Southern Pacific class GS-8

The Southern Pacific Class GS-8 was a class of four 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the St. Louis Southwestern Railway (also known as the "Cotton Belt Route"), as Cotton Belt Class L-1 steam locomotives but would be later leased to the Southern Pacific Transportation Company where they would be classified as GS-8.

History
During the Second World War, the Southern Pacific Transportation Company needed more motive power to tackle the issues throughout the conflict. The St. Louis Southwestern Railway decided to make an agreement with the Southern Pacific Transportation Company to lease seven of their own Class L1 4-8-4 locomotives to the Southern Pacific Transportation Company. This resulted in what would become the Southern Pacific Class GS-8.

The Southern Pacific class GS-8 actually was one of two classes of ex-Cotton Belt Route Class L1 that were leased to the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, with the other one being the GS-7.

The Southern Pacific class GS-7 and GS-8 locomotives were built at the exact same time that their GS-1 locomotives were built.

All four of the Southern Pacific Class GS-8 locomotives were retired from active service on the Southern Pacific Transportation Company during the late 1950s, and none were preserved.