San Diego and Arizona Railway #104
Last surviving steam locomotive of the SD&A Railway.
This is the only surviving steam locomotive out of 23 that were owned by the San Diego & Arizona Railroad. It is a 2-8-0 Consolidation type, built by Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1904.
When the SD&A opened in late 1919, it was soon discovered that the older locomotives on hand were not powerful enough for the steep 2% grades in the mountains, so six of these powerful Consolidation types were purchased from the Southern Pacific. The 104 was used for both freight and passenger trains and was considered the smoothest running locomotive on the line. It was used for films to promote the railroad, and by Hollywood in Red Lights (Goldwyn, 1926).
In 1933 the Southern Pacific took full control of the railroad, which became the San Diego & Arizona Eastern. #104 served on the SP during the war as #2720. After the war, it was returned and acquired the Vanderbilt tender that you see, with a sloping oil tank and cylindrical water tank.
In 1955 the Railway Historical Society of San Diego persuaded SP to donate #104 and John D. Spreckels' business car to the Del Mar fairgrounds. They remained there for 28 years as a popular exhibit, but unfortunately deteriorating in the salt air and rain. They were donated to PSRMA in 1988 and moved to the new museum site in Campo.
Despite periodic attempts to paint and preserve this locomotive, the kind of restoration needed to reverse damage from years of neglect is expensive. The museum hopes to collect funds so that #104 can be properly restored and displayed out of the weather.
Built by: Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, PA.
Date: May 17, 1904
Retired: October 18, 1954
Builders Number: 23899
Original Southern Pacific Number: 2720
Cost: $17,969.01
Type: Class C-8 Consolidation
Tractive Effort: 43,300 lb
Locomotive Weight: 216,700 lbs.
Locomotive Length: 38' 5-3/16"
Locomotive Width: 10' 0"
Locomotive Height: 15' 8-3/4"
Tender: 9,000 gallons water; 3,535 gallons fuel