NewEngRailPhotos
Retired and worn
SP 2252 is one of the oldest standard gauge SP locomotives in existence, constructed by Cooke in March 1897 as Southern Pacific No. 1838, one of 38 identical Class T1 Ten-Wheelers built that year. It was initially used in freight service on the Donner Pass line until it was bumped to secondary service by larger power.
In May 1929, after nearly three decades of service, No.2252 was one of four T's to be modified for "fire train" service in the northern California mountains. SP's fire trains (also called "water trains") were responsible for fighting lineside and snowshed fires along SP's transcontinental route over the Sierra Nevada, and were assigned to Truckee, Cisco, Summit and Blue Canyon. They consisted of a pump-equipped locomotive pulling two or three water cars and were extremely important for fighting the wildfires sparked by steam locomotives. Of particular importance was the protection of the wooden snowsheds at the higher elevations.
For fire train duty, No.2252 was outfitted with a Duplex pump capable of delivering 300 gallons of water per minute through a 1000-foot hose carried aboard the train. The pump was fed from the water cars, which held over 7000 gallons of water each. The trains were outfitted with plenty of axes, ladders and other fire fighting equipment, and No.2252 was fitted with a steam siren that was blown when the train was under way. During the summer, the fire train locomotives were kept hot at all times and a crew was always on duty in case the call came to more out to a fire.
No.2252 remained in fire train service until the early 1950s, long after most other members of the T1 class had been scrapped. It was retired only after modern firefighting methods and diesel locomotives made the fire trains obsolete. Its role as a firefighter ensured its preservation, because at its retirement in February 1956. SP 2252 now resides along the mainline in Roseville, CA.
Information from www.steamlocomotive.info/F32003.cfm
Retired and worn
SP 2252 is one of the oldest standard gauge SP locomotives in existence, constructed by Cooke in March 1897 as Southern Pacific No. 1838, one of 38 identical Class T1 Ten-Wheelers built that year. It was initially used in freight service on the Donner Pass line until it was bumped to secondary service by larger power.
In May 1929, after nearly three decades of service, No.2252 was one of four T's to be modified for "fire train" service in the northern California mountains. SP's fire trains (also called "water trains") were responsible for fighting lineside and snowshed fires along SP's transcontinental route over the Sierra Nevada, and were assigned to Truckee, Cisco, Summit and Blue Canyon. They consisted of a pump-equipped locomotive pulling two or three water cars and were extremely important for fighting the wildfires sparked by steam locomotives. Of particular importance was the protection of the wooden snowsheds at the higher elevations.
For fire train duty, No.2252 was outfitted with a Duplex pump capable of delivering 300 gallons of water per minute through a 1000-foot hose carried aboard the train. The pump was fed from the water cars, which held over 7000 gallons of water each. The trains were outfitted with plenty of axes, ladders and other fire fighting equipment, and No.2252 was fitted with a steam siren that was blown when the train was under way. During the summer, the fire train locomotives were kept hot at all times and a crew was always on duty in case the call came to more out to a fire.
No.2252 remained in fire train service until the early 1950s, long after most other members of the T1 class had been scrapped. It was retired only after modern firefighting methods and diesel locomotives made the fire trains obsolete. Its role as a firefighter ensured its preservation, because at its retirement in February 1956. SP 2252 now resides along the mainline in Roseville, CA.
Information from www.steamlocomotive.info/F32003.cfm