Southern Pacific SP4449 Daylight

SP4449
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The Lima Locomotive Works of Lima, Ohio built the Southern Pacific Engine 4449 in 1941. She was one of 27 GS-4 Class locomotives built by Lima for Southern Pacific's Coast Daylight trains that ran up and down the California coast from 1941 to 1955. The Daylight locomotives were considered by many to be "the most beautiful trains in the world". Engine 4449 spent the beginning of her career as a troop and freight train during World War-II. Following the war, she was placed on the Coast Daylight routes along the California coast and San Joaquin Valley until her retirement in 1956. During that year she was placed in storage to await dismantling. Then, in 1958, Southern Pacific decided to donate the engine to the City of Portland (her current home). In 1974, engine 4449 was chosen to power the American Bicentennial Train. She is the sole survivor of Southern Pacific's steam locomotive Daylight fleet. She has been restored to her original beauty and remains active to this day.


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