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.
#3416 was built in 1919 at a cost of $69,800. Like #3424 on the ATSF #3424 page of this website, it hauled passenger trains on the Illinois and Missouri Divisions of the Eastern Lines, but also on all Divisions on the Western Lines and the Northern Division of the Gulf Line.
The 3400s were built with 73" drivers but, from 1935 to 1941, the AT&SF's Topeka shops rebuilt them as oil burners with 79" Boxpok drivers, new, thicker main rods and Elesco feedwater heaters.
Weighing 319,794 lbs, 193,054 on its drivers,
#3416 has a 66.5 sq ft grate and 226 sq ft firebox. With 25" x 28" cylinders and a total heating surface of 5,076, including 980 sq ft superheating, it operated at a boiler pressure of 220 psi delivering 41,424 lbs tractive effort. The tender weighs 253,720 lbs with a 20,000 gallon water and 7,000 gallon oil capacity.
Retirements of the 3400s started in 1950. By 1955 only five
were left, all of which were saved for display.
#3416 was donated to the City of Great Bend in 1956 and was palced on open air display in Brit Spaugh Park.
