S.P. engine 2527 shown at the Oakland, CA. yard in 1949. It has a 2-8-0 wheel arrangement known as a "Consolidation". These locomotives were freight workhorses and were universally nicknamed 'hogs' by SP trainmen. The small drive wheels are not for speed as much as they are for brute force traction. Notice the tank style tender, at least 99.4 steam engines on the S.P were oil burners. These engines were mainline loco's in the early 1900's when they were built but by the 1930-50 era they were all assigned to branch line freight service. Although the 2527 is in California, the same types operated in branch line freight in Oregon where I remember them as a kid. SP had a lot of them, 4 number series, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800.! Ironically, I recall engine 2725 (numbers reversed!) back then which operated on the branch line that I live by now. I remembered it smashing pennies we used to place on the track ;) 1952 was the watershed year for the demise of this type locomotive, replaced by smelly diesel road switchers. But the branch line I live by is soon to have the steam locomotive revisited again...[id=312987372]