SP 4449



Southern Pacific #4449 is a retired and scrapped 4-8-4 GS-4 class steam locomotive.

About
The 4449 was built along with other GS-4 class steam locomotives at the Lima Locomotive Works in 1941. The engine was designed to pull the "Daylight" passenger trains operated by the Southern Pacific. The locomotive was one of the last to be retired in 1957, and was donated to Oak's Park in Portland, Oregon for display.

In 1974, after many years of deterioration and vandalism whilst on display, the 4449 was one of the engines selected to haul the American Freedom Train. It was soon operational in 1975, and hauled the train until the end of 1976. After another Amtrak excursion, the engine then again went to Oaks Park, but this time in a building to be protected from the elements.

In 1981, the engine was restored to Daylight colors. In 1985,﻿ 4449 currently stored in the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in Portland, OR. It last ran on February 21st, 1986, and has been stored since due to mechanical issues. Sadly in April 20th, 1990, Southern Pacific permanently retired 4449 from excursion service, citing 4449's poor mechanical condition and that operating one steam locomotive was too much for the heritage fleet team as reasons. Southern Pacific moved No. 4449 to the Pennsylvania Railroad's Altoona Yard in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Around this time, the Pennsylvania Railroad was on the verge of Penn Central and Norfolk Southern, and in December of 1990, the railroad verged for good. Southern Pacific 4449 was transported to Blue Island, Illinois from Altoona, Pennsylvania and was sold to Metra Commuter Rail of Chicago, who asked Southern Pacific to relocate the 4449 so they could build a new car shop where it stood. Unfortunately, the locomotive had been vandalized over the years to the point where it was unsafe to move. Metra told Southern Pacific that he could move it to a nearby connection with the Iowa Interstate Railroad but they would have assist him in moving it. In failing health, Southern Pacific was unable to do so and took Metra to court. The judge ruled that if Southern Pacific couldn't move it, Metra would be allowed to scrap it.

Word of the 4449's endangerment spread through the local railroad community. Several groups including the Oregon Rail Heritage Center stepped in to try and save it, but soon realized it would be too costly since it could no longer move on its own wheels. Knowing that the locomotive was indeed going to be scrapped, Southern Pacific and his friends took parts off of it and gave them to local railfans. Many of these pieces, including the streamlined boiler jacket, survive today in private collections around the country.

Metra contracted with the Erman-Howell Division of the Luria Brothers scrap company to dispose of No 4449. Scrapping began on April 27th, 1992 and was completed by May 1st, 1992. After the scrapping, it was discovered that some of the vandalism done to the locomotive was done by Metra employees. As a result, six employees were fired from Metra and Southern Pacific filed a lawsuit, but lost. Thankfully, the AUX tender still exist it is now part of the Steamtown National Historic Site collection it is the largest extant single piece of a Southern Pacific 4-8-4 Northern.

The rest of the GS class were scrapped except for sister engines GS-4 #4444 and GS-6 #4460, which was donated to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and Museum of Transportation in St. Louis.