Southern Pacific Ten-Coupled Locomotives 4

Southern Pacific Ten-Coupled Locomotives

This book presents the complete history of all Southern Pacific locomotives with ten drivers, the heavy duty workhorse engines found on the railroad’s entire far-flung “Golden Empire.” They were assigned to districts where there were heavy grades, on both the “Pacific Lines” from El Paso to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Ogden and Portland, and the subsidiary Texas & New Orleans “Atlantic Lines” from El Paso to San Antonio and New Orleans.

Coverage includes all classes of these engines, from the 1884 El Gobernador 4-10-0, the T&NO Decapod 2-10-0s, and the F class 2-10-2s, to the SP class Gresley valve-geared three-cylinder 4-10-2s.

Introductory chapters follow the development of the early locomotives that opened the West, the small engines of the Central Pacific, and turn of the century designs of compound engines, including the early cab-forwards, which are briefly described.

There are detailed descriptions of the 2-10-2 and the 4-10-2 locomotives, each class having separate chapters. Much material has never before been published in book form. Each chapter provides full details of individual class specifications, parts and appliances, including the single F-6 class engine that tested systems of steam admission.

A complete history of Gresley’s valve gear describes its success in England, followed by detailed coverage of the use of Gresley gear in the US and Canada. The three-cylinder SP class 4-10-2 material gives correct information about the use of Gresley valve gear, with drawings, specifications and maintenance details. Other chapters cover maintenance and betterments, tender history (by Arnold Menke) and photo sections show the use of the engines on all routes of the SP system.

Extensive research by noted steam authority Bob Church was required to make this book the definitive work on these locomotives. It is richly documented with 795 photos, most never before published, line elevation charts, drawings, roster, bibliography and index. This definitely is a book for SP historians, modelers and anyone interested in the workings of mans’ ingenious creation, the steam-powered railroad locomotive.