Baldwin built fifty 3400 class Pacific type (4-6-2) locomotives for the AT&SF between 1919 and 1924 (#3400-#3449).
Designed by John Purcell, who became the AT&SF's head of motive power in 1912, they were the last Pacifics bought by the Santa Fe. Purcell brought an end to a period of experimentation by the AT&SF during the early years of the 20th century, which included balanced compounds, "Vauclain accordion flexible smoke box" 2-6-6-2s with hinged boilers, articulated 4-4-6-2s and even ten 2-10-10-2s.
Under Purcell, the Santa Fe started buying large groups of simple, two cylinder locomotives, such as the 4-6-2, 2-8-2 and 2-10-2. They operated on slightly lower than normal boiler pressure and lacked most modern appliances. Purcell believed the added efficiencies offered by such appliances were just not worth the extra maintenance costs.
#3424 was one of a batch of ten 3400s built in 1921 at a cost of $61,927.08 each. For many years, it hauled passenger trains on the Illinois Terminal, Illinois and Missouri Divisions of the Eastern Lines.
The 3400s were built with 73" drivers but, from 1935 to 1941, the ATSF rebuilt them as oil burners with 79" Boxpok drivers, thicker main rods and Elesco feedwater heaters.
Weighing 319,794 lbs, 193,054 on its drivers, #3424 has 25" x 28" cylinders, a 66.5 sq ft grate, 226 sq ft firebox and heating surface of 5,076 sq ft, including 980 sq ft superheating. It operated at a boiler pressure of 220 psi delivering 41,424 lbs tractive effort. The 253,720 lb tender has a capacity of 20,000 gallons of water and 7,000 gallons of oil.
Retirements started in 1950, with the last in 1955. #3424 retired in 1953 after running 2,071,610 miles and was then donated to the City of Kinsley in 1956. It is
on display in Highway Park.
You can see another 3400 on the ATSF #3416 page of this website.