the normal freight equipment that was seen in the twilight of steam on the system. The system was operated by various companies under the names southern pacific railroad, southern pacific company and southern pacific transportation. Amazing american cab forward steam loco 2007 youtube. According to the definitive book on cab forwards those amazing cab forwardsby. These pages follow the restoration of a pair of old brass akane cab forwards.
The system was operated by various companies under the names southern pacific railroad, southern pacific company and southern pacific transportation company. The book opens with a clear explanation of the issues that gave rise to the need for a new design, why mallets proved inadequate, and how the transition to cabforward was. Now considered a classic, this book is a thorough history of all the southern pacifics articulated locomotives, including the few classes that were of conventional design. The 4274 was the last cab forward shopped by the southern. Impressive and prefect reproduction of the prototype nr 4274. Expand your options of fun home activities with the largest online selection at. Southern pacific the photography of sp employee bill wolverton vol. Southern pacific railroad locomotives in 1951 folio diagrams. It was built by the baldwin locomotive works in march 1944, and was used hauling sps trains over the sierra nevada, often working on donner pass in california. Southern pacific cab forward model railroader magazine.
Along with tmcc and the odyssey system for speed control, this new lionel model features the unsurpassed railsounds 5. Southern pacific 4882 cab forward locomotives in the usa. Southern pacific railroads ac12 class of cab forward steam locomotives was the last class of steam locomotives ordered by southern pacific. N scale ready to run locomotives intermountain railway company. From the opening of the transcontinental line, the central pacific and later the southern pacific railroad built increasing larger locomotives in the quest to move freight over the sierra mountain range. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Photocopies of 8 pages substituted where the pages left blank. Our two cab forward models are unique in that the 4294 was the last cab forward to be built and the last steam engine purchased by the southern paci. Southern pacific ho scale model train steam locomotives. Brass southern pacific ho scale model railroad locomotives. Its already been scavenged of usable and noteworthy parts note. Q in a southern pacific cabforward steam locomotive, is the engineer on the right side of the cab. This arrangement was made possible by burning fuel oil instead of coal. The southern pacific has a whole host of renowned achievements it is credited with, far too many to go into detail here.
When the mc1s and mc2s were converted from compound to simple in the late 20s and early 30s, they were all lumped into the ac1 class, which is what 4008 was when photographed at sparks in 1947. This book covers all the classes of cab forwards, in addition to the conventional ac9. Southern pacific railroad locomotives in 1951 folio. Cab forward, the story of southern pacific articulated locomotives, revised edition church, robert j. This is one of the most informative books ive ever seen on the subject of steam locomotives, and especially on those particular locos of the southern pacific, the cab forward articulated giants that became the steamera identity of that railroad. Church this is the revised edition which has 312 pages, plus six locomotive schematic drawings mm3, mc2, am2, ac4, ac7, ac12. Cabforward the story of southern pacific articulated locomotives by robert j. Over the years i have collected rivarossi cab forwards in various conditions from basket cases to new in the box. The original sp cab forwards were in fact existing conventional articulated designs from baldwin that sp had baldwin modify to run cab forward.
This book contains drawings of southern pacifics steam locomotive operating throughout the system. Cab forward question trains magazine trains news wire. Included are construction photos, design description and general locomotive layouts on fold out pages. Bob churchs thoughts on the north pacific coast cab forward inspiration for lexi in the 2017 thomas the tank engine movie journey beyond sodor, the cab forwards on why they arent double heading. Steamscenes the friendly southern pacific 2020 calendar. Southern pacific 4294 is a 4882 ac12 class cab forward type steam locomotive that was owned and operated by the southern pacific railroad sp. Sp cab forward 4882 locomotive image courtesy of accucraft the long tunnels and and snow sheds of the sierra nevada mountains led southern pacific to an ingenious solution to conditions which funnelled exhaust into the traditional locomotive crew compartment. Southern pacific the best known example of the cabforward design in the united states, the southern pacific cabforward also known to a lesser extent as cabinfronts and cabaheads placed the cab at the front by the simple expedient of turning the entire locomotive, minus the tender, by 180 degrees. The cab forwards were designed for the unusual operating conditions the southern pacific faced over the sierra nevada mountains, route of the worlds first transcontinental railroad. Within its 88 pages this book has 70 photographs, 47 of them in color of sp 4294 on display at. The southern pacific owned 144 of the distinctive cab forward articulated steam engines in the most modern configuration with streamlined cabs and large rectangular tenders.
The cab forwards were the signature locomotive of the southern pacific. The light at the back top of the engine was for the fireman to check, at night, the exhaust to see how efficient his. The southern pacific cab forward public group facebook. Likely the most unique, but very effective, steam locomotive design ever conceived and built was the southern pacific s cab forwards, which would go on to be one of the signature features of. Cabforward the story of southern pacific articulated. If so, does he have to reach back to man the throttle, reverse gear, air brakes, etc ralph podas, columbus, ohio a builders of these locomotives redesigned the cabs entirely so that crews would face the correct direction for relatively comfortable operation. The story of southern pacific articulated locomotives by church, robert j. Cabforward, the story of southern pacific articulated locomotives, revised edition church, robert j. From the films of hank griffiths on the pentrex show big boys, cab forwards, challengers and daylights. The story of southern pacific articulated locomotives revised by robert j. Dec 12, 2009 open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published.
On this roseville sparks line over the sierra nevada there were also almost 30 miles of snow sheds and tunnels. Cabforward the story of southern pacific articulateds by church, robert j. I have a great inventory of parts and have restored all of them. Articulated steam locomotive ac 11 of the southern pacific lines. The story of southern pacific articulated locomotives revised edition. The bli model is an sp class ac4, the first of the modern singleexpansion 4882 designs. The other bonus feature contains stanleys thoughts on the last run, saving 4294, the final days of cab forwards in southern california, dr. Cab forward the story of southern pacific articulateds by. A thorough description of a remarkable steam locomotive made and used exclusively for the southern pacific.
Southern pacific cab forward collection railfandepot. Seller robert gavora, fine and rare books published 1982 edition. Of the 5 classes, only the ac10, ac11, and ac12 have been imported in highly detailed brass in o scale. Feb 03, 2012 a cab forward road engine and two cab forward helpers climb to cascade summit with a freight train. When i was a young boy around ten years old i rode up front with the engineer and fireman in the cab of a fully operable freight hauling southern pacific railroad 4882 cab forward locomotive, one of the largest most powerful railway steam engines ever built and i rode in. I wont go into the history of this or other cabforward classes, in light of bob churchs excellent history, cabforward central valley railroad publications, wilton, ca, revised edition, 1982. Southern pacific the best known example of the cab forward design in the united states, the southern pacific cab forward also known to a lesser extent as cab infronts and cab aheads placed the cab at the front by the simple expedient of turning the entire locomotive, minus the tender, by 180 degrees.
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