Built as a coal burner by the Brooks Locomotive Works (later part of Alco) in Dunkirk, NY, in 1906 for the Fort Worth & Denver City Railway Co., Consolidation type (2-8-0) locomotive #304 was converted to burn oil in 1929. It is virtually identical to the B-4-R class locomotives also delivered in 1906 from the Brooks Works to the Colorado & Southern, the FW&DC’s parent owner. You can see a CS B-4-R on the CS #638 page of this website.
With a 23’ 8” engine wheelbase and 15’ 4” driver wheelbase, #304 weighs 200,854 lbs, 180,795 lbs on its 57” drivers. It is equipped with Stephenson valve gear and has 22” x 28” cylinders. The grate is 34.65 sq ft, the firebox 195 sq ft and total heating surface is 2,901 sq ft including 508 sq ft superheating. Operating at a boiler pressure of 200 psi, it delivered 40,418 lbs tractive effort. The tender weighs 145,500 lbs with a capacity of 8,000 gallons of water and 2,600 gallons of oil.
Retirements began in 1934, although the last of the class lasted until 1960. #304 was donated to the Wichita Falls Rotary Club in 1955 and is now on display in the Wichita Falls Railroad Museum in downtown Wichita Falls, TX.
