Little History:

Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) number 5021 is an SP-2 class 4-10-2 steam locomotive built in 1926 by ALCO at their Schenectady, New York, shops. It is the only member of this class of SP locomotives to be preserved, and it is one of only five three-cylinder locomotives preserved in North America. The locomotive was designed to haul mixed freight and passenger trains over the Sierra Nevada range between northern California and Nevada. Later in its career, 5021 was shifted to service in Oregon, where it remained until its retirement in 1955. Southern Pacific donated 5021 to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society on March 8, 1956. In 1961, it was fired up and used for operation on the museum's spur line. However, the Southern Pacific did not like this, so they were forced to pull the tracks in 1963. Following this, 5021 was stored in the roundhouse of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. While it was stored, a possible excursion career for the 5021 was being arranged by the Santa Fe, but the plans were dropped.


Original Design.