When I visited Modesto, CA, #2921 had recently been moved from its location in Beard Brook Park to the Amtrak Depot. Although missing some of its original components, it had recently been repainted and was looking quite good.
This was one of a batch of thirty oil burning Northern type
(4-8-4) locomotives delivered to the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe in 1944 (#2900-#2929). The 2900 design was based on the AT&SF's 3765 Class Northerns built in 1938, although wartime restrictions meant certain steel alloys were unavailable. As a result, alternative metals had to be used and these became the heaviest Northerns ever built in the US, outweighing their nearest rivals by over 2,000 lbs. They were also the largest.
Although designed to haul fast passenger services, the heavy westbound freight tonnage resulting from WWII mobilisation meant the 2900s were initially assigned to replace Mikados on through freight services on the Santa Fe's Pecos Division, working exclusively between Clovis, NM, and Argentine, KS, with maintenance handled at Clovis.
The 2900s were built with lightweight roller bearing rods, Walschaert valve gear and 80" Boxpok drivers, except for the fourth axle, which sported a 1938 style Baldwin Disc driver. Following WWII, between 1946 and 1948, all the 2900s were fitted with Timken roller bearing side rods with needle bearings on the valve gear.
The locomotives have an overall wheelbase (engine & tender) of 108' 2". The engine wheelbase is 50’ and the driver wheelbase is 21’ 3”. They weigh 510,150 lbs, 293,860 lbs on their 80" drivers.
The 2900s were amongst the most successful of the Santa Fe’s steam locomotives. However, by the end of 1953, all AT&SF operations had been dieselised except for the Argentine-Clovis
through freight service, where the last of the railroad's steam engines, including most of the 2900s, were in service. The last 2900 went cold in 1959.
Five 2900s have survived. You can see three of them on the Illinois Railway Museum Trains Shed page of this website, the Pueblo Railroad Museum page and the ATSF #2913 page.
The engine has a 108 sq ft grate. Thermic syphons totalling 30.5 sq ft were fitted to the 479 sq ft firebox, with an additional 124 sq ft in an 84" long combustion chamber. With 2,366 sq ft superheating, #2921 had a total heating surface of 7,678 sq ft and, operating at a boiler pressure of 300 psi, it delivered 79,968 lbs tractive effort. It has an American multiple throttle and Worthington Type 6-SA feed water heater.
#2900's tender weighs 464,700 lbs loaded, with
a 245,000 gallon water and 7,170 gallon oil
capacity.
