Southern Pacific Class P-8

The Southern Pacific Class P-8 was a class of 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotives that were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in 1921.

History
In all, a total of 15 locomotives of what had become the Southern Pacific Class P-8 were ever constructed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1921 and they were all numbered as 2461-2475. They were designed to be used on the Southern Pacific specifically for the Overland Route from Ogden, Utah, to Oakland, California.

The P-8 locomotives had thrived until the larger, more powerful Mt-class of 4-8-2s were delivered in the late 1920s. Most of the P-8s were then transferred further west for service between Oakland, California and Sacramento, California, along with the demanding Peninsula Commute services between San Francisco, California and San Jose, California.

Withdrawal of the class commenced in 1958, and all but two were scrapped.

Preservation
Two locomotives have survived into preservation.


 * 2467 had run in operational condition until August 2005 when No. 2467 was subsequently towed back to the California State Railroad Museum (CSRM) in Sacramento, California, where a long-term loan was signed to keep the locomotive in storage at the CSRM's property. As of 2022, No. 2467 is still stored serviceable while being displayed inside the CSRM's main hall with the chances of it running in operational condition being unlikely.
 * 2472 was donated to San Mateo County, California, where they had put the locomotive on static display at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds, it remained there in that spot until 1976 when a group of volunteers decided to restore the locomotive to operating condition. Restoration work was completed on April 30, 1991, the locomotive had also met up with Southern Pacific GS-4 #4449, as of 2023, No. 2472 is undergoing a 1,472-day inspection and overhaul.