Southern Pacific #8 is a

narrow-gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...

steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the loco ...

, built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in August 1907. It was originally built for the

Nevada–California–Oregon Railway The Nevada–California–Oregon Railway was a narrow gauge railroad originally planned to connect Reno, Nevada, to the Columbia River. However, only of track were laid so service never extended beyond Lakeview, Oregon. Because of the compa ...

as their second #8, and was sold to Southern Pacific in 1929. She spent the rest of its career hauling passengers and freight along Southern Pacific's Keeler Branch. The locomotive, along with sisters #9 and #18 were nicknamed "The Desert Princesses", having served the desert areas of

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...

and

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

. In 1954, an GE 50 Ton diesel locomotive was purchased, relegating steam power on the Southern Pacific's narrow-gauge line to backup duty. Locomotive #8 was retired in 1955 after 48 years of service and donated to the State of Nevada. Now owned by the Nevada State Railroad Museum, it has been on display at Lillard Park at

Sparks, Nevada Sparks is a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. It was founded in 1904, incorporated on March 15, 1905, and is located just east of Reno. The 2020 U.S. Census counted 108,445 residents in the city. It is the fifth most populous city in ...

since 1975 after negotiations of a long-term loan.

References

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External links

Nevada State Railroad Museum
* https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5030/5686584026_d534a91817_b.jpg * http://www.pacificng.com/imglib/main.php?g2_itemId=11020&g2_imageViewsIndex=2 Spec sheets for SPng/N-C-O #8 courtesy of Pacificng.com. 0008 4-6-0 locomotives Baldwin locomotives 3 ft gauge locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1907 Preserved steam locomotives of Nevada Sparks, Nevada Narrow gauge steam locomotives of the United States Individual locomotives of the United States

See also

References

External links