With the exception of the original equipment of the Carson and Colorado, the locomotives and rolling stock of the Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge were almost entirely hand me down from other western narrow gauges. Railroads that were widened to standard gauge such as the Nevada California Oregon, South Pacific Coast, Oregonian and others fed the Mina branch with its equipment throughout most of its existence.
Click here to learn more about C&C business car #2 pictured above.
Throughout the railroads 80 years of service, it maintained most of its equipment to a high standard. Fresh paint adorned boxcars as late as 1959, while service dates have been found on cars as late as February 1960, only two months prior to the railroads abandonment.
The all time roster of locomotives – 27 in total – is worthy of a study in and of itself and therefore is not included on this page. Many of the epic tomes that have been authored over the years Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge by Mallory Hope Ferrel, Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Locomotives and Freight Equipment by Robert Bader, and Southern Pacific #18 Steams Anew by Randy Babcock all contain locomotive rosters and photos.
The S.P.’s nomadic fleet of equipment, with its sunburt red paint and gently sagging frames, has today become a modelers paradise.
Despite the fact that most of the equipment has long since been dismantled and exists only in memories and photos, a rather large fleet still survives. While most of these surviving cars spend their days as sheds scattered throughout the Owens Valley, some do indeed survive as living reminders of the “Slim Princess”. Pictures and locations of much of this surviving equipment can be found in the rosters listed below:
Surviving Stockcars, flatcars, tankcars, gondolas, and MOW equipment
The C&C and SP certainly had some unique pieces; business car #2 (picture above), the innovative “pipe” boxcars (below) – so called because of the pipe framing -,officers car #10 “Esmeralda”, and far more utilitarian cars like all steel flatcar #209 (below). For a more comprehensive all time roster, Robert A. Baders wonderful book Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Locomotives and Freight Equipment is an invaluable source.
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