Southern Pacific 745 - Historic Significance

Historic Significance

SP 745 is properly regarded as a classic among steam locomotives, and for its significance, it has been placed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places since September 4, 1998. SP 745 is a classic for several reasons.

First and most basically, the Mikado-type locomotive is considered by many to be the classic American freight locomotive from the golden age of steam locomotives, before Diesel-electric locomotives became widely used.

Second, despite well over 10,000 Mikados being built for American use, according to one database, only 12 remain capable of operating on standard railroad tracks (others are smaller, narrow-gauge locomotives, not capable of running on ordinary railroad tracks; and a few are tank locomotive types designed only for short-range operation).

Third, SP 745 is a "Harriman standard Mikado". Railroad tycoon E. H. Harriman obtained control of the Southern Pacific and several other major railroads, and then insisted that all of them have their new locomotives built to more-or-less standard designs for each type, based on the best features known at the time. The Harriman standard Mikados, including SP 745 and the other members of Southern Pacific's Mk-5 class designed in 1913, were the first great attempt at standardizing the main freight locomotive. (The other great standardized version was the USRA Light Mikado design produced by a government committee during World War I.)

Finally, SP 745 is the last surviving steam locomotive built in Louisiana. It was one of a small batch of steam locomotives that the Southern Pacific built essentially from spare parts after World War I. The railroad built 745 and her sisters mostly at its Algiers shops in New Orleans. Number 745 was built in 1921, based on the 1913 Mk-5 class design.