Numbers 2601 through 2607 were built for hump-yard service and were fitted with flangeless main wheels that allowed them to negotiate sharper curves. The design emphasized interchangeability of parts with 2-8-2s already in IC service. These seven locomotives were traded to the Central of Georgia in 1926 for ten "Mallets" 2-6-6-2 locomotives, which were built by ALCO in 1919.
In 1921, the Lima Locomotive Works began to fill the IC's order for 125 new 2-10-2 locomotives which would to be known as "Centrals" instead of "Santa Fes". These locomotives were needed to haul freight. The first one hundred arrived in two batch of 50 each in 1921 and the last 50 were delivered in 1923.
These 125 "Centrals" were designated as Class 2901 and were assigned road numbers 2901 through 3025. They were delivered with 63" diameter drivers, 30" x 32 cylinders, a 190 psi boiler pressure, they exerted 73,829 pounds of tractive effort and each weighed 382,000 pounds.
Between 1937 and 1942, the Paducah Shops of the IC removed the boilers from 56 of the Class 2901s and used them to build 56 4-8-2s. They also used the cylinders and frames from these same 56 locomotives to build fifteen 2-10-0s and forty-one 2-8-2s. The Paducah Shops also made many improvements to the remaining sixty-nine Class 2901 "Centrals"
Five more 2-10-2s came in 1926 when the IC acquired the Alabama & Vicksburg Railway. These locomotives A&V numbers 470 through 474 and were renumbered 3100 through 3104 when they were put on the IC roster.
There are no surviving IC 2-10-2 "Santa Fe" type locomotives.
| Class | Qty. | Road Numbers | From Other RR | Year Acquired | Year Built | Builder | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2601 | 3 | 2601-2603 | 1916 | ALCO | Traded to the Central of Georgia in 1926 for ten .Mallets. 2-6-6-2 numbers 790-799. | ||
| 2601 | 4 | 2604-2607 | 1918 | ALCO | Traded to the Central of Georgia in 1926 for ten .Mallets. 2-6-6-2 numbers 790-799. | ||
| 2901 | 100 | 2901-3000 | 1921 | Lima | 1,2,3 | ||
| 2901 | 25 | 3001-3025 | 1923 | Lima | 1,2,3 | ||
| 3100 | 5 | 3100-3104 | A&V | 1926 | 1919-1922 | Baldwin | Acquired in 1926 with the purchase of the Alabama & Vicksburg Railway. They were A&V numbers 470-474. The IC renumbered them 3100-3104. The IC rebuilt them to 0-10-0s between 1938 and 1941 and renumbered them 3602-3606. Numbers 3602-3606 scrapped between 1949 and 1951. |
Data from "Illinois Central 2-10-2 Type Locomotives", Railway Age Gazette, Volume 63, No. 3 (20 July 1917), 107-108. See also CofGa 6 - 1947 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange collection. (Thanks to Chris Hohl for his 18 June 2018 email pointing the 1918 batch as repeats of the 2016 trio and for correcting the boiler pressure and tender weight.) Works numbers were 55550-55552 in June 1916 and 59008-59011 in June 2018.
Somewhat ungainly wagon-top boiler. Built for hump-yard service; as such they were fitted with flangeless main wheels that allowed them to negotiate sharper curves (up to 16 deg). The design emphasized interchangeability of parts with 2-8-2s already in IC service. Piston valves measured 15" (381 mm) in diameter.
The septet did not long endure in IC service. The railroad sold them in March 1926 to the Central of Georgia as J-3 class 771-777. In their diagram, the C of Ga noted that the 1918 engines had their boilers set to 195 psi (13.45 bar), which generated a calculated tractive effort of 70,800 lb (32,115 kg or 314.93 kN).
Only the 771 came to a violent end, exploding in May 1951 after being hit by a car rolling from a siding, injuring three train crew. The 773 had already been retired in August 1947. The other five were withdrawn between August 1952 and July 1953.
Data from IC 4 - 1930 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. Works numbers were 6132-6181, 6188-6237 in 1921 and 6327-6351 in 1923.
Known as "Centrals" on the IC, instead of the more common "Santa Fe," these 125 freight haulers arrived between 1921 and 1923. The first hundred were built in batches of 50 and delivered in 1921. They had Duplex stokers. The last 25 came in 1923 and had DuPont stokers.
All had 15" (381 mm) piston valves.
Many were rebuilt later into 2-8-2, 2-10-0, 4-8-2 and 0-10-0 designs when later business conditions demanded more speed than they could deliver.
| Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media | ||
|---|---|---|
| Class | 2601 | 2900 |
| Locobase ID | 460 | 461 |
| Railroad | Illinois Central (IC) | Illinois Central (IC) |
| Country | USA | USA |
| Whyte | 2-10-2 | 2-10-2 |
| Number in Class | 7 | 125 |
| Road Numbers | 2601-2607 | 2900-3024 |
| Gauge | Std | Std |
| Number Built | 7 | 125 |
| Builder | Alco-Schenectady | Lima |
| Year | 1917 | 1921 |
| Valve Gear | Walschaert | Baker |
| Locomotive Length and Weight | ||
| Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | 22 / 6.71 | 22.33 / 6.81 |
| Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 41.17 / 12.55 | 42.50 / 12.95 |
| Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | 0.53 | 0.53 |
| Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | 71.56 / 21.81 | 82.83 / 25.25 |
| Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | 58,200 / 26,399 | 61,500 / 27,896 |
| Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 286,000 / 129,728 | 296,500 / 134,490 |
| Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 367,000 / 166,469 | 382,000 / 173,272 |
| Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | 170,000 / 77,111 | 208,600 / 94,619 |
| Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | 537,000 / 243,580 | 590,600 / 267,891 |
| Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | 9000 / 34.09 | 12,000 / 45.45 |
| Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | 15 / 14 | 19 / 17 |
| Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 95 / 47.50 | 99 / 49.50 |
| Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | ||
| Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 63 / 1600 | 63 / 1600 |
| Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 195 / 1340 | 190 / 1310 |
| High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 29" x 32" / 737x813 | 30" x 32" / 762x813 |
| Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 70,804 / 32116.19 | 73,829 / 33488.31 |
| Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 4.04 | 4.02 |
| Heating Ability | ||
| Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | 229 - 2.25" / 57 | 271 - 2.25" / 57 |
| Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | 45 - 5.5" / 140 | 50 - 5.5" / 140 |
| Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | 22 / 6.71 | 20.50 / 6.25 |
| Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 366 / 34 | 437.30 / 40.64 |
| Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 80.40 / 7.47 | 88.31 / 8.21 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 4677 / 434.50 | 5165 / 480.02 |
| Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 1162 / 107.95 | 1285 / 119.42 |
| Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 5839 / 542.45 | 6450 / 599.44 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 191.21 | 197.29 |
| Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | ||
| Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 15,678 | 16,779 |
| Same as above plus superheater percentage | 18,814 | 20,135 |
| Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 85,644 | 99,704 |
| Power L1 | 14,201 | 14,415 |
| Power MT | 547.34 | 535.91 |
