Southern Pacific No. 4404 (Diesel)

Southern Pacific No. 4404
Southern Pacific No. 4404 at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California
Technical specifications
Manufacturer(s)	Electro-Motive Division
Type of locomotive	Diesel-electric
Constructed	April 1955
Classification	EMD: SD9
Gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Prime mover	EMD 567C
Cylinders	16
Service information
Operator(s)	Southern Pacific Railroad
Fleet numbers	Southern Pacific: 5428 (1955-1965) 3906 (1965-September 1975) 4404 (September 1975-present day) WRIX: 4404
Preservation information
Preserved	It was preserved
Disposition	Owned by Western Rail Inc, Airway Heights, Washington (from Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California)

Southern Pacific No. 4404 is an EMD SD9 diesel locomotive that was built by the Electro-Motive Division for the Southern Pacific Railroad in April 1955.

History

Southern Pacific No. 4404 was constructed in April 1955 by the Electro-Motive Division during the production of the EMD SD9s, and it was delivered to the Southern Pacific Railroad that same year it was constructed.

When it arrived on the Southern Pacific Railroad it was first delivered as the Black Widow-painted EMD SD9 No. 5428 but would eventually be repainted into the Southern Pacific's "Bloody Nose" livery later on in its career. When Southern Pacific's 1965 renumbering plan had occurred, No. 5428 was renumbered to 3906. No. 3906 was taken to the SP's Sacramento Locomotive Works where it was rebuilt under the SP's G.R.I.P rebuild program, it had later emerged from the SP's Sacramento Locomotive Works as EMD SD9R No. 4404.

After serving some time in Eugene, Oregon running out on various Southern Pacific lumber branches of Oregon in the 1980s, No. 4404 was retired from active service on the Southern Pacific Railroad on July 26, 1990. No. 4404 was sold to Levin Metals in Richmond, CA in December 1990 but would be spared to live on as a museum collection piece for another quarter century. The Feather River Railroad Society (FRRS) had obtained the SP 4404 in 1991.

In early 2012, the Western Pacific Railroad Museum offered her for FOB sale of $37,000. No. 4404 was eventually given to the Western Pacific Railroad Museum at Portola, California.

In 2013, the Western Pacific Railroad Museum had sold the locomotive to Western Rail Inc. after the Western Pacific Railroad Museum had spent three years advertising the locomotive for preservation.

As of today, Southern Pacific No. 4404 is currently under proud ownership of Western Rail Inc. at Airway Heights, Washington.

References

• WRIX 4404 ex-Southern Pacific SD9R in Roseville, CA (he (trainorders.com)

See also

• List of Preserved EMD SD9 Locomotives
• Southern Pacific No. 4426
• Southern Pacific No. 4450
• Southern Pacific No. 4451
• Western Rail Inc.

Gallery

• Gallery

Videos

WPRM Mechanical work day, 2-24-07

External links

• Southern Pacific 4404 - Wikipedia