Southern Pacific 2-10-2 "Santa Fe" Locomotives in the USA

Class F-1 (Locobase 3292)

See Railway Age, 2 July 1921 and DeGolyer, Vol 56, pp. 349+. (Thanks to Larry Dinkoff for his 3 November 2019 noting the only surviving F-1's later history on display.) Baldwin works numbers were 51602-51603 in March 1921; 51672-51674, 51677, 51696-51697 in April; 51763, 51792-51796, 51819-51821, 51831-51837 in May; 51862-51864, 51900-51903, 51932-51935, 51948-51951 in June;52010-52011, 52012, 52051-52053 in July.

The Espee first procured 2-10-2s with this batch from Brooks and Baldwin. Known as "Decks" (Decapods) on the Southern Pacific, the F-1s represented a step up in power over the Mikados and Consolidations that were already in service. They were followed a few years later by the F-3 line, which had a larger cylinder and significantly large heating surface.

RA's account showed a 273,000-lb (123,831 kg) weight on the drivers. The addition of a Worthington 4S feedwater heater contributed 9,000 lb (4,082 kg) of weight.

F-1s were apparently quite satisfactory, even though they were less powerful than the later F-3s, and operated on the lines until 1952-1958.

Larry Dinkoff reports that the 3651 (renumbered to 982 in 1922) "is now located outside Minute Maid Park in Houston. The park itself is on the grounds of the old Union Station"

"It [982] has been lovingly preserved and is a mighty sight to see indeed.

Class F-3/F-4 (Locobase 3291)

Data from "Heavy Locomotives for the Southern Pacific", Railway Age, Volume 71, No 1 (2 July 1921), pp. 15-17 and SP 7 - 1951 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. See also the detailed article "Powerful Locomotives for the Southern Pacific Lines", Railway Journal, Volume 28 (June 1922), pp 11-12; DeGolyer, Volume 69, pp. 350+; and "Fifty New Freight Locomotives for the Southern Pacific" Railway Review, Volume 70, No 22 (17 June 1922), pp. 896-900. (Thanks to Chris Hohl for his 14 October 2019 email comment that led to the explanation in the paragraph just below.) Works numbers were (F-3) 54312-54313, 54381-54385, 54502-54509 in January 1921 and (F-4) 55233-55244, 55261-55272 in January 1921; 55293, 55304-55312 in March; 55326-55338 in April; 55377-55379. in May.

The first in a series of uprated Santa Fes that included the 50 F-4s brought west in a single train called the Prosperity Special in 1922 and 51 F-5s (Locobase 86) delivered in 1923-1924. In 1922, the F-3 class's lead engine--3652--was renumbered 3667 in order to clear the way to renumber Arizona Eastern 1001 as SP 3652, the last in the previous class of Santa Fes.

Both classes were delivered as oil-fueled engines equipped with Von Boden Ingles burners and trailing cylindrical Vanderbilt tenders, and lateral motion boxes for the front set of drivers. Chris Hohl pointed out that specs for the F-3 tenders originally called for a version weighing only 197,250 lb (89,471 kg) as delivered. But at time of delivery, the tender was the standard size used for both F-3 and F-4 locomotives.

F-3s were converted to coal burning in 1924, and reconverted to oil burning in 1940-1944. At least some of the F-3s were later fitted with a Type TA-1 Hancock Turbo feed water heater. These are described by several sources as overly complex as they apparently attempted to evade infringing on existing patents. (See the discussion--pro and con--on the TrainOrders forum at [],4232665, last accessed on 16 November 2019.)

Chris Hohl noted that the engine and tender wheelbase in the F-4s measured 83 ft 7 in (25.48 m). This is likely due to the introduction of a Franklin trailing truck booster. Another difference was the installation of a Worthington open-type feed water heater capable of supplying 7,200 US gallons (27,252 litres) per hour.

Spec notes for the F-4s included a custom-made 20" slide pipe for the booster steam joint instead of the standard 17 3/4" part. The original pipes were returned to Franklins "express charges prepaid". Also, the crates carrying the boosters were returned "by Baltimore boat", to Poole Engineering & Machine Company with freight charges billed to the company.

All 65 were Baldwin built and all had very similar dimensions. All were delivered with 63 1/2" diameter drivers. Known as "Decks" (Decapods) on the Southern Pacific.

Compared to the later F-5, the F-3s had a slightly lower superheat percentage and as is usual with a series, started off with the lowest weights. Firebox heating surface area was supplemented by 130 sq ft (12.1 sq m) of combustion chamber area. Piston valves measured 15" (381 mm) in diameter. They used Franklin Supply Company's Ragonnet Type B power reverse gear.

RA reported that the new Santa Fes were put in service in the Los Angeles-Bakersfield section, a 171-mile run with 2.2-2.37% grade westbound and 2.23-2.54% grades eastbound. Tonnage ratings for the F-3s (and presumably the F-4 and F-5 engines) came to 1,005 tons westbound, 875 tons eastbound.

Locobase 86 shows a later set of firebox and superheater areas that appears to have been standard for all of the Decks from this era.

F-3s served until retirement in 1952-1958; F-4s had a similar career and were retired in 1951-1958.

Class F-5 (Locobase 86)

Data from 1930 Locomotive Cyclopedia and SP 7 - 1951 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. See also DeGolyer, Volume 69, pp. 381+. (Many thanks to Chris Hohl for his 22 September 2017 email reporting unlikely boiler pressure values for 177 entries. A Locobase macro caused the error .) Works numbers were 57003 in October 1923; 57357-57363 in October; 57429-57433, 57441, 57472-57491 in November; 57608-57609 in January 1924; 57620-57629, 57650-57651 in February; 57660-57662 in March.

Boiler had Worthington 4-B feed water heater. The last in a run of Santa Fes that included the F-3 and the 50 F-4s brought west in a single train called the Prosperity Special in 1922 (see Locobase 3291). This class has been divided into entries. This one shows the 45 that had 381 sq ft (35.4 sq m), which is a minor difference from the SP diagram.This included 130 sq ft (12.1 sq m) in the combustion chamber. Locobase 15932 documents the impact of installing thermic syphons in the last five engines.

Specs showing a superheater area of 1,381 sq ft (128.3 sq m) in 1930 differs from the Baldwin spec, which amounted to 1,329 sq ft (123.45 sq m). These were considerably larger than the 1,230 sq ft consistently used by the Southern Pacific in its diagram. Locobase uses the SP measurements on the grounds that that was what the railroad would use to assess relative capacity.

Most of the F-5s went to the Texas & New Orleans lines, where they worked until retirement in 1949-1956.

Class F-5 - thermic syphons (Locobase 15932)

Data from 1930 Locomotive Cyclopedia and SP 7 - 1951 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. See also DeGolyer, Volume 69, pp. 381+. Works numbers were 57650-57651 in February; 57660-57662 in March.

Boiler had Worthington 4-B feed water heater, 15" (381 mm) balanced piston valves. In most respects, this quintet's design repeated the F-5s shown in Locobase 86. But their fireboxes had 110 sq ft (10.22 sq m) more heating surface area thanks to the inclusion of 116 sq ft (10.78 sq m) in three Nicholson thermic syphons. Their addition increased adhesion weight by less than 1,000 lb (454 kg).

Most of the F-5s went to the Texas & New Orleans lines, where they worked until retirement in 1949-1956.

Class F-6 (Locobase 15933)

Data from DeGolyer, Volume 69, pp. 417+. Works number was 57947 in July 1924.

This was the last of the F-5 Santa Fes built by Baldwin for the SP in 1923-1924 (Locobases 86 and 15932). It originally was ordered to test "two-flow cylinders for which an economy was promised." To gain a clear reading of the advantage, the specs advised "No changes other than those absolutely necessary for the proper application of two-flow cylinders are agreed to by the railway company because if a number of irrelevant changes are made it will be impossible whether two-flow cylinders are effective or not."

The Pennsylvania was to assess this system at its Altoona testing plant and the locomotive did enter service in June 1925. However, a later note citing Extra order 9620-28 shows that the 3769 would get Caprotti poppet valve gear and this was installed in January 1931. Finally, the engine was converted to a standard piston-valve setup in February 1937.