Southern Pacific GS-2 class

Southern Pacific GS-2
The debut of Southern Pacific's Daylight in 1937.
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Lima Locomotive Works Serial number 7646–7651 Build date 1937 Total produced 6
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-4  • UIC 2′D2′ h2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Driver dia. 73 in (1,854 mm) Axle load 67,000 lb (30,000 kilograms; 30 metric tons) Adhesive weight 266,500 lb (120,900 kg; 120.9 t) Loco weight 448,400 lb (203,400 kg; 203.4 t) Total weight 821,400 lb (372,600 kg; 372.6 t) Fuel type Fuel oil Fuel capacity 4,900 US gal (19,000 L; 4,100 imp gal) Water cap. 22,000 US gal (83,000 L; 18,000 imp gal) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 90.2 sq ft (8.38 m2) Boiler pressure 250 psi (1.72 MPa) Heating surface 4,858 sq ft (451.3 m2) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 2,565 sq ft (238.3 m2) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 27 in × 30 in (686 mm × 762 mm)
Performance figures Maximum speed At least 90 mph (145 km/h) Power output 4500hp at 55 mph (89 km/h) Tractive effort 62,200 lbf (276.68 kN), 75,950 lbf (337.84 kN) with booster
Career Operators Southern Pacific Company Class GS-2 Numbers 4410–4415 First run January 1937 Retired 1956 Disposition All scrapped

The GS-2 was a streamlined 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotive that served the Southern Pacific Company from 1937 to 1956. They were built by Lima Locomotive Works and were numbered 4410 through 4415. GS stands for "Golden State" or "General Service."

The GS-2 had a very different appearance than that of the GS-1. The GS-2s were streamlined and designed for high-speed passenger service. They featured a silver smokebox with a cone-shaped single headlight casing, skyline casing on the top of the boiler, skirting on the sides, and an air horn. They retained the teardrop classification lights and whistles.

They were the first to receive the red and orange "Daylight" paint scheme and were used for the streamlined debut of Southern Pacific's premier passenger train, the Coast Daylight in 1937. The following year they were replaced by the improved GS-3 engines. During World War II, they were painted black and silver and were used to transport troops. In the 1950s their side skirting was removed for easier maintenance, and the locomotives were assigned to general service, pulling such trains as San Jose-San Francisco commutes, the "Coast Mail" trains, and freight service.

No GS-2 locomotives survive.

Further reading

• Church, Robert J. (2004). Southern Pacific Daylight Locomotives (1st ed.). Signature Press. ISBN 1-930013-11-6. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Diebert, Timothy S.; Strapac, Joseph A. (1987). Southern Pacific Company Steam Locomotive Conpendium (1st ed.). Shade Tree Books. ISBN 0-930742-12-5. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

External links

• Media related to Southern Pacific class GS-2 at Wikimedia Commons
• Southern Pacific Coast Daylight Engines