Leviathan (locomotive)
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Leviathan replica at 2009 train festival in Owosso, Michigan | |||||||||||||||
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The Leviathan, officially known as Central Pacific #63, was a 4-4-0 steam locomotive owned by the Central Pacific Railroad. It was notable for helping construct the First transcontinental railroad before hauling Leland Stanford's special train, which was then passed on to sister engine #60, the Jupiter, to take part in the railroad's completion in 1869.
The Leviathan was built in September 1868 by the Schenectady Locomotive Works in New York, along with three other identical engines, numbered 60, 61, and 62, respectively named the Jupiter, Storm, and Whirlwind. These were dismantled and sailed to San Francisco, California, before being sent to the Central Pacific headquarters in Sacramento for reassembly. The Jupiter was the first to be commissioned into service on March 20, 1869, followed by the Whirlwind on April 4 of that year, and the Storm and Leviathan entered service the following day, April 5, 1869.