Southern Pacific Class GS-5

Southern Pacific No. 4459 is an example of a GS-5.

The Lima-Southern Pacific GS-5 ("GS" meaning for "Golden State" or "General Service") is a type of streamlined 4-8-4 Northern steam locomotive built by the Lima Locomotive Works in 1942 for the Southern Pacific Railroad. The SP only ordered two engines of this class, numbers 4458 and 4459. The GS-5s were identical in appearance to the GS-4s, the only difference being the roller bearings that gave the locomotive a smoother ride and added weight.

The GS-5's were designed for high-speed passenger service on Southern Pacific's premier passenger trains, the Coast Daylight, San Joaquin Daylight and Sunset Limited. In later years, they were painted black and had their side skirting removed for easier maintenance. They were considered the best of the GS series and ended their careers on Southern Pacific's San Joaquin Valley line.

Locomotive #4458 was known as the pinnacle of steam power on the Southern Pacific, and lasted in service the longest, pulling the ever popular Valley Daylight until late 1956.

In 1958, they were both retired and later scrapped, and neither of these two GS-5's survive after running well over a million miles.

Locomotive Roster

Locomotive Numbers	Image	Date Built	Date Retired	Date Scrapped	Notes
No. 4458		May 1942	Both of them were retired in 1958 and scrapped later in same year.
No. 4459		June 1942