San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad
Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad

Index For This Page

This page was last updated on April 26, 2020.

(Return to Union Pacific Steam Locomotives)

Steam Locomotive Roster Notes

These rosters are based on material compiled by Gordon McCulloh and P. Allen Copeland. Allen Copeland credited his information as being based on information from Gerald M. Best, Richard Prince, Don Roberts, Harold L. Goldsmith, James J. Buckley, Donald Duke, and Joseph A. Strapac.

Date Vacated

The Union Pacific System used the term "vacated" when referring to the date a locomotive was dropped from the active roster for disposal, usually by scrapping by the railroad itself. In later years some locomotives were sold for scrap. If a locomotive was sold for further use, that term is shown and the new owner indicated, along with whatever information is known on the later history of the locomotive.

Specifications

Specifications for locomotives still in service after 1926 are taken from Los Angeles & Salt Lake R.R. Locomotive And Tender Diagrams, updated through 1-26-1928. (Collection of Gordon McCulloh)

Numbering, Renumbering, and Relettering

In late-1905, all SPLA&SL engines numbered above 100 were renumbered by adding 3000 to the road number (100 became 3100, 200 became 3200, etc.). This was done at the request of the AT&SF following the April 26, 1905 joint trackage agreement, to avoid confusion with AT&SF's engines of the same road numbers in the district where joint operations were conducted between San Bernardino and Daggett, California. Locomotives delivered after early 1905 used the new numbering pattern.

Old
Number		 Type Date
Built		 1905 SPLA&SL
Number		 1916 LA&SL
Number		 1921 LA&SL
Number
SPLA&SL 100-103 4-4-2 1903 SPLA&SL 3100-3103 LA&SL 3100-3103 LA&SL 3376-3370
SPLA&SL 200-205 4-6-0 1901-1902 SPLA&SL 3200-3205 LA&SL 3200-3205 LA&SL 3200-3205
SPLA&SL 400-420 4-6-2 1904-1905 SPLA&SL 3400-3420 LA&SL 3400-3420 LA&SL 1591-1596
SPLA&SL 500-508 2-8-0 1904 SPLA&SL 3500-3508 LA&SL 3500-3508 LA&SL 6000-6008
SPLA&SL 600-629 2-8-0 1904-1905 SPLA&SL 3600-3629 LA&SL 3600-3629 LA&SL 6009-6038

(Previous publications have shown this date as 1907, but later research in contemporary newspapers indicates that the change came in late 1905.)

When the SPLA&SL was taken over by Union Pacific subsidiary Los Angeles & Salt Lake in August 1916 it was determined that some of the locomotives carried numbers that were in conflict with Union Pacific system numbers adopted in 1915. As shown above, the locomotives with conflicting road numbers were assigned numbers that fit into the overall Union Pacific numbering pattern. Other power continued to run under their old numbers until about 1925, when they were also renumbered. The two Shay locomotives were an exception and continued to run with their original SPLA&SL numbers (59 and 61) until retirement.

New locomotives delivered after 1916 received UP system numbers as built, and transfers from other Union Pacific subsidiaries were renumbered to fit into the LA&SL roster.

All locomotives were relettered from SPLA&SL to LA&SL following the name change in August 1916, but with the original SPLA&SL numbers. Photos show that "SPLA&SL" on cab sides was replaced with "Salt Lake".

The change in 1921 was a renumbering rather than a relettering, which had already taken place in 1916. Some locomotives in the 1921-1925 time period may not have received their assigned UP System numbers prior to their disposition.

Numerous changes took place in the 1921-1925 time period as Union Pacific exerted more and more control over LA&SL operations, with 1925 being the year that UP consolidated its full control over LA&SL. In 1936, LA&SL was formally leased to UP for operation. Vacated dates up to and including 1925 are shown to allow for locomotives that may not have received their assigned UP System numbers.

Coal Fired -- Oil Fired

Unless noted, all SPLA&SL locomotives were oil-burning.

All OSL lines in Utah south of Salt Lake City were sold to SPLA&SL on July 3, 1903. Included in the sale were 17 OSL locomotives: eight OSL 300-class 4-4-0 and seven OSL 500-class 4-6-0 rod locomotives for mainline use, and two Shay locomotives from the New East Tintic Railway for switching at Tintic. All were coal-burning locomotives.

(Read more about burning coal on the SPLA&SL)

North of Caliente, SPLA&SL locomotives were coal-burning, meaning that each train changed locomotives at Caliente, where there was fueling facilities for both coal-burning locomotives, and oil-burning locomotives. Research suggests that the change from coal-burning to oil-burning for locomotives operating north of Caliente, as well as locomotive servicing facilities, took place in the 1916-1918 time period.

In the valuation reports of the Interstate Commerce Commission, stating the valuation of SPLA&SL as of June 30, 1914, states the following: "Account 19, Fuel Stations--West of Milford, Utah, the line is operated with oil-burning locomotives, which has made necessary the providing of storage and service oil tanks at division points. East of Milford when coal-burning locomotives are used standard coaling stations are provided."

A listing of SPLA&SL locomotives as of June 30, 1914, part of the same ICC valuation effort, shows that the eight former OSL 4-4-0s (SPLA&SL 28-35) were coal-burning, as were the three Shays assigned to the Tintic District, along with the four former Union Pacific 4-4-0s that became SPLA&SL 888-891 in 1913.

For the locomotives delivered new to SPLA&SL in 1901, 1902, 1904, 1905 and 1907, the ICC valuation for 1914 shows a total of 33 locomotives as being coal-burning. This appears to be sufficient numbers of locomotives to operate the railroad north of Milford (or possibly Caliente).

William Kratville, in his book "Golden Rails," on page 278, mentions that Caliente had a coal fueling station, as of 1917. There were also coal fueling stations at Carp, Modena and Milford. Caliente was the starting point for eastbound helpers to Crestline, and Modena was the starting point for westbound helpers, also to Crestline.

The Salt Lake Mining Review of December 30, 1917 made note of a new 200-ton coaling station being established at Caliente, at a cost of $20,000. (Salt Lake Mining Review, December 30, 1917)

November-December 1923
LA&SL began converting all of its locomotives to burn oil as fuel. The Salt Lake Telegram newspaper wrote, "Aside from the building improvements contemplated, the Union Pacific will purchase steel tank cars of 12,500-gallon capacity to care for the oil industry shipments at the cost of approximately $490,400. The steel tank cars are to be purchased on account of extending the use of fuel oil on the Oregon-Washington Navigation and Railroad company line and the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Route route and to meet the constantly increasing demand for tank cars in commercial service." (Salt Lake Telegram, December 8, 1923)

1928
A review of available SPLA&SL and LA&SL locomotive folio diagram books, with updates through 1928, shows no locomotives equipped to burn coal. All tender specifications are only for gallons of oil carried.

1928
The coaling station at Carp, Nevada, was demolished in 1928. (Walter R. Averett, Through The Rainbow Canyon, page 53, with photo)

(Side note concerning the use of oil on Southern Pacific in Nevada and Utah in 1912 -- Oil as a locomotive fuel was first tested on SP as 1894. The design of efficient fireboxes and burners did not come until 1900. New locomotives were being converted upon delivery at about the same time, with the conversions becoming routine by 1903. In September 1901 the railroad announced that oil fueling stations would be built all along its 1500-mile route from Ashland in southern Oregon to El Paso. Southern Pacific lines across Nevada, from Sparks to Ogden used coal exclusively until 1909, after which conversion of locomotives and construction of oil fueling stations began. Oil became the exclusive fuel on SP in Utah and Nevada by 1912. See "The Great Transformation" in SP Trainline, Issue 85, Fall 2005)

SPLA&SL - LA&SL Shops

SPLA&SL had roundhouses and shops at the following locations (north to south):

SPLA&SL shared the original OSL roundhouse at Salt Lake City at North Temple and 400 West from mid 1903 until June 1905, when the new roundhouse was completed at 900 North and 500 West. The two roads continued to use the newer facility until 16 of the 32 stalls were demolished in early 1950. The remaining 16 stalls were demolished in November 1951, and work on a new diesel shop began in December 1951. There are a few photos of the bright orange steel girders of the new diesel shop being erected, with the last roundhouse stalls still standing at the east and west edges of the building site.

SPLA&SL - LA&SL Shop Locomotives

SPLA&SL - LA&SL Shop Locomotives -- A separate roster listing of SPLA&SL and LA&SL shop locomotives assigned at Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

###