C. P. Huntington was originally purchased by Central Pacific Railroad in 1863 as that railroad's number 3, along with its sister engine T. D. Judah, number. 4. It was CP's third locomotive after Gov. Stanford, number 1, built by Norris Locomotive Works and Pacific, number 2, built by Mason Machine Works. CP used the locomotive beginning on April 15, 1864, during construction of the western portion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in North America.
Southern Pacific purchased C. P. Huntington from CP on February 5, 1871 and gave it their number 1, and used it in light service in northern California. It was rebuilt twice, first in 1873 with new valves and again in 1888 with a new boiler built by CP's Sacramento shops. In 1888 the locomotive was also put on public display for the first time in Sacramento.

Photographed by Bruce Macdonald, May 4, 1981.
Added to the photo archive by Bruce Macdonald, September 16, 2021.
Railroad: Southern Pacific.

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