If there is such a big problem of running a P8 at low speeds then the GGRM's 2472 would be having problems in Niles Canyon. It isn't as far as I know.

The 2467 and the business car SP 121 - the "Western" was leased to the PLA by the city of Oakland. The main reason is that the city wanted them out of Harrison Park so that it could be used for other purposes. The 2467 was restored by project 2467 using PLA funds generated by the operations in Niles Canyon. After the bearing problem there was a lot of discussion as to where to move the loco. The PLA board of directors and the NCRy steam team wanted to move it into a wharehouse at Shinn St in Fremont to store it with our other steam loco's. But the 2467 crew wanted to have access to repair it and got an agreement to move it to Hunters Point to join the 2472. After it was moved there the GGRM was unable to allow the heavy repairs to take place - I don't know the exact reason but I believe it was due to the navy wanting them to wind down their operations at HP. When the 2467 was being moved out of HP it could easily have been moved to Niles Canyon in the hospital train. But the PLA board at that time decided that loaning it to the CSRM for display where it would be safe and dry was preferable to having it come to Niles Canyon and sit outdoors until it could be restored again. Note that the 2467 crew restored it to the old 5 year boiler rules so it's boiler certificate ran out a long time ago. It needs to have a full form 4 job done along with the running gear repare Brian mentioned.