Most important CPRR and UPRR locomotives in the RR construction
From: "Nick Francolini" nick@francolini.com
I am trying to figure out what four locomotives from the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad would be considered the most important locos in the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. We know the Jupiter from CPRR and the 119 from UPRR but what would be the next three from each Railroad?
posted from CPRR Discussion Group at 8:13 PM
8 Comments:
From: kylewyatt@aol.com
In addition to CP Jupiter #60, I suppose I'd add #1 Gov Stanford (which also survives), #29 Antelope which was the Pay Train loco and was also intended to haul the train to Promontory (until an accident in the Truckee River canyon), and finally #3 CP Huntington largely because it also survives as SP #1 and became the SP icon and image.
UP I know less about. I'd include #1n but I'm not sure what other two I'd select.
—Kyle
From: Wendell Huffman
I'd nominate as most important "CPRR" locomotives "in the construction of the transcontinental railroad":
Governor Stanford, the first.
CP Huntington, last to survive as railroad property (went to SP, but that illustrates a point as well).
San Mateo, first east of Sierra (it was WPRR, but that illustrates another point).
Jupiter, at gold spikes.
From: Bob_Spude@nps.gov
If you are just considering the ca. May 10, 1869 event and the Promontory area at that time, the UP had the 119 and two other straight stacked 119 class locomotives on the Promontory. A May 9 account also has a diamond stack UP locomotive there, either the #60 or 66 (the newspaper sources are conflicting and the Hart photo is unclear). The UP pony engine #5 was also in the area. So, those three types were in the area at the May 1869 construction period.
The CP had the Jupiter #60, of course, at Promontory May 10 as well as two additional funnel stacked locomotives – photos and descriptions are unclear about the number and name. The "Whirlwind," #62 [?] is mentioned in the Promontory area by contemporary 1869 newspapers. The reminiscence of an engineer for a year later gives names of CP locomotives in use out of Ogden (and their engineers). The equipment was probably used on CP construction, but uncertain which ones.
—Bob Spude – Historian – Cultural Resources Management – National Park Service – Intermountain Region – 505.988.6770 Voice – 505.988.6876 Fax
The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.
From: "Nick Francolini" nick@francolini.com
Kyle,
Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post.
I didn't know the Antelope was the pay train, but pay trains are always interesting so I will try to use that info in my project.
Thanks again,
—Nick
From: "Nick Francolini: nick@francolini.com
Wendell,
Thank you for the nice reply to my post regarding the most important locos in the construction of the TCRR. I will include this info in my research.
Best Regards, and Thanks Again,
—Nick Francolini
From: kylewyatt@aol.com
On Union Pacific, Bob Spude suggested UP construction loco #5 (a separate number series from regular locos) as one of the "important" UP locos. This was a Schenectady-built 4-4-0T that was fairly distinctive, and shows up in a number of photos. Here is one of the most common views of it [see first photograph]. this particular photo was taken after completion of the railroad - Photographer Silvas was active in the early 1870s, taking over after the departure of AJ Russell around late 1869.
I'm not sure I have ever heard just which loco was pulling the UP special prior to the impediment of Devil's Gate Bridge (across which cars cold be pushed individually, but which precluded the locomotive from crossing because of the high water threatening the supports). UP #119 (of Promontory fame) was called on to haul the special cars after they had crossed the bridge. Thus neither the CP nor the UP locos at Promontory were the ones originally planned by the railroads to be there.
If there is interest in locos that became famous after Promontory, that is a different matter.
—Kyle
From: "Nick Francolini" nick@francolini.com
Bob,
Wow, I've been researching this for weeks and haven't even come close to the info you provided.
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond with very useful info.
Best Regards,
Nick Francolini
From: Bob_Spude@nps.gov
Much if this is covered in Gerald Best's Iron Horses to Promontory (1969), a good book but dated and should be used with some caution. My hunch is that in early 1869 the Casement brothers favored and used the UP 66 as "their" locomotive. It is in photos of their work train and it was used by them to go to Promontory to explain to Stanford et al that the UP celebrants would not make the May 8 planned last spike ceremony. Similarly, I think Strobridge used the CP's "Whirlwind" as "his" locomotive during the last days of construction. It too is in a number of photographs and period newspaper accounts. So, though the worthy CP 60, the "Jupiter," and the UP 119 get the limelight, the captains of the construction crews were using the UP 66 and the CP 62, "Whirlwind," those last anxious weeks of construction.
—Bob Spude – Historian – Cultural Resources Management – National Park Service – Intermountain Region – 505.988.6770 Voice – 505.988.6876 Fax
The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.
Post a Comment
<< Recent Messages