Steam Locomotives built in San Francisco!

Four known survivors are among the 100 or so locomotives built in San Francisco in the late 1800s. The oldest is the Oregon Pony, a Vulcan (SF) locomotive from 1861. This list does not take into account street cars, horse cars, cable cars or other RR cars built in SF.

[An excellent web resource on North American Locomotive and Car builders]

Albion Foundry (Pine Street) - SF CA

Noted as building at least 4 locomotives (steam rail cars).

H. Casebolt & Co - SF CA

Operated between 1863 and ~1876. Built an engine in 1865 (steam car) for the Napa Valley RR.

Fulton Foundry / Fulton Iron Works - SF CA

Built machinery, marine engines and locomotives during the 1870s.

Globe Iron Works - SF CA

Builders of rod and geared locomotives during the 1880s and 1890s.

Golden State & Miners Iron Works - SF CA

Built locomotives between 1887 and 1890.

W. L. Holman Company - SF CA

Electric locomotive builder. Built a wooden Steeple-cab for the Petaluma & Santa Rosa RR (#1004) in the early 1900s.

Marshutz & Cantrell - SF CA

May have originally been Fulton Iron Works, believed to have become National Iron Works.

SURVIVOR: 0-4-0T (1879)- Contractor SF CA - Display - Burnaby, BC, Canada [Photo]

SURVIVOR: The Falk (1884) - DVM #1 - Operable - Fort Humboldt, CA [Photo]

SURVIVOR: The Gypsy (1892) - BHLCo. #1 - Operable - Fort Humboldt, CA [Photo]

Old Curly (aka Emory) at Burnaby Village	The Falk at Railfair '99	The Gypsy at Railfair '99

Miners Foundry & Machine Works - SF CA

Built light logging locomotives in the 1870s and 1880s.

Moynihan & Aiken - SF CA

Built one locomotive in 1874.

National Iron Works - SF CA

See Marshutz & Cantrell.

Pacific Iron Works - SF CA

Locomotive builder between 1850 and ~1900. Became Rankin, Brayton & Co. in the 1860s.

Risdon Iron Works - SF CA

Industrial locomotive builder from 1882 to 1911, bought by Union Iron Works.

Rix & Firth - SF CA

Dates back to 1879, first locomotive built 1886, ceased operation ~1890. Partnership of Edward A. Rix and J. K. Firth, also did business as Phoenix Iron Works.

Rose & Company - SF CA

Builders of small geared locomotives, including the 10 ton 0-4-0T "Betsy" for the Madera Flume & Trading Company.

Union Iron Works

May have been H. J. Booth & Company, may have become part of Bethlehem Steel. Built engines for the San Francisco & San Jose RR, the CP RR and others. Roster available - R&LHS Bulletin #68, Built ~30 engines between 1865 and 1882. Included 4-4-0s, 0-6-0Ts, 0-4-0s, 2-6-0s, 0-4-0Ts, 0-6-0s for a variety of shortlines and the V&T RR.

Vulcan Iron Works (Natoma & Fremont) - SF CA

Built eleven locomotives in the 1860s.

SURVIVOR: Oregon Pony, 0-4-0T (1861) - Oregon Portage Railroad - Display - Cascade Locks, OR [Photo]

Cascade RR #A, 0-4-0, 1862

SF&ORR, 2-2-0, 1863

SF&ARR, 2-2-0

unknown, 2-2-0

2-2-4 steam car, 1865

0-4-0 for Cascade RR (geared)

0-4-0 "Pluto" - grasshopper like locomotive - 1866

2-2-4 steam car for the Napa Valley RR "Calistoga"

0-8-0 geared, Black Diamond Coal Co, "Hayward" 1867

0-4-0 geared, City Grading Co, SF, "Jumbo" - last engine built by Vulcan Iron Works.

Note - company went bankrupt in May 1871, and was not related to Vulcan Locomotive Works - Wilkes Barre, PA. Later located at 1840 Kearney from 1921 to 1928.

The Oregon Pony, Portland, OR

Young & Stoddart (Market Street) - SF CA

May have built the first locomotive in SF called "Pony", appears to be 0-4-0, about 1859!

While this locomotive was not built in San Francisco, she was an early Baldwin locomotive that was used in San Francisco (Market Street Railway of San Francisco #2).

SURVIVOR: 0-4-0T BLW 5009 (1880) - NMCo #1 - Display - Fort Bragg, CA [Photo]

Early photo at Fort Bragg, CA (CWRR Yard)