The Central Pacific No. 173 is a 4-4-0 "American" type steam locomotive built in 1864 by Norris-Lancaster for the Western Pacific Railroad who had it designated "H"(the Western Pacific had its engines lettered rather than numbered), naming it the "Sonoma."
The engine became Central Pacific's #173 after the railroad acquired the Western Pacific in 1869.
On November 14, 1869, a train wreck involving CP 173 and 177 occurred at Alameda Junction and both engines were brought to the railroad's extensive shops in Sacramento two years later.
The rebuilt 173, finished in November 1872, was well received by the railroad, and soon the shops produced twelve engines based on its design.
No. 173 was retired from service in 1909, and eventually scrapped, while #177 was sold to an unknown buyer in 1886.
Trivia[]
- This locomotive was an example of a modern steam locomotive of the time.
- It was the prototype for the Central Pacific's fleet of 4-4-0's when the railroad began constructing locomotives. Three of these were sold to other roads, among which was Virginia and Truckee Railroad's "Dayton," which is the only preserved example of 173's design.
- This Locomotive was the Prototype for Walt Disney's 1/8th Scale Locomotive, the Lily Belle, and eventually the 5/8th Scale Disneyland Railroad #1, C.K. Holiday.
- At the Disneyland Railroad, the No. 1 C.K. Holliday locomotive is also modeled after the 173, bearing a strong resemblance to it.
- In the 1950, 1951, 1952, and 1956 Disney animated shorts, The Brave Engineer, that is part of Disneyland, The Mouse Factory, American Folk Heroes, Walt Disney Cartoon Classics, Disney's Rootin' Tootin' Roundup, Mickey's Mouse Tracks, Donald's Quack Attack, Sing Me A Story With Belle, The Ink and Paint Club, Walt Disney Treasures, and Disney's American Legends, Out of Scale, that is part of Disney, Good Morning, Mickey, The Ink and Paint Club, Have a Laugh!, Walt Disney Cartoon Classics, Everybody Loves Donald, Walt Disney Treasures, and Chip 'n' Dale, How to Be A Detective, that is part of Walt Disney's Mickey and Donald, and Walt Disney Treasures, and A Cowboy Needs A Horse, that is a part of Donald Duck Goes West, Walt Disney Presents, The New Mickey Mouse Club, Walt Disney's Mickey and Donald, Good Morning, Mickey, Donald's Quack Attack, The Ink and Paint Club, Walt Disney Cartoon Classics, and Walt Disney Treasures, Casey Jones' 4-4-0 engine No. 2 (Johnny No. 18), is most likely based off of Central Pacific #173 in Casey Jr. the Circus Train and Friends and The Railways of Crotoonia.