Titus County, Texas History - The Prosperity Special

Mt. Pleasant residents were witness to a once in a lifetime event. The Prosperity Special was one of the most unusual trains that ever crossed the United States.

Normally, new locomotives were delivered to customers one or two at a time mixed in with cars on other trains. In 1922, the world-famous Baldwin Locomotive Works in Eddystone, Pennsylvania ran a special train made up of 20 of its huge 2-10-2 steam/diesel locomotives as a publicity event while delivering the new locomotives to the Southern Pacific Railroad in Los Angeles, California.

We ran across the following story by Mr. Clifton Hull on the Little Rock, Arkansas Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society at http://thundertrain.org/road.html while researching the Prosperity Special. We found the article to be exceptionally descriptive and well written, so we decided to re-publish it in its entirety.

The fascinating story of the Prosperity Special that follows is reprinted by permission from Mr. Hull and the Arkansas Railroad Club. It originally appeared in

During the months while these giants of the rails were being built they began to accumulate on the storage tracks of the Baldwin Works at Eddystone. The Southern Pacific was in no hurry to accept the engines and begin paying taxes on them, as well as having to find some place to store them. The engines would be held until all 50 were complete.

At the Eddystone plant the weather was brisk and cool one Spring day in 1922 as big Sam Vauclain stood at a window in his office gazing down upon several acres of new steam locomotives. The bright sun glistened in highlights on the coats of fresh black paint and the tall white block letters spelling out SOUTHERN PACIFIC LINES on the sides of the peculiar cylindrical tenders, which would carry 12,000 gallons of fuel oi1 and 8,000 gallons of water.

Sam's brain was busy with the battle of economics.

Business was only fair with foreign orders, but the general economy at home was in sad shape. National progress was as idle as Sam's hands, which were now clasped behind his back.

His business strategy had kept the Baldwin Works alive during several crises--why couldn't he do it again?

The people of the U.S. needed something visible to bolster their sagging spirits, something to revive their faith in the country. Sitting out there before his eyes Sam was looking at something which had captivated the hearts and imagination of people all over the world--a steam locomotive! Here was the "something" he needed if people could only see them all together it might have the desired effect. This was not feasible and this was probably the only time all those great machines would be together. When the SP was ready for them they would be shipped to California one or two at a time in a regular freight train.

There was what Sam was looking for! Sitting right there in front of his eyes. He wheeled away from the window and grabbed the telephone from his desk. Barking a crisp order to the operator he waited impatiently for an answering voice.

When it came it was that of W. A. Garrett, his transportation manager.

"Garrett, we are going to send these 2-10-2s to the Southern Pacific. How many can we deadhead to California in a solid train?"

Garrett was startled for a few moments by the unusual statement, then he began talking as much to himself as to Sam Vauclain. We will be sending them over the Pennsylvania, the Cotton Belt and the Southern Pacific. They may handle as many as 20 in one batch--that's about 4,000 tons. The track and bridges should take the weight."

"Garrett, get on the wire and tell Southern Pacific we're sending 20 of those engines they ordered, all in one train. We'll run 'em across the country in a display of power, the likes of which the folks have never seen before!"

"Beat the drums at every division point. Tell everybody this train is a symbol of one railroad's faith in the future. Show 'em a faith of returning prosperity."

"Garrett, we are going to run the PROSPERITY SPECIAL!"

ARKANSAS RAILROADER MARCH, 1975

PROSPERITY ROLLS ACROSS ARKANSAS

BY CLIFTON E. HULL

Following World War I, the United States was caught in the crushing jaws of a national depression. It was the forerunner of the ultimate humiliation of the "Great Depression" of 1929. There was a lessening of the burdensome load in the early l920s and this is the period in which our story takes place.

During the early days of the war in Europe, it was undecided whether the United States would commit its men and resources. The area of the South was principally geared to agriculture as the prime industry. Where Arkansas was concerned, agriculture meant cotton. When Uncle Sam entered the conflict in Europe, there developed a tremendous need for cotton, the main source of fiber. The government urged the farmers of the nation to produce cotton to the limit of their ability. They responded and the price for cotton ready for market was 30c to 40c a pound. Farmers bought more land at high prices and borrowed money to increase the yield of cotton.

In 1920, the "good times" bubble burst.

The farmers, businessmen and cotton buyers were financially ruined. The war was over, the need for cotton was gone, and the huge cotton surplus was a specter of doom staring the South in the face. Banks failed, industrial empires crumbled and the tidal wave of depression washed across the country.

Our story, as it affected Arkansas; had its beginning at a town in Pennsylvania--a town called Eddystone, on the Delaware River about twelve miles south of Philadelphia, Pa.

Here was located one of the shops of the world famous Baldwin Locomotive Works. The shop complex covered more than 600 acres of land at Eddystone and almost 200 acres in the heart of Philadelphia. Row after row of huge sprawling brick structure lay side by side in a sort of geometrical pattern. Here hordes of steam locomotives were constructed for railroads in all countries of the globe. The name and reputation of Baldwin was known and respected all over the world.

Directing the destinies of this massive industrial empire was a man of stature equal to that of his domain--big Samuel Vauclain. He was a giant of a man, more than a locomotive builder and designer, he was an industrial-statesman, adept at interpreting economic trends and even at shaping these trends, as we shall see. His hands were heavy and gnarled from his earlier days spent with hammer and chisel in the shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Altoona. In May of 1919 big Sam Vauclain had worked his way to the president's chair at Baldwin Locomotive Works.

In 1922 the post-war depression was in full swing. Its effects were being felt acutely among the nation's locomotive builders. Most railroad officials were very reluctant to spend money for new locomotives. A familiar saying was being heard among engine builders--"Show me a man who doesn't like engines and I'1l show you a railroad executive".

Railroads were laying off hundreds of men and cutting the wages of the remainder. Times were hard everywhere.

During these difficult days Sam Vauclain was making every effort to secure orders for locomotives. Markets overseas were producing a fair amount of business. The markets of the world were not so closely related with the U. S. at present.

In 1921 the Southern Pacific Railroad, with headquarters in California, gave Baldwin an order for 50 new locomotives. They were to be heavy freight haulers of the 2-10-2 "Santa Fe" type having two small wheels under the pilot, ten powerful driving wheels 5'3" high, and two small trailer wheels under the cab. They were built to burn oil as a fuel and some of them had an auxiliary steam engine mounted on the trailer truck under the cab. This was a rather unusual feature which gave additional power when starting a heavy train or when straining to lift long strings of freight cars over the massive Sierra Nevada Mountains. This booster engine was used only at speeds less than 12 miles per hour.

J. W. Herbert, President of the Cotton Be1t, had made arrangements for a private car to be set out at the terminal for the use of officials. It would follow the train during its run over the Cotton Belt. About two days were spent at East St. Louis.

On the morning of June 7, a Cotton Belt locomotive consolidation 2-8-0 type #762, coupled to the head end of the Prosperity Special, and a similar, helper engine was cut into the train about midway. Gently taking the slack out of the 20 couplers, the train slowly rolled across the fine steel spans of the Thebes Bridge across the Mississippi. The Cotton Belt and four other railroads built the bridge in 1905 to eliminate the troublesome barge transfer service used for many years down at Grays Point.

The first night spent in Arkansas was at Jonesboro. A crowd of about 800 persons spent several hours gazing at and inspecting the engines. At 4:30 on the morning of Friday, June 9, the train headed south for Pine Bluff, where it arrived at 8:00 p.m.

Engineers Ammons and Rushing rolled through Pine Bluff, saluting the cheering crowds at every street crossing with echoing blasts of the engine whistles. They slowly pulled the train past the railroad shops and offices to the South end of the yards.

Very shortly people began to arrive at the shops to have a look at the strange train the whole country was talking about. All the streets in the vicinity of the shops were lined with parked automobiles, and several hundred rode the shuttling line of street cars.

A steady stream of people began trudging the quarter mile from the shops to reach the string of locomotives. Till late in the night they came, several thousand of them. Young, adventuresome boys clambered all over the magnificent engines, ringing the bells and generally having a wonderful time. Many men used flashlights to inspect the giants of the rails.

This train was specially interesting because it represented the tremendous cost of $1,500,000.00--an amount hard to even imagine.

At dawn the next morning the train was separated into three sections for the trip to Texarkana. One Cotton Belt engine would pull seven of the heavy beauties, and two others would take charge of six each. The first section pulled out of town at 4:30 a.m. and rumbled across the Bayou Bartholomew Bridge. The other two sections followed at five minute intervals. Sharp curves and track conditions made short trains necessary. The final section had the private car of Cotton Belt Superintendent W. E. McGraw in tow. He accompanied the train all the way to Texarkana.

The Cotton Belt delivered the engines to Corsicana, Texas, where the Southern Pacific took over. Considerable time was lost between Houston and El Paso, Texas due to floods and washouts. The train left El Paso on June 27 with Division Superintendent W. Wilson's private car coupled to the rear to Yuma, Arizona. Here Wilson was succeeded by Supt. W. H. Whalen, who had called crews with seven locomotives to lift the special out of the Colorado River valley and across Beaumont Hill.

At 5:40 p.m. on June 30 the train rolled to a gentle stop at the Los Angeles Exposition Park, her destination. From May 26 to June 30 the "Prosperity Special" made a publicity run of 3,740 miles across the United States. All across the forests, prairies, deserts and mountains it spread the message that "good times are gonna roll again". Twenty locomotives had become famous before expanding steam had moved their ponderous bulk.

Big Sam Vauclain gave America a shot of confidence it so badly needed, and he set a publicity mark for the public relations men to shoot at.

Who can say that Sam's "PROSPERITY SPECIAL" was not the spark plug which helped to produce the few years of prosperity the country was to know and enjoy.

ARKANSAS RAILROADER APRIL, 1975

(Continued from March Issue)

A shop switch engine was called to begin assembling a train of 20 huge, shiny new steam locomotives. The officials at Baldwin began making hurried calls to the railroads which would handle the special train. The many details of a schedule were arranged to move the train only during daylight hours so as many persons as possible could have the opportunity to see and inspect it. The greatest benefit possible must be realized from the unusual impact of such a display. Call it "vulgar" if you will, but drastic times call for drastic measures.

Finally all arrangements were completed, the advance publicity had alerted the people all across the country that "prosperity" was coming their way. A telegram arrived and Sam

Vauclain was pleased to read it to the assembly of Company officials, politicians and a press corps.

"My blessing on the Prosperity Special, may her speed be steadily maintained and may God grant her a safe arrival."

Warren G. Harding

President of the United States

At noon on Friday, May 26, 1922, a series of long, bellowing sounds of locomotive whistles were heard reverberating around the Baldwin plant at Eddystone, and the strangest train ever assembled slowly clanked out of town. Two heavy Mikado 2-8-2 type Pennsylvania engines on the head end were sending billowing clouds of smoke soaring into the air, while a third Mikado was eagerly pushing at the rear of a 2,000 foot string of locomotives.

The route over the Pennsylvania called for overnight stops at Perryville, Maryland; Harrisburg, Altoona, and Pitcairn, Penn.; Canton and Crestline, Ohio; Ft. Wayne, Richmond, Indianapolis and Terre Haute, Indiana and at East St. Louis, Illinois.

Governors, mayors, chamber of commerce officials, railroad officials and educators were groomed for the occasion.

There would be a succession of gala inspection banquets and a few speeches. The real enthusiasm came from the folks along the way. Farmers paused as they toiled in the fields to stare as a regiment of glistening iron giants marched by with side rods rising and falling with an uneven rhythm. A plodding gait of about 12 miles an hour maximum speed gave everyone a. good opportunity to digest this once-in-a-lifetime demonstration.

Lines of tiny automobiles stopped along the road as drivers gazed in wonderment and tooted horns enthusiastically.

The several hundred men of the Pennsylvania Railroad shop forces at Altoona cheered lustily as the engine procession rolled by. They all knew big Sam Vauclain and were proud of him. He had grown up in the town, and his father, Andrew had helped old Matthias Baldwin build his first steam locomotive--Old Ironsides. Now people the world over knew their Sam.

West of A1toona, six large freight engines were required to snake the 4,000 tons of dead weight over the lofty Allegheny Mountains--two on the head end, two cut in behind the 10th engine and two bringing up the rear.

In the yards at Ft. Wayne, Indiana, two of the huge engines climbed over the rails and there was quite a scramble getting them off the ground. Due to a great deal of complex switching in the yards, it was decided to pull the train backward 92 miles to Richmond. This was a touchy situation, since a steam locomotive would be easily derailed in a backward motion. They ran thus for 10 hours and arrived safely.

The special train arrived at East St. Louis on June 5. Commonwealth Steel Company, a manufacturer of heavy locomotive castings, played host to the train and the 20 traveling engineers, one of which was assigned to ride the cab of each engine from Eddystone to California.