Southern Pacific class AC-3
Encyclopedia
Southern Pacific Railroad
's AC-3 class of steam locomotive
was the last cab forward
design based on the 2-8-8-2
wheel arrangement. All 20 locomotives in this class were rebuilds from MC-6
class locomotives originally built by Baldwin Locomotive Works
in 1912 and 1913. The rebuilds all took place in the late 1920s at Southern Pacific's Sacramento
shops.
After the rebuilds, these locomotives were used through World War II
. The first to be retired from active service were numbers 4040 and 4045, both on October 21, 1946; the last to be retired was number 4032 on August 8, 1949. All of this class were scrapped soon after retirement.
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
's AC-3 class of steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
was the last cab forward
Cab forward
The term cab forward refers to various rail and road vehicle designs which place the driver's compartment substantially farther towards the front than is common practice.- Rail locomotives :...
design based on the 2-8-8-2
2-8-8-2
.A 2-8-8-2, in the Whyte notation for describing steam locomotive wheel arrangements, is an articulated locomotive with a two-wheel leading truck, two sets of eight driving wheels, and a two-wheel trailing truck. The equivalent UIC classification is, refined to Mallet locomotives, D1...
wheel arrangement. All 20 locomotives in this class were rebuilds from MC-6
Southern Pacific class MC-6
Southern Pacific Company's MC-6 class of steam locomotives is made up of two batches: the first consisting of 15 locomotives weighing built in 1912, the second consisting of 5 locomotives weighing built in 1913. All of the locomotives were built by Baldwin Locomotive Works...
class locomotives originally built by Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
in 1912 and 1913. The rebuilds all took place in the late 1920s at Southern Pacific's Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
shops.
After the rebuilds, these locomotives were used through World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The first to be retired from active service were numbers 4040 and 4045, both on October 21, 1946; the last to be retired was number 4032 on August 8, 1949. All of this class were scrapped soon after retirement.