Restoring a SP Mountain
MT-2
The following pages describe the restoration and repainting of an Espee Mt-2 mountain locomotive.
The Model locomotive
The model under restoration is an Alco models Southern Pacific Mt-2 equipped with a skyline casing. Southern Pacific had only six Mt-2 mountains on their roster, all were acquired in November of 1924 when Southern Pacific took over control of the El Paso & Southwestern railroad.
As originally built the Mt-2 mountains were equipped with Baker valve gear and were not streamlined. All of these locomotives were converted over to Walschart valve gear between November, 1943 and June, 1944. All of the locomotives had received a skyline casing by January, 1950.
The Alco model represents a Mt-2 mountain with Baker valve gear and skyline casing. This model is also equipped with a class 160-R-1 tender.
Since this model locomotive has Baker valve gear the prototypical date is placed prior to June, 1944. Only four of the six prototype Mt-2 mountains had their skyline casings installed by this time. From the four locomotives that had their skyline casing, three of these used a class 160-R-1 tender. By narrowing things down the Alco model could represent locomotive numbers 4385, 4386, or 4387 in the time period of 1942 through 1944.
As I found a prototype photo of engine number 4387 in this time era I chose this number for the model. The model represents number 4387 from the time period of March, 1942 through February, 1944.
Here is a G.M. Best photograph of number 4387 in April, 1942:
Note the Baker valve gear, skyline casing, and C-160-1 tender
Page 1 - Last updated January 22, 2004