The "Daylight" GS-4 # 4449 and Passenger Consist

THE MIGHTY SP "DAYLIGHT" GS-4 #4449 AND PASSENGER CONSIST

In February of 2008, Kato USA released the most famous steam locomotive in United States railroad history, #4449, the mighty "Daylight" GS-4. The "Daylight" GS-4 #4449 was previously released in N scale by Con-Cor and Key Imports. The significance of the Kato release is it's reasonable price and well thought out design. The Kato GS-4 #4449 sells for a MSRP of $145 and can be purchased at many online e-tailers at a price below $100. The Con-Cor GS-4 lists for $ 300 and the Key Imports GS-4 lists for $400. The Key Imports GS-4 is no longer in production and can be found on Ebay or similar auctions for prices that exceed $400. Of the three locomotives, the Kato GS-4 "Daylight" #4449 looks and performs the best of the steamers.

The Kato USA version of the "Daylight" SP GS-4 is very well designed and it is "DCC friendly". Kato also supplies a decoder that is an add-on option (EM-13). This decoder only controls the motor aspects of the locomotive and a separate sound decoder is needed to supply sound. Soundtraxx makes a Micro Tsunami decoder that controls motor and sound functions. If you use the Kato decoder (EM-13) for motor functions, you can buy a Digitrax sound decoder that supplies all the GS-4 sound functions. Both decoders can fit in the tender. ( See Photo 1) Photo's 2 and 3 show closeup views of Kato GS-4 Mikado. The locomotive doesn't have white rimmed drivers as does the Con-Cor GS-4 Mikado.

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

The Con-Cor GS-4 has white rimmed drivers that distinguish the Con-Cor version of this steamer from the Kato GS-4 and Key Imports GS-4. The Con-Cor GS-4 has room for a drop-in Digitrax decoder in the tender. This steam locomotive was one of the first N scale steamers that came with a eight pin board for a PlugN'Play decoder. A Soundtraxx micro Tsunami sound decoder and speaker can be installed in the tender once the original eight pin board is removed. The micro Tsunami decoder has to be hardwired to the tender and steamer.

The Key Imports GS-4 isn't DCC friendly at all. A sound decoder has to be hardwired to the locomotive and the decoder and speaker can be placed in the tender. Of the three GS-4's, the Kato GS-4 offers the most possibilities for different sound decoder choices. You can also hard wire a Lenz silver mini decoder above the frame in the Kato GS-4 boiler. Both the Con-Cor GS-4 and Key Imports GS-4 don't offer this alternative, as there is no room above the frame in the boiler.

All three N scale GS-4's are very well designed. The three steamers are about equal in weight. The Key Imports brass Gs-4 might be slightly heavier due to it's brass construction. Con-Cor and Kato GS-4's have plastic boilers.

In Photo 2's through 7 you can see closeup, the exquisite detailing of the three GS-4's. While the Key Imports GS-4 has by far the best detailing, Kato's GS-4 is a close second. Con-Cors GS-4 is not far behind although the detailing isn't as crisp as the first two GS-4's discussed above.

Photo 4 (Key Imports)

Photo 5 (Key Imports)

Photo 6 (Con-Cor)

Photo 7 (Con-Cor)

If we look head on at the smoke boxes and front pilots of the three GS-4's (See Photo 8), we can see subtle variations in the smoke box design as well as the detailing of the front pilots of the three steamer. The Con-Cor GS-4 is on the left. The Key Imports GS-4 is in the middle and the Kato GS-4 is on the right side of the photo. The Kato GS-4 and the Key Imports GS-4 designs of the smoke box are very similar. There are distinct but slight variations in the design and treatment of the front pilot by each manufacturer.

Photo 8

Based on the technology that is now available as well as the locomotives price structure, The Kato GS-4 is by far the best choice for the N scale modeler.

The Kato GS--4 has by far the best performance in terms of pulling power. It will easily pull the 18 car "Daylight" passenger car consist up a 4% grade. Kato demonstrates the GS-4's performance in a video on their website. On the JJJ&E, the Kato GS-4 easily pulls the 18 car passenger consist up the long 2% grades of the layout. The Con-Cor GS-4 and Key Imports GS-4 can't match this performance. The Con-Cor GS-4 is a close second and can pull about 15 cars up the same grade. The Key Imports GS-4 is a distant third in performance despite it's heavier weight. It will pull about 12 passenger cars up the same grade. Of course it must be noted that the performance of these steamers will vary from layout to layout.

Kato also has released an 10 car "Daylight" passenger car series, followed by the release of four articulated passenger sets of two cars each, for a grand total of 18 cars. The passenger cars are also very highly detailed, which continues in the tradition that Kato has established with all its passenger car series through the years.

Kato was very accurate in its design of the 18 car "Daylight" passenger set. Ten cars were released in the initial run of this series.The cars included #3302 baggage car, #10258 coffee shop car, # 10257 kitchen car and # 10256 dining car. The above three cars were articulated together. # 2492 was an individual chair car. #2474 and #2473 were articulated together as one unit. This was followed by #10315, a tavern car, #3002, a parlor car and last but not least #2955, a parlor observation car. The second run of eight cars included four articulated chair car sets. There are two cars in each set. These include #2458, #2457, #2477, #2478, #2479, # 2480, #2468 and # 2467.

Car #'s 2458, 2457, 2477 and 2478 were positioned behind the baggage car #3302 and in front of the articulated coffee shop, kitchen and dining cars.

Car #'s 2468 and 2467 were positioned behind articulated chair car #2473 and in front of the tavern car #10315. This completed the original 18 car "Daylight" series passenger car train. In later years, the number of cars varied depending on the run.

On close inspection of these cars, Kato's detailing is very crisp and close to the prototype.The paint on each car is very well done and crisp. The articulation between the articulated cars is very realistic and provides close coupling. The coupling of the single cars can be improved upon with the Kinetmatic close coupling kit which is now available.

However Kato gives the modeler an opportunity to close couple cars by leaving one coupler on each car with room to shorten the coupling space. (See Photo's 9 & 10) You first remove the wheel set that is closest to the coupler. Then the coupler can be lifted up and slide one notch over to shorten the coupler distance. Reinsert the wheel set when this adjustment is completed. The closer coupling distance will limit the radii you can use with the cars if you make this modification. The turning radii should be 14 3/4" or greater. Any sharper radii will cause this closer coupling arrangement of the cars to derail.

Photo 9

Photo 10

Lighting can also be added to each car and kits are available separately from Kato. There are also optional lighting kits as well for DCC users. The lighting kits can be purchased separately or in packages of six. This is a very impressive train when all the cars have lights and are coupled behind the GS-4 "Daylight" steam locomotive.

In conclusion, the Kato GS-4 will pull 18 cars easily up a 4% grade. The minimum radius for this steam loco according to Kato is 11 inches. An ideal radius is 19 inches, the Kato GS-4 will perform just as well on sharper radii.

Below is a brief history of this very famous steam locomotive.

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The Southern Pacific "Daylight" GS-4 # 4449 is the last surviving steam locomotive in Southern Pacific GS-4 class of steamers. GS stands for Golden State as this steamer operated in California, mainly from San Francisco to Los Angeles in its early years (1940's). GS also stands for General Service. Lima Works produced the # 4449 GS-4 locomotive in 1941 and the steam locomotive continued in General Service until 1957.

The GS-4 runs on four massive 80 inch drivers, with 300 psi boiler pressure and 5500 horsepower at a 55 mph speed. The GS-4 has a maximum top speed of 110 mph. The very large drivers give this steamer a high top speed, which denotes a steam locomotive built for passenger service. One of the unique features of the GS-4 is its Mars light, which was a necessity due to all the grade crossings and fog this steamer encountered on its many runs along the coast of California. The Mars light was used as an effective warning on the locomotives approach to grade crossings.

The # 4449 steam locomotive was given the name of "daylight" because of its orange and red colors, which also was the coloring of the passenger cars it pulled. The locomotive was put on display at a museum in Oak Park, Portland Oregon, where it remained until 1974, when it was retired from service in 1958. It was decked out in black and silver colors during the American Bicentennial celebration (1976). The mighty # 4449 GS-4 was used to pull the second American Freedom train which toured the continental United States during the American Bicentennial ceremonies.

In 1981, # 4449 was returned to its original "Daylight" colors and has been used exclusively on excursion trains ever since. # 4449 played a prominent role in the movie "Tough Guys" starring Burt Lancanster, Kirk Douglas and Eli Wallach in 1999. This magnificent steam locomotive is the most recognizable steam locomotive in United States railroad history and modelers in all scales look to purchase this locomotive when it becomes available in their scale.

In 1999, the United States Postal Service issued a 33 cent stamp honoring the GS-4 pulling the "Daylight' series passenger train along its route down the coast of California, from San Francisco to Los Angeles. This stamp was part of the series "All Aboard, Twentieth Century American Trains". Five stamps of famous American passenger trains comprise this series.

A documentary was also made of GS-4 #4449 and its "Daylight" passenger consist which featured the GS-4 # 4449 and its "Daylight" passengers consist as it traveled along the coastal route in California.

STEAM LOCOMOTIVES USED TO PULL THE "DAYLIGHT" PASSENGER CAR CONSIST

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LOCOMOTIVE YEARS OF

CLASS NUMBER SERVICE RETIRED CURRENT SURVIVORS

GS-2 (4-8-4) #4410-4415 1937-1941 1956 NONE

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GS-3 (4-8-4) #4416-4429 1938-1942 1957 NONE

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GS-4 (4-8-4) #4430-4457 1941-1955 1958 ONE # 4449

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GS-5 (4-8-4) #4458-4459 1941-1955 1958 NONE

In 1958, the last G-4's and GS-5's were retired and diesels were used to pull the "Daylight" series passenger consist until the early 1990's.

DIESELS THAT PULLED THE "DAYLIGHT" PASSENGER CONSIST

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LOCOMOTIVE YEARS OF

BUILDER MODEL NUMBER SERVICE RETIRED CURRENT SURVIVORS

ALCO PA "A" UNITS

#6005-6016 1953-1971 1971 NONE

#6019-6045

#6055-6068

"B" UNITS

#5910-5915

#5918-5924

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EMD E-7 "A" UNITS

#6000-6004 1953-1968 1968 NONE

#6017

"B" UNITS

#5900-5900

#5916-5917

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EMD E-8 #6018 1954-1968 1968 NONE

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EMD E-9 #6046-6054 1954-1971 1971 ONE SURVIVES

#6051

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EMD FP7 #6446-6462 1953-1971 EARLY NONE

ALL BUT 1980'S

#6462 SOLD

TO AMTRAK IN

1971

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EMD SDP45 #3200-3209 1967-1971 EARLY NONE

LEASED TO

AMTRAK

UNTIL 1976

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The only survivor of the diesel era was an EMD E-9 #6051.

EQUIPMENT USED ON A "DAYLIGHT" PASSENGER TRAIN

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TYPICAL 1946 PASSENGER CAR CONSIST

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Baggage Chair Car Combine

Articulated Chair Car (Pair)

Articulated Dining Car (Triple Unit)

Chair Car

Articulated Chair Car (Pair)

Chair Car

Tavern Car

Parlor car

Parlor Observation car

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TYPICAL 1946 "DAYLIGHT" PASSENGER CAR CONSIST

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SP #4439-4457 GS4 - One of the 28 GS-4's would be used to pull the "Daylight" passenger train consist. Two GS-5's which were actually GS-4's that had been modified with roller bearings on the drivers were also used.

SP 3302 - A chair baggage car that was built in 1939 by Pullman Standard. This car was equipped with 44 seats and a 19'10" baggage compartment. (See Photo 11)

Photo 11 (#3302 Baggage Car)

SP #2457 & 2458 - Tow articulated Chair Cars built by Pullman Standard in 1941. Each car has 46 seats.(See Photo's 12 & 13). Photo # 13 shows closeup of articulation.

Photo 12 (#2457 & #2458 Articulated Chair Cars)

Photo 13

SP # 2477 & 2478 - Two Articulated Chair Cars built by Pullman Standard in 1941. Each car has 46 seats. (See Photo's 14 & 15)

Photo 14 ( SP # 2477 & # 2478 Articulated Chair Cars)

Photo 15 ( SP # 2478 Articulated Chair Car)

SP # 2479 & # 2480 - Two Articulated Chair Cars built by Pullman Standard in 1941. Each car has 46 seats. (See Photo's 16 & 17)

Photo 16 ( SP #2479 Articulated Chair Car)

Photo 17 ( SP # 2480 Articulated Chair Car)

SP #10256, #10257 & #10258 - One triple unit Diner Car built by Pullman Standard in 1941.This triple unit car consisted of a dining room car, a kitchen car and a coffee shop car. This unit was run on the "daylight Morning" run. (See Photo's 18, 19 & 20)

Photo 18 ( SP #10256 Coffee Shop Car)

Photo 19 ( SP # 10257 Kitchen Car)

Photo 20 ( SP #10258 Dining Car)

SP #2492 - A standard Chair Car built by Pullman Standard in 1941. This car had 44 seats and was used on the San Joaquin "Daylight". Nine cars were built using this configuration. Four cars were used in general "Daylight" service runs. Three were built for the San Francisco Challenger. Two of these cars were radio equipped ( antennae) which provided music and news for the train. (See Photo 21)

Photo 21 (SP # 2492 Standard Chair Car)

SP # 2473 & # 2474) - Two Articulated Chair Cars built by Pullman Standard in 1941. Each car had 46 seats. SP # 2474 was radio equipped (antenna) and provided music and news on the train. ( See Photo's 22 & 23)

Photo 22 ( SP # 2473 Articulated Chair Car)

Photo 23 ( SP # 2474 Articulated Chair Car Radio Equipped)

SP # 2467 & #2468 - Two Articulated Chair Cars built by Pullman Standard in 1941. Each car had 46 seats. ( See Photo's 24 & 25)

Photo 24 ( SP # 2467 Articulated Chair Car)

Photo 25 ( SP # 2468 Articulated Chair Car)

SP # 2489 - A Standard Chair Car built by Pullman Standard in 1941. This car had 46 seats. Nine cars of this type were built. Four were used on general "Daylight" service runs. Two cars were used for The San Joaquin "Daylight" service run and three were used on the San Francisco Challenger. This car is radio equipped. ( See Photo 26)

Photo 26 ( SP # 2489 Standard Chair Car radio Equipped)

SP # 10315 - A Tavern Car built by Pullman Standard in 1939. ( See Photo 27)

Photo 27 (SP # 10315 Tavern Car)

SP # 3002 - A Parlor Car built by Pullman Standard in 1939. This car had 27 seats. (See Photo 28)

Photo 28 ( SP # 3002 Parlor Car)

SP #2955 - An Observation Car built by Pullman Standard in 1941. This car had 22 seats. (See Photo 29)

Photo 29 ( SP # 2955 Observation Car)

A typical "Daylight" passenger consist in 1955 didn't change dramatically from the "Daylight" passenger consist in 1946.

Here are the car numbers found on a "Daylight" passenger consist in 1955.

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SP # 3302 or # 3303 - A Chair Baggage Car that was built in 1939 by Pullman Standard. This car was equipped with 44 seats and a 19'10" baggage compartment.

SP # 2457 & # 2458 - Two Articulated Chair Cars built by Pullman Standard in 1941. Each car had 46 seats.

SP # 2473 & # 2474 - Two Articulated Chair Cars built by Pullman Standard in 1941. Each car had 46 seats. SP # 2474 was radio equipped (antenna) and provided music and news on the train.

SP # 10259, # 10260 & # 10261 - One trip unit Diner Car built by Pullman Standard in 1941.

This diner consisted of a Dining Room Car, Kitchen Car & a Coffee Shop Car. This unit was used on the "Daylight" Morning run.

SP # 2485 - A Standard Chair car built by Pullman Standard in 1941. This car had 44 seats and was used on the San Joaquin "Daylight". Nine cars were built using this configuration. Four cars were used in general "Daylight" service runs. Three were were built for the San Francisco Challenger. Two of these cars were radio equipped (antennae) which provided music and news on the train.

SP # 2357 - A Chair Car built by Pullman Standard in 1954. This car had 44 seats. This Chair Car was part of the last group of cars built for the "Daylight" passenger consist.

SP # 2459 & # 2460 - Two Articulated Chair Cars built by Pullman Standard in 1941. Each car had 46 seats.

SP # 2352 - A Chair Car built by Pullman Standard in 1954. This car had 44 seats. This Chair car was part of the last group of cars built for the "Daylight" passenger consist.

SP # 10316 - A Tavern Car built by Pullman Standard in 1949. This car was used on the Shasta "Daylight" run.

SP # 3002 - A parlor Car built by Pullman Standard in 1939. This car had 27 seats.

SP # 2953 - An Observation Car built by Pullman Standard in 1941. This car had 22 seats.

The history of the GS-4 "Daylight" steam locomotive and "Daylight" passenger consist was an important part of railroad history in the United States. From its inception in the early 1940's, till its demise in 1958, this steam locomotive and passenger consist thrilled rail fans all over the world.

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REFERENCES

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Wikipedia

United States Postal Service

Randall, W. David & William M. Ross - THE OFFICIAL PULLMAN-STANDARD LIBRARY, Vol. 5: Southern Pacific Prewar Cars. Godfrey, Illinois: Railway Production Classics, 1989.

Ryan, Dennis & Joseph Shine. SOUTHERN PACIFIC PASSENGER TRAINS - Volume 2 - DAY TRAINS OF THE COAST LINE. La Mirada, California: Four Ways West Publications, 2000.

Wright, Richard K., ed. SOUTHERN PACIFIC COMPANY: DIAGRAMS OF LOCOMOTIVES AND TENDERS (PACIFIC LINES). Oakhurst, California: Wright Enterprises, 1973.

Wright, Richard K. SOUTHERN PACIFIC DAYLIGHT: TRAIN 98-99. Sparks, Nevada: RKW Publications

Ryan, Dennis & Mike Jarel. "THE STREAMLINED GOLDEN STATE". "SP Trainline, Spring 1999 ( NO. 59), pp 8-38.

Jarel, Mike. "DIESEL POWER FOR THE GOLDEN STATE." SP Trainline, Spring 1999 (No. 59) pp. 39-45.

Lancaster, Jim. "THE SHASTA DAYLIGHT:FROM SWEETHEART OF THE NORTHWEST TO UNWANTED CHILD." Fall 199 (No. 61), pp 8-24.

Lancaster, Jim. "RAILWAY POST OFFICE CARS ON THE SHASTA ROUTE." SP Trainline, Fall 1999 (No. 61), pp.25-26.

I hope you enjoyed the history of the mighty GS-4 SP "Daylight" steam locomotive and passenger consist. it makes you appreciate the significance of this model train you have on your layout.

Stay cool and run steam........