UP 844 meets the SP 2472

Wow, great shots. I would love to see that SP loco someday...

this will not happen again any time soon!

Great times, I was working the 844's train on that trip and was hiding near the 4th car back grabbing a smoke, and my wife was wandering around checking out the 2472 before climbing back on our train.

Is that 2472 still running? I looked online and couldn't find any current status...

Yeah, she still runs, just not on the mainline.  She's pretty much confined to PLA's mainline on the Niles Canyon Railroad, but, since she's owned by Golden Gate Railroad Museum, they are moving to a new home soon.

p51 posted:

Is that 2472 still running? I looked online and couldn't find any current status...

Good question, it got me wondering. I found this info:

http://www.atrrm.org/blog/2015...eum-to-move-in-2016/

The Golden Gate Railroad Museum has been notified that it will have to vacate its temporary site at the Niles Canyon Railway in 2016. The museum has been in flux since it was evicted from its leased space at San Francisco’s Hunters Point Naval Station in 2007. Unable to find a site of its own, GGRM got rid of several pieces of rolling stock and moved the west of it (37 pieces) to the Pacific Locomotive Association’s Niles Canyon site, about 60 rail miles from Hunter’s Point ...

By all accounts the two organizations made a good faith effort to coexist at Niles. GGRM paid for additional storage tracks in the Brightside yard, but shop space, already tight, became even tighter. Its Southern Pacific 4-6-2 #4472 hauled periodic excursions, and GGRM contributed rolling stock to the annual Train of Lights, the year’s biggest fund raising event ...

In the end PLA decided not to extend the lease agreement. Although GGRM has been looking for sites since arriving at Niles, none has been secured to date.

Pacific Locomotive Association operates the Niles Canyon Railway and owns sister locomotive SP-2467.

photo by Ace 1991

I haven't seen the 2472 since Railfair 1991 at the California State Railroad Museum.

PLA's 2467 is out of service (and has been for years) and is on semi-permanent display at CSRM.  From what I understand it has wheel bearing issues and now needs a 1472 inspection to run again.

So what will they do?  Scrap that beautiful machine?  It isn't like they can find a garage for it.

bob2 posted:

So what will they do?  Scrap that beautiful machine?  It isn't like they can find a garage for it.

Where did you even get the idea that they would scrap it.   Did you read any of the post above?

Several friends of mine are involved in the management of GGRM, and love that locomotive, and I can assure you, we have far more chance of the IRS refunding 10 years of our taxes back to us out of the kindness of their hearts than 2472 getting scrapped.

2472 is a very handsome engine, and I am hoping that they can find a new home with a main track connection.  Several years ago, they ran it at speed and it was, according to those who were there, a truly fine steam trip.

In the end PLA decided not to extend the lease agreement. Although GGRM has been looking for sites since arriving at Niles, none has been secured to date.

I must have skipped the post where they said the locomotive has a new home.  Sorry - I did not mean to pees you off.

p51 posted:

Is that 2472 still running? I looked online and couldn't find any current status...

Yes...the 2472 is running.  However...it is moving from Niles Canyon in the SF Bay Area to Santa Cruz, CA.  It has been out on the tracks for a while, though.

Thanks for posting this run Matt. That was a fun day. I spent four years filming the SP 2472, much of it with Matt working sound. We shot this after the DVD came out. Please watch in HD, enjoy. Don