C. P. Huntington

Infobox Locomotive
name="C. P. Huntington"


caption="C.P. Huntington" after its 1888 rebuild in Sacramento
powertype=Steam
railroad=Central Pacific
Southern Pacific
whytetype=4-2-4T
roadnumber=CP 3, SP 1, renum 1001 in 1891
builder=Cooke Locomotive Works
builddate=October 1863
firstrundate=April 15 1864
officialname="C. P. Huntington"
driversize=54 in diameter
gauge=4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm)
cylindersize=11 in dia × 15 in stroke
weight=39,000 lb
weightondrivers=18,500 lb
boilerpressure=125 psi
tractiveeffort=3,571 lbf
currentowner=California State Railroad Museum
disposition=static display
serialnumber=277

"C. P. Huntington" is a 4-2-4T steam locomotive currently on static display at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, California, USA. It is the first locomotive purchased by the Southern Pacific Railroad, carrying that railroad's number 1. The locomotive is named in honor of Collis P. Huntington, the third president of the Southern Pacific Company (parent company of Southern Pacific Railroad).

History and career

"C. P. Huntington" was originally purchased by Central Pacific Railroad (CP) in 1863 as that railroad's number 3, along with its sister engine "T. D. Judah" (CP no. 4). It was CP's third locomotive after "Gov. Stanford" (number 1, built by Norris Locomotive Works) and "Pacific" (number 2, built by Mason Machine Works). CP used the locomotive beginning on April 15 1864, during construction of the western portion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in North America.

Southern Pacific (SP) purchased "C. P. Huntington" from CP on February 5 1871, and used it in light service in northern California. It was rebuilt twice, first in 1873 with new valves and again in 1888 with a new boiler built by CP's Sacramento shops. In 1888 the locomotive was also put on public display for the first time in Sacramento.

In SP's 1891 renumbering plan, "C. P. Huntington" was assigned road number 1001. The locomotive was placed in storage for some time until it was rebuilt for use as a lineside weed burner in 1901. Its use as a weed burner proved unsatisfactory and the locomotive was again removed from active service. In 1910, "C. P. Huntington" was again rebuilt and it was then kept at SP's machine shops where it remained for a few years. The locomotive was nearly scrapped in 1914; it was spared this fate by SP management so that it could be displayed at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915 after a cosmetic restoration.

"C. P. Huntington" is currently on static display at the California State Railroad Museum.

Working replicas

Chance Industries Inc. (now Chance-Morgan after merging with D.H. Morgan Manufacturing), began to fabricate their in to mm|24 gauge C.P. Huntington Train locomotive in 1960. It is a geared locomotive similar to a Heisler locomotive powered by a gasoline or disesel engine. Its drive wheels are not powered but roll on the rails and fake side rods reciprocate in and out of fake cylinders. This park train has been the most popular park train since The Allan Herschell Company merged to Chance Industries and the S-24 "Iron Horse" train production ceased. Many amusement parks are replacing their steam locomotives since this train is easier to maintain and operate.Fact|date=May 2007

References

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* [http://www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=191 "C.P. Huntington" Information Page]