Southern Pacific 5021 is an
SP-2 class
4-10-2steam locomotive built in 1926 by
ALCO at their
Schenectady, New York, shops. It is the only member of this class of SP locomotives to be preserved, and it is one of only five three-cylinder locomotives preserved in North America.
History
The locomotive was built in 1926 by the
American Locomotive Company, it was designed to haul mixed freight and passenger trains over the
Sierra Nevada range between
northern California and
Nevada. Later in its career, No. 5021 was shifted to service in
Oregon, where it remained until its retirement in 1955.
Southern Pacific donated No. 5021 to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society on March 8, 1956. In 1961, it was fired up and used for operation on the museum's spur line. However, the Southern Pacific did not like this, so they were forced to pull the tracks in 1963. Following this, No. 5021 was stored in the roundhouse of the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. While it was stored, a possible excursion career for the No. 5021 was being arranged by the Santa Fe, but the plans were dropped.
5021 sat in Southern Pacific's San Bernardino yard until 1975, when it was moved to the Southern Pacific Taylor Yard in Glendale, CA. Shortly after, it was moved back to the
RailGiants Train Museum, when Southern Pacific 4449 was on display with the American Freedom Train in the
Los Angeles County Fairgrounds. As of 2023, No. 5021 is on permanent display at the
Fairplex railway exhibit in
Pomona, California.