Steam & Excursion > There Is No Denying That They Got Their Money's Worth Out Of Her!

In this day and age of rapidly changing technology it is unusual for some items to last more than a few years as newer items come on lone to replace them.  That was not always the case as we see here.

The date is the summer of 1938 and the place is Roseburg, Oregon.  Outside the Southern Pacific roundhouse sits #1903 showing her age and the various changes that she has gone through over time.  She has her rods off in preparation for shipment to her next owner.

Originally built by the Central Pacific in their Sacramento Shops in January 1882 as their #233, this 2-6-2T has already seen 56 years of service by the time this photo was taken.  The historical significance of this ancient piece of early steam motive power was not overlooked and later in 1938 she was donated to the California-Nevada Railroad historical Society.  After years on display in a park in Richmond, California, #1903 now is housed in the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento where she was first built over 136 years ago.

Martin



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 08/12/18 10:35 by LoggerHogger.

---

Intresting thing, best name I can come up with, was it built that way for switching use? Any ideas Martin?

BAB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Intresting thing, best name I can come up with,
> was it built that way for switching use? Any ideas
> Martin?

If I recall correctly, these engines were built for commuter train service in the East Bay (Oakland, Alameda), California before the lines were electrified and became the famous Red Car system.

Seen very few photos of these interesting engines.  One of them (number given in records sometimes conflicts, but was probably CP builder number 18, built as CP 235 and later numbered 1506 and 1905) was sold to the Tidewater Southern Railway and reportedly numbered their first #1.  Haven't seen any photos of it come to light yet.  Another (CP b/n 17, built CP 234, then r/n 1505 and 1904 was used on the Howard Terminal as their #3.  I've heard a couple photos of that engine are around.  I recall one also went to a lumber company in Oregon.

Z

 

Here is some additional information on the locomotive from an old roster of equipment from the Pacific Locomotive Association.
Built new as Central Pacific Railroad #233 for local passenger service in Oakland.  Renumbered CP1504 in 1891.  Renumbered again in 1901 as SP 1903,  Retired in 1911 when the commute lines were electrified it was sold to the Brady Equipment company of Portland Oregon on August 31, 1914.  Rented for use by the Portland Railway Light and Power and in 1917 by the Haskell-Carpenter Logging Company.  Sold on April 2, 1917 to the Portland Cement Company.  Purchased by the California-Nevada RR Hist. Soc. in 1938 and moved by SP to Oakland in 1941 and placed in storage.  In 1952 it was restored to resemble its original appearance as CP233 and put on display at the Oakland Municipal Auditorium.  Acquired by the Pacific Locomotive Association in June 1972; In February 2000 the PLA Board of Directors voted to trade it to the California State Railroad Museum for two suburban coachs and other equipment.  Stored currently at the California State Railroad Museum, Sacramento, CA.     Tom E.  
 

Thanks much quite a story and more than one built too. Boyd

zephyrus Wrote:

> Another (CP b/n 17, built CP 234, then r/n 1505
> and 1904 was used on the Howard Terminal as their
> #3.  I've heard a couple photos of that engine
> are around. 

A photo of Howard Terminal 3 is in this old thread:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3651981,3652514#3652514

Here is a picture of her taken during the SPH&TS tour of the Sacramento Locomotive Works on 10/8/15.

---