Locomotive Wiki
Advertisement


Jupiter is a multi-colored 4-4-0 tender steam locomotive.


History[]

Central Pacific No.60, named Jupiter, is a 4-4-0 American steam locomotive. The original was built by the Schenectady Locomotive Works of New York in September 1868, along with Whirlwind, Leviathan, and Storm. This particular locomotive famous for its role in the "Golden Spike Run" celebrating the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

The locomotive was originally designed to burn wood, which was the reason for its distinctive funnel which contained a spark arrestor. Famed for being the locomotive that finished the "Golden Spike Run" heading east to meet UP No.119 at the Golden Spike. The locomotives slowly advanced until the two locomotive's cowcatchers met.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

However, Jupiter was not the intended locomotive to pull the train to the golden spike, the locomotive originally intended to pull the train hit a log that rolled onto the tracks by other railroad employees, so the Golden Spike consist was added to Jupiter's train. Sadly, the historical significance of this locomotive was not realized until decades after its scrapping in 1909. However, by then, Jupiter had been unrecognizably altered.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]


Replica[]

The original Jupiter was scrapped in 1909 with little thought given at the time to its historical importance. In May 1979 a replica of Jupiter was completed by O'Conner Engineering Laboratories for the National Park Service for the Golden Spike Historic National Park to reenact the "Golden Spike Run". In the early 1990s, a vague description of the Jupiter's livery had been found in a recently uncovered March 1869 issue of The Sacramento Bee, in which the engine was said to be blue, crimson, and gold. The engine was repainted into its current livery based on this finding along with further research on liveries of similar engines of the time. The repainted engine debuted on May 10, 1994, coinciding with the 125th anniversary of the Golden Spike ceremony. Jupiter's replica is currently operational carrying the legacy of its name.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]


Trivia[]

  • When the replica was made in 1979, the locomotive was first painted red; but years later, it was repainted blue based on a vague description and has stayed that way ever since. The repainted engine debuted on May 10, 1994, coinciding with the 125th anniversary of the Golden Spike ceremony.
  • The original Jupiter had not been chosen to haul the Central Pacific dignitaries to Promontory.
  • The locomotive was known as the "King of Gods" or "God of Sky", and it was common for railroads of the 1800s to name engines after this and other mythological legends to invoke awe and wonder.
  • As part of this renumbering, the former Jupiter engine #60 became S.P. #1195 when it was sold to the Southern Pacific railroad.
  • In 1893 it was converted to burn coal, and later that year was sold to the Gila Valley, Globe and Northern Railway and designated GVG&N #1.
  • This Locomotive was Featured in The Lionel Great Railway Adventures Book, Journey of the Jupiter.
  • This engine was featured in the game ”TrainStation 2” for a limited time.


Bibliography[]


See also[]

Advertisement