Stolley Park Railway

Locomotive #42

Stolley Park Railway's Locomotive #42 is a replica of the Central Pacific's Locomotive No. 3. In those days it was very common to name locomotives and the No. 3 received the name "C.P. Huntington". The Central Pacific was the Railroad Company that started in San Francisco to build east and meet the Union Pacific building West from Omaha. Both railroads were building the first transcontinental railroad.

Stolley Park Railway's Locomotive No. 42 is named Ulysses S. Grant.

Central Pacific's No. 3 "C.P. Huntington" was built by the Danforth, Cooke & Company Locomotive works of Paterson, New Jersey in October 1863. It was shipped on board the sailing ship "Mary Robinson". The locomotive arrived in San Francisco March 19th 1864 after sailing around Cape Horn.

Chance Manufacturing Company of Wichita Kansas built Stolley Park Railway's No. 42 in 1985. The locomotive is powered by a 4-cylinder gas engine and is equipped with airbrakes.

The "C. P. Huntington," Southern Pacific No. 1 is pictured at the railroad’s Sacramento shops prior to being shipped to San Francisco for display at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The locomotive is about to return to the city where 35-years previously it had provided motive power for a connecting shuttle service for California street cable cars.

Stolley Park Railway No. 42 has a wheel arrangement of 4-2-4 (4 leading, 2 driving and 4 trailing) and is called a "bicycle-type" locomotive. On the Central Pacific as well as other railroads in the 1800's this design of locomotive quickly became impracticable with heavier trains and steep grades. The Central Pacific wanted to purchase a larger locomotive but due to the Civil War, the CP was only able to purchase two of these type locomotives.

Where the Central Pacific's No. 3 weights 22 tons, the Stolley Park Railway No. 42 weights in at just over 3 tons. Central Pacific's No. 3 could travel at 15 MPH and Stolley Park Railway's No. 42 can travel at about 7 MPH.

The Central Pacific's No. 3 "C.P. Huntington" is significant nationally as the sole surviving standard-gauge 4-2-4 in the U.S. The unique engine is the oldest locomotive owned by the California State Railroad Museum and is depicted prominently on the Museum's logo. The California State Railroad Museum in located in Sacramento, California.

What powers #42 the Ulysses S Grant?

#42 is powered by a 4 cylinder gas motor through a transmission pretty much like the one in your family car. The Engineer moves the throttle forward and the locomotive moves forward. If the Engineer moves the throttle backwards the locomotive moves backwards. If the Engineer lets go of the throttle while running, the throttle automatically goes to neutral and the locomotive rolls to a stop.

How does the Engineer stop the train?

Air brakes. The Engineer has a brake valve that controls air in the brake lines. The more air the Engineer allows into the brake line the harder the brakes are applied. If for any reason the train were to break in between cars the air lines would break and the air brakes would apply automatically.

What does all that whistling mean?

When the Engineer gets the Highball or All! A Board! (the ok to go) from the Conductor you will here two blasts on the whistle. This is in answer to the Highball signal. As the train approaches a road crossing the Engineer will then blow two long blasts on the whistle followed by a short blast and then one more long blast that he will hold till the locomotive is in the crossing. You will also hear the Engineer blow a long blast followed by two short blasts. This means the train is approaching a station and will not stop. When you hear the Engineer do a long blast on the whistle followed by three short blast this means the train is approaching a station and will be stopping.

How fast does the train go?

On the Stolley Park Line the train travels along at a very leisurely pace of 5 miles per hour. This gives the passengers a smooth ride so they can enjoy the view of Grand Island arboretum as it passes by.