Santa Fe 3415

Last updated
Santa Fe 3415
Abilene's Longhorn Cattle Drive.jpg
ATSF No. 3415 passing by some cattle walking in Abilene, Kansas
Type and origin
References: [1] : 3 
Power typeSteam
DesignerJohn Purcell
Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works
Serial number51861
Build dateJune 1919
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 •  Whyte 4-6-2
 •  UIC 2'C1'h
Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.74 in (1.880 m)
Wheelbase 35.25 ft (10.74 m) ​
 • Engine72.06 ft (21.96 m)
 • Drivers13.67 ft (4.17 m)
Axle load 61,350 lb (27.8 t)
Adhesive weight 179,550 lb (81.4 t)
Loco weight300,950 lb (136.5 t)
Tender weight233,720 lb (106.0 t)
Total weight534,670 lb (242.5 t)
Fuel typeNew: Coal
Now: Oil
Water cap.12,000 US gal (45,000 L; 10,000 imp gal)
Firebox:​
 • Grate area66.80 sq ft (6.206 m2)
Boiler pressure200 psi (1.38 MPa)
Feedwater heater Elesco
Heating surface:​
 • Firebox269 sq ft (25.0 m2)
Cylinders Two, outside
Cylinder size 25 in × 28 in (635 mm × 711 mm)
Valve gear Walschaerts
Loco brake Air brake
Performance figures
Tractive effort 40,203 lbf (178.8 kN)
Factor of adh. 4.47
Career
Operators Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad
Class
  • 3400
Number in class16th of 50
NumbersATSF 3415
Retired1954
Restored2009
Current owner Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad
DispositionUndergoing a 15-year expiration overhaul, based in Abilene, Kansas
ATSF Steam Locomotive No. 3415
USA Kansas location map.svg
Red pog.svg
ATSF
3415
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
ATSF
3415
Location411 South Elm Street., Abilene, Kansas
Coordinates 38°54′49.3″N97°13′17.7″W / 38.913694°N 97.221583°W / 38.913694; -97.221583
Built1919
Built by Baldwin Locomotive Works
NRHP reference No. 12000203
Added to NRHPApril 16, 2012

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe 3415 is a preserved class "3400" 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotive built in June 1919 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Retired in 1954, it sat in Eisenhower Park in Abilene, Kansas, until 1996. At that point, it was put on display in the Abilene and Smoky Valley yard. Restoration began in 2005 and was completed in early 2009. The engine was taken out of service in October 2023, undergoing its federally mandated 15-year overhaul. Restoration began in April 2024, and is expected to take a minimum of 18 months. The engine is the only operating steam locomotive in Kansas and is one of four Santa Fe steam engines still operating can the U.S. In April 2024, the iconic locomotive was designated as the Kansas steam locomotive by an act of the Kansas Legislature, effectively making it a state symbol. [2]

Contents

History

Service on the Santa Fe

No. 3415 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in June 1919 as the sixteenth member of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway's fifty 3400 class locomotives. The 3400 class was designed by John Purcell, and this was also the last class of 4-6-2s bought by the Santa Fe. [3] The class was similar to the United States Railroad Administration's (USRA) Heavy Pacifics in its tube and flue counts, but it was also fitted with a grate area similar in size to the USRA's Light Pacifics, and it was delivered with driving wheels close in size to the latter. The first forty locomotives initially burned coal, but were later converted to burn oil while being rebuilt between 1936 and 1947.

The 3400 class locomotives were initially assigned to pull top-tier heavy passenger trains at high speeds throughout divisions with moderate grades, and No. 3415, in particular, pulled such trains through the Kansas City-La Junta and Newton-Galveston divisions. [4] On December 31, 1934, No. 3415 suffered a broken bell ringer valve while in Carrollton, Missouri, and one crew member was injured. [5] After the Santa Fe invested in adding diesel locomotives to their roster, No. 3415 was reassigned to pull freight and mail trains throughout Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, until it was retired in 1954. The Santa Fe subsequently donated the locomotive to the city of Abilene on December 9, 1955, for static display in Eisenhower Park. [6]

Preservation

In April 1996, the city of Abilene decided to redevelop the park, and they removed No. 3415 from its display location and donated it to the nearby Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad, who put it on display near their depot. In 2005, the A&SVR decided to restore No. 3415 to operating condition for use on their tourist excursions. The locomotive was moved inside the A&SVR's locomotive facility, and restoration work was started by Wasatch Railroad Contractors from Cheyenne, Wyoming. [7] After three years of work, No. 3415 was test fired on December 1, 2008, and was officially fully restored for excursion service by 2009. [8]

The locomotive subsequently spent the next twelve years pulling tourist trains over the A&SVR's ex-Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific trackage between Abilene and Enterprise. [9] However, it was limited to operate at fifteen miles per hour, due to the rails lacking the strength to support trains that traveled at higher speeds. After the end of the 2022 operating season, No. 3415 was originally supposed to be taken out of service for its 1,472 inspection and rebuild, which was required by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). [10] [11] However, in February 2023, the FRA unexpectedly informed the A&SVR that they had one year left to operate No. 3415 before the inspection and rebuild had to take place. [12] [13] The railroad subsequently used the locomotive to pull additional trains for their 2023 operating season, including some trains that were dedicated to the railroad's 30th anniversary in June. [12] [13] No. 3415 made its last run on October 7, 2023, before being taken out of service for its federally mandated 15-year overhaul.

Historical significance

No. 3415 was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 16, 2012. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 Oard, Mary Jane; Martin, Sarah (February 28, 2012). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form - ATSF Steam Locomotive No. 3415" (PDF). National Park Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 2, 2017. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  2. ↑ "After Surprise Season, Santa Fe 3415 Goes Down For Overhaul". www.railfan.com. Archived from the original on 2023-11-05. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  3. ↑ "Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 4-6-2 "Pacific" Locomotives in the USA". www.steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  4. ↑ Macrae (1922) , p. 133
  5. ↑ ICC (1935) , p. 11
  6. ↑ Abilene. "Steam Locomotive - ATSF 3415". abilenekansas.org. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  7. ↑ "Wasatch Railroad Contractor". www.wrrc.us. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  8. ↑ "Pictures of ATSF 3415". www.rrpicturearchives.net. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  9. ↑ Tourist Trains Guidebook, Second Edition (2nd ed.). Kalmbach Books. 2009. p. 99. ISBN   978-0-87116-273-1.
  10. ↑ Self, Matthew (September 28, 2022). "Changes coming to iconic Abilene steam engine". KSNT . Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  11. ↑ "American Heritage Railways to Partner with Abilene & Smoky Valley". Railfan & Railroad . White River Productions. November 29, 2022. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  12. 1 2 Franz, Justin (2023-02-24). "Santa Fe 3415 Back For One More Season After 'Unexpected' Discovery". Railfan & Railroad Magazine. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  13. 1 2 Radio 1150, KSAL News. "Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad Gets Good News". KSAL.com. Retrieved 2023-02-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

Bibliography

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