Builder: Vulcan Iron Works . Year Built: 1911

The State Belt Railroad served San Francisco's waterfront in the years that San Francisco was a major world port and manufacturing center. The Belt transferred cargo between ships and main line railroads such as the Southern Pacific, Western Pacific, and the Santa Fe. It also loaded trains onto car ferries for ports across the Bay.

The Belt has been dieselized for many years, but there is one survivor from its fleet of 12 steam locomotives. Number 4, a small 0-6-0 type steam locomotive, was built in 1911 by the Vulcan Iron Works in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Total weight was 118,000 pounds, and the locomotive developed a tractive effort of 25,000 pounds. As built, it carried the inscription BOARD OF STATE HARBOR COMMISIONERS on the cab, while the locomotive number was located on the steam dome. In later years, the locomotive number was placed on the cab and the words STATE BELT RAILROAD OF CALIFORNIA were written on the tender.

When the switcher was retired it was sold to the Modesto and Empire Traction RR in Modesto, California as their #5. It was later sold to the A. D. Shrader Company and used in the construction of the 1939 World's Fair on Treasure Island. The locomotive eventually found its way to a scrap yard in Stockton, California, where it sat for many years until it was donated to the Promontory Chapter, National Railway Historical Society. In 1971 the old #4 was shipped to be cared for by the Wasatch Mountain Railway in Heber, Utah (later the Wasatch Railway Museum, Salt Lake City, Utah).

The Golden Gate Railroad Museum eventually contacted the Salt Lake City based museum, whose directors agreed that the locomotive was more suited to our historical collection than theirs. GGRM members are extremely grateful to the Wasatch Railway Museum for having taking such good care of the locomotive and agreeing to its return home to San Francisco.

The GGRM plans to restore the #4 to operating condition. In doing this, we will accomplish two things. One - help preserve the skills necessary to maintain steam locomotives and Two - provide a tool which will allow training in the operation of a steam locomotive. However, this does not come cheap. The estimate of acquisition, shipping, and restoration is expected is expected to be about $125,000.

The Museum would like to raise finds for this restoration. If you would like to help, send your donations to:

Restore #4
Golden Gate Railroad Museum, Inc
P.O. Box 881686
San Francisco, CA 94188-1686