# Southern Pacific GS-1 class

The Southern Pacific GS-1 was a class of conventional 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) and its Texas subsidiary the Texas and New Orleans Railroad (T&NO) from 1930 to 1956. A total of fourteen were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, numbered 4400 through 4409 by SP and 700 through 703 by T&NO.

## History
### Design and abilities

During the Great Depression in the 1930s, the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) needed more power for their heavy passenger train service. They ordered a batch of fourteen 4-8-4 GS-1 locomotives from the Baldwin Locomotives Works between May and July 1930. The prefix GS indicates Golden State. Originally, the GS-1s' operating boiler pressure was 210 psi (1.45 MPa), but would eventually increase to 250 psi (1.72 MPa). The GS-1s were the first SP steam locomotives to have the cylinders connected to the frame in one piece. These locomotives operated on saturated steam for the injector, steam heat, hydrostatic lubricator, power reverser; and superheated steam for the oil-burning equipment, feedwater heater pumps, air pumps, booster, and whistle. They were designed to traverse through curves as sharp as 18 degrees.

### Revenue service

The first four locomotives, Nos. 700-703, were assigned to the Texas and New Orleans (T&NO) subsidiary, while the last ten, Nos. 4400-4409, were built for SP's main fleet. The GS-1s were assigned to various passenger trains throughout the SP system, and ended their careers on the San Jose-San Francisco Peninsula Commute service.
No GS-1 locomotives survive.

## Fleet details

GS-1 Locomotive Details :
| Road number | Built date | Serial number | First run date | Scrapped date | Notes |
| 700 | May 1930 | 61390 | August 12, 1930 | May 31, 1956 | Originally No. 700 from T&NO in December 1952 as SP's second No. 4403 replacement in March 1953. Renumbered again as SP's second No. 4470 in July of that year. |
| 701 | May 1930 | 61391 | August 13, 1930 | January 20, 1956 | Originally No. 701 from T&NO in January 1953, became SP's second No. 4471 in July of that year. |
| 702 | June 1930 | 61408 | August 8, 1930 | July 9, 1956 | Originally No. 702 from T&NO in January 1953, became SP's second No. 4404 in April of that year. Renumbered again as No. 4472 three months later. |
| 703 | June 1930 | 61409 | August 7, 1930 | February 15, 1955 | Originally No. 703 from T&NO in January 1953, then became SP's No. 4406 replacement in April of that year. Renumbered again as No. 4473 three months later. |
| 4400 | June 1930 | 61410 | August 23, 1930 | March 23, 1954 | Loaned to T&NO as No. 708 from 1943 to 1952. Returned to the SP as No. 4470 in March 1953 and renumbered again as No. 4400 in July of that year. |
| 4401 | June 1930 | 61411 | August 25, 1930 | June 8, 1955 | Used for evaluation of various burner arrangements and different usage grades of oil in Sacramento, California in September 1946 until late 1951. |
| 4402 | June 1930 | 61412 | August 26, 1930 | April 24, 1959 | Rebuilt in February 1932, after being involved in a boiler explosion at Richvale, California on December 25, 1931. |
| 4403 | June 1930 | 61413 | August 27, 1930 | August 15, 1955 | Loaned to T&NO as No. 709 in 1943. Returned to the SP as No. 4471 in 1952 and renumbered again in July 1953 as No. 4403. |
| 4404 | June 1930 | 61414 | August 27, 1930 | ? | Sold to T&NO as No. 710 in 1943. |
| 4405 | June 1930 | 61415 | August 28, 1930 | May 27, 1957 | Vacuum brakes added in February 1957. |
| 4406 | July 1930 | 61430 | September 18, 1930 | ? | Sold to T&NO as No. 704 in March 1941. |
| 4407 | July 1930 | 61431 | September 22, 1930 | June 1, 1955 | Loaned to T&NO as No. 705 from 1941 to 1952. Returned to the SP on April 20, 1953. |
| 4408 | July 1930 | 61432 | September 24, 1930 | August 15, 1955 | Loaned to T&NO as No. 706 from 1941 to 1953. Returned to the SP on April 20, 1953. Used as an official portrait of this locomotive class. |
| 4409 | July 1930 | 61433 | October 9, 1930 | September 6, 1955 | Loaned to T&NO as No. 707 from 1941 to 1952. Returned to the SP on June 11, 1953. |