Steam Engine Number 1774 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1901. It was one of 335 engines of this class built by Baldwin from 1899 to 1901 and Number 1774 is one of seven steam engine that are in existence today.
Engine Number 1774 was acquired by Arizona Eastern Railroads between 1916 to 1924. In 1924, Southern Pacific Railroad took over and the engine was assigned to main line freight. During World War II, the engine was used to pull troop trains and to haul freight to military bases in Arizona and Southern California. Around 1945-1946, the engine was reassigned to the Globe-Miami Bowie run pulling both passenger and freight trains.
For the statistics-minded rail fans, No. 1774 has 63-inch drives, 21-inch cylinders with a 28-inch stroke and a boiler pressure of 200 pounds. Weight on the drivers is 159,000 pounds. Light weight is 164,340 pounds.
After 54 years, Engine Number 1774, a veteran of more than three million miles of service over the eight-state Southern Pacific Railroad system, was presented to the City of Globe on November 2, 1956. A spur was built by volunteers of the Ironworkers Local #75 and the old Steam Engine 1774 was relocated to its present site, the Veterans Memorial Park.
The remaining six steam engines are located as listed below:
#1629 Sold to Gene Autry
#1673 On display in Tucson, Arizona
#1727 On display in Dunsmuir, California
#1744 On display in Corinne, Utah
#1771 On display in Placerville, California
#1785 On display in Woodbury, Oregon
The Nugget has been taking our readers on a journey through the Copper Corridor, helping you to ‘Get Lost.’ We hope you continue to travel with us.
The information about Steam Engine No. 1774 is taken from a sign posted near the engine at Veterans Memorial Park in Globe.