Boston & Maine 2-10-2 "Santa Fe" Locomotives in the USA

Class S-1-a/S-1-b (Locobase 2384)

Data from B & M 6 - 1928 Steam Locomotives Description and Classification, supplied in July 2022 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange collection; and roster compiled by Harry A Frye, Historian of the B&MRRHS (Boston & Maine RailRoad Historical Society), 1982.. See also Interstate Commerce Commission, Report of the Chief Inspector, Bureau of Locomotive Inspection, Re: Investigation of Accident to Boston & Maine Railroad Locomotive 3009, Which Occurred in Hoosac Tunnel, Mass., February 14, 1924, (released 23 June 1924 in Washington, DC ). (Thanks to Chris Hohl for his 4 April 2023 email noting the correct total wheelbase. His other comments led to the creation of Locobase 16636.) Works numbers were 61956-61975 in July 1920 and 64878-64886 in September 1923 and 64887 in October.)

Drury (1993) describes these as "fat and ponderous." The Locomotive Cyclopedia explains that the B&M "needed a powerful locomotive to handle its east and west business over grades of 0.76% eastbound and 1% westbound." Soon after its introduction, the 1922 guide reported that the design "has met the requirements fully, handling trains of 2,850 tons--adjusted--eastbound, and 1,950 tons--adjusted--westbound, the latter trains having the bulk of empties."

Firebox heating surface area included a relatively large 52.5 sq ft (4.88 sq m) from five arch tubes. Steam entered the cylinders through 14" (356 mm) piston valves. According to Frye's compilation commented,usnig the newly introduced automatic stoker sometimes resulted in pulling a "coal dust. dirt mud substance" into the firebox. The nickname "Mudsucker" may have resulted from this tendency.

Another defect showed as a tendency for the S-1 to lean to the right. Inspection showed that Schenectady's suspension design worked from only two points. Fixing that problem involved rearranging suspension points to a three-point stance.

Locobase 16636 is a separate entry showing the effect of the installation of thermic syphons and the S-1c upgrade that included feed water heaters.

Locobase found the 1924 accident report, which illustrates the myriad dangers a footplate crew could encounter as well as an all-too-often combination of material and human failures that led to the accident. The first interesting tidbit in the report notes that the freight train was being pulled by an electric locomotive (presumably a helper) while the 3009 rode behind with its throttle closed. (Locobase supposes this was a smoke-reduction tactic.).

At a point 2 miles (3.2 km) into the tunnel, an arch tube in the 3009's firebox blew out, spraying scalding steam and water through the 3 1/2" opening and "seriously scalding engineer Frank Lyons and fireman M P Smith.. Inspection of the blown arch tube revealed that it had not been "properly rolled" and had been cut too short to be properly secured.

The ICC report commented that this wasn't an isolated incident.: "[O]ur inspectors are finding many cases where arch tubes have been cut too short to bell or bead and are held in place only by friction which sooner or later will give way." An even more damning finding was that the center arch tube in question had been incorrectly installed in December 1924, but Robert Addison attested to the tube's "good" condition on 17 January 1924. The ICC report recommended that Addison be arrested for committing perjury.

Eight of the class were sold to the Maine Central as Class A beginning with the 3000 in December 1936 and 3008 and 3017 in January 1937. 3009 followed in August 1940, 3020 and 3029 in September 1944, 3005 in April 1946, and 3014 completed the sextet in March 1947. MC road numbers were 651-658.

S-1-b 3028 must have been damaged, as it arrived at the scrapyard in February 1940. All of the B&Ms were scrapped between August 1946 and December 1949. All but two of the Maine Central engines were scrapped in the late 1940s; 856 went in December 1950 and, for some reason, 855 held on until June 1953.

Class S-1-a/S-1-b-thermic syphons (Locobase 16636)

Data from 1947 B & M Steam Locomotives Description and Classification, supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange and from the 1922 Locomotive Cyclopedia. (Thanks to Chris Hohl for his 4 April 2023 email spotlighting the use of tender boosters and noting several differences between the original S-1s and the 1928 modified shown here. His comments led to the creation of this entry.)

See Locobase 2384 for the class details as delivered in 1920 and 1923. This entry includes the B&M's installation of 92 sq ft (8.55 sq m) of thermic syphons. At the same time, the shops took out 24 small tubes and three of the five arch tubes, leaving two arch tubes totalling 21 sq ft (1.95 sq m).

In 1923, S-1b 3022-3023 received Worthington 4B feed water heaters. A class renumbering was followed by installation of Elesco K-39A feed water heaters in 2901-2906 in 1928; 2907, 2900, 2907 received Coffin B-89 feed water heaters in 1927; 2900, 2908, and 2920 in 1928; and 3014 in 1930.

Some were fitted with Elesco or Worthington feedwater heaters and others refitted with a copper firebox of identical dimensions to the original. They did shed some weight, however, compared to the oafish S-1as. According to Frye, analysis of the S-1a weight distribution suggested that shifting weight around would allow eleven of the S-1a to run on some of the lightly built branch lines. S-1c was the designation for this class. Begining in April 1940, the S-1a numbers (in order of thei new locomotive numbers) were 3016, 3013, 3001, 3006, 3010, 3019, 3018, 3015, 3003, 3002, and 3011-renumbered to 2900-2909, 2920.

Eight of the class were sold to the Maine Central as Class A beginning with the 3000 in December 1936 and 3008 and 3017 in January 1937. 3009 followed in August 1940, 3020 and 3029 in September 1944, 3005 in April 1946, and 3014 completed the sextet in March 1947. MC road numbers were 651-658.

S-1-b 3028 must have been damaged, as it arrived at the scrapyard in February 1940. All of the B&Ms were scrapped between August 1946 and December 1949. All but two of the Maine Central engines were scrapped in the late 1940s; 856 went in December 1950 and, for some reason, 655 held on until June 1953.