In later years, all LA&SL steam locomotives were oil-fired. The same goes for predecessor San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake, which became the LA&SL in 1916, and was controlled by UP after 1921.

There are photos of early SPLA&SL engines with coal tenders, notably photos taken in Utah, such as the first SPLA&SL through train from Los Angeles in 1905.

There are builder photos of the Light Pacifics showing that some were built as coal-fired, and some were built as oil-fired, which means that they were intended as first-class passenger engines system-wide, from Los Angeles all the way north to Salt Lake City, changing locomotives at Caliente.

William Kratville wrote in his book "Golden Rails", on page 293 that Pedro engines were "powered by coal...to Caliente until oil-firing began near the end of the first world war."

Is that the best we can do? Making a general statement that SPLA&SL converted the engines north of Caliente from coal to oil in the 1916-1918 time period. The few general photos of Caliente are in later years, so they don't show any sort of coal facilities.

Whatever we decide, I can capture it on this SPLA&SL/LA&SL general notes page:

http://www.utahrails.net/up/splasl-lasl-notes.php

Don Strack
http://www.utahrails.net/