Southern Pacific Railroad 'AC5 Cab Forward' class oil-fired 4-8-8-2 No. 4121. Built by Baldwin in 1929 as a class of 16 locomotives all withdrawn by 1955.

The SPRR's Taylor Shops (works) in Los Angeles is the 1940s scene for 4121, one of the various configurations of the SPRR's 'cab forward' types. The principal benefits were excellent crew visibility and a cab that offered virtually complete freedom from the exhaust fumes of an oil-fired locomotive.This was particularly relevent because of the many tunnels encountered in mountainous terrain.

© Steve Armitage Collection