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by | Mar 28, 2018 | Petasites

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The St. Louis–San Francisco class 4500 was a class of 25 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works between 1942-1943 and operated by the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway.

The first three operated in passenger service, pulling trains such as the Meteor. The rest pulled freight throughout the system until retirement by the early 1950s. Four 4500s has been preserved and all are on display.

History

The first three (Nos 4500–4502) were built as oil-burning steam locomotives in 1942 for Frisco passenger service.[1] They were painted in the zephyr blue, white and gray paint scheme with "Meteor" spelled out on the side of the tender in bold, red letters.[1] They were used for pulling Frisco's crack Meteor train service.[1] They also saw service pulling Frisco's Texas Special. When the Meteor was dieselized, the locomotives were re-painted into Frisco's standard black with gold striping and lettering, and assigned to passenger trains such as the Will Rogers.[1] The latter twelve (Nos. 4503–4514) were also built in 1942, but as coal burners and pulled fast freight throughout the Frisco system. The last ten (Nos. 4515–4524) were built in 1943 as coal burners and also pulled freight. Despite the latter 22 being intended for freight service, they have also pulled passenger trains on occasion. Some of the earlier locomotives were equipped with boosters. In 1948, Frisco 4501 still in its Meteor livery pulled President Harry S. Truman's whistle stop tour train through his home state of Missouri. Their design was also similar to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad's O-5 class of Northerns, though there were some differences.[2]

As the Frisco was dieselising, the locomotives was assigned to secondary passenger trains such as the General Wood and all were out of operation and put into storage by 1952.

Preservation

Four 4500s survived into preservation:

Roster

Number Baldwin serial number Date built Disposition Notes
4500 64437 November 1942 On display at the Route 66 Historical Village at 3770 Southwest Blvd. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Repainted to the Meteor paint scheme before display.
4501 64438 November 1942 On display at the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, Texas. Repainted to the Meteor paint scheme before display.
4502 64439 1942 Sold for scrap.
4503 64440 1942 Sold for scrap.
4504 64441 1942 Sold for scrap.
4505 64442 1942 Sold for scrap.
4506 64443 1942 Sold for scrap.
4507 64444 1942 Sold for scrap.
4508 64445 1942 Sold for scrap.
4509 64446 1942 Sold for scrap.
4510 64447 1942 Sold for scrap.
4511 64448 1942 Sold for scrap.
4512 64449 1942 Sold for scrap.
4513 64450 1942 Sold for scrap.
4514 64451 1942 Sold for scrap.
4515 69731 1943 Sold for scrap.
4516 69732 August 1943 On display at Missouri State Fair Grounds in Sedalia, Missouri. Nicknamed "Old Smokie".[4]
4517 69733 1943 Sold for scrap.
4518 69734 1943 Sold for scrap.
4519 69735 1943 Sold for scrap.
4520 69736 1943 Sold for scrap.
4521 69737 1943 Sold for scrap.
4522 69738 1943 Sold for scrap.
4523 69739 1943 Sold for scrap.
4524 69740 September 1943 On display at Grant Beach Park in Springfield, Missouri. Last steam locomotive built for the Frisco. Painted in the "Frisco Faster Freight" paint scheme.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "St. Louis - San Francisco Railway Company ("Frisco") 4501". Museum of the American Railroad. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  2. ^ "St Louis-San Francisco 4-8-4 "Northern" Locomotives in the USA".
  3. ^ "Route 66 Historical Village". TravelOK.com. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  4. ^ "Old Smokie, Frisco Engine 4516, Sedalia, Missouri". Waymarking.com. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
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