Southern Pacific class MC-6 explained

Southern Pacific class MC-6
Powertype:Steam
Builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
Serialnumber:38523–38534, 38711–38713, 39673, 39731, 39857, 39858, 39874
Builddate:October–December 1912 and April–May 1913
Totalproduction:20
Whytetype:2-8-8-2 Mallet
Uicclass:(1′D)D1′ h4v
Driverdiameter:570NaN0
Axleload:512001NaN1
Weightondrivers:400700lb
Locoweight:435800lb
Locotenderweight:615200lb
Fueltype:Fuel oil
Fuelcap:3200usgal
Watercap:10000usgal
Boilerpressure:2002NaN2
Firearea:60.4square feet
Totalsurface:4177square feet
Superheaterarea:5016square feet
Cylindercount:Four
Hpcylindersize:26x
Lpcylindersize:40x
Valvegear:Walschaerts
Tractiveeffort:948802NaN2
Operator:Southern Pacific Company
Operatorclass:MC-6
Fleetnumbers:4029  - 4048
Firstrundate:December 17, 1912
Retiredate:1946  - 1949
Disposition:All rebuilt as AC-3 class; all of which were scrapped

Southern Pacific Company's MC-6 class of steam locomotives is made up of two batches: the first consisting of 15 locomotives weighing 4358001NaN1 built in 1912, the second consisting of 5 locomotives weighing 4371001NaN1 built in 1913. All of the locomotives were built by Baldwin Locomotive Works. This was the last class of 2-8-8-2 locomotives that Southern Pacific (SP) ordered as cab forward locomotives.

Locomotive number 4043, the newest of the early class of MC-6 locomotives, was displayed at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition along with SP's first locomotive, C. P. Huntington.

All but three of the locomotives in this class were rebuilt as the AC-3 class with "simpled" uniform cylinders of 22x by 1930. The last three were thus rebuilt in 1937. During the rebuild, 4¼-BL Worthington feedwater heaters were also installed on the fireman's side of the locomotives.

After their rebuilds, the locomotives were used through the end of World War II with the last one scrapped on August 20, 1949.

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