Santa Fe 3751 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 3751 |
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| ATSF No. 3751 leads an employee special train westbound through Streator, Illinois in 1992 | |
| Power type | Steam |
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| Builder | Baldwin Locomotive Works |
| Serial number | 60004 |
| Model | 16-54 1/4 E |
| Build date | May 1927 |
| Configuration | 4-8-4 |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Driver diameter | 80 in (2,032 mm) |
| Axle load | 73,000 lb (33,100 kg) (Originally 70,500 lb (32,000 kg)) |
| Weight on drivers | 287,000 lb (130,000 kg) (Originally 270,000 lb (122,000 kg) |
| Locomotive weight | 478,100 lb (216,900 kg) |
| Tender weight | 396,246 lb (179,730 kg) |
| Locomotive and tender combined weight | 875,346 lb (397,100 kg) |
| Fuel type | Coal (1927-1936), later converted to oil |
| Fuel capacity | 7,000 US gal (26,000 L; 5,800 imp gal) |
| Water capacity | 20,000 US gal (76,000 L; 17,000 imp gal) |
| Boiler pressure | 230 lbf/in2 (1.59 MPa) Originally 210 lbf/in2 (1.45 MPa) |
| Cylinders | 2 |
| Cylinder size | 30 in × 30 in (762 mm × 762 mm) |
| Tractive effort | 65,981 lbf (293.50 kN) |
| Factor of adhesion | 4.35 |
| Last run | 1953 (revenue service) |
| Retired | 1957 (revenue service) |
| Restored | August 13, 1991 |
| Current owner | San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society |
| Disposition | Undergoing a 15-year expiration overhaul, based in San Bernardino, California |
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Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Steam Locomotive No. 3751
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2435 E. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles |
| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway; Baldwin Locomotive Works |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001178 |
| Added to NRHP | October 4, 2000 |
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 3751 is a special steam locomotive. It was built in 1927 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Santa Fe Railway. This locomotive is a "Northern" type, meaning it has four small wheels at the front, eight large driving wheels in the middle, and four small wheels at the back.
Number 3751 was the very first "Northern" type steam engine for the Santa Fe. It carried passengers until it was retired in 1957. After being retired, it was put on display in San Bernardino, California. However, it was brought back to life in 1991!
Today, the locomotive is in Los Angeles and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's amazing because it's the oldest surviving 4-8-4 type steam locomotive in the world! The San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society owns and operates it. They use it for special train trips. Right now, it's getting a big check-up that happens every 15 years, so it's not running at the moment.
Contents
History of Santa Fe 3751
Number 3751 was built in 1927. It was the first 4-8-4 type locomotive built by Baldwin for the Santa Fe Railway. Tests showed that 3751 was much better than older Santa Fe steam engines. It was 20% more efficient and powerful than the 3700 class "Mountain" type locomotives.
In 1936, the engine was changed to burn oil instead of coal. Two years later, it got a bigger tender. This new tender could hold 20,000 gallons of water and over 7,000 gallons of fuel oil. On May 7, 1939, 3751 was part of a big event. It pulled the Scout train into Union Station in Los Angeles. This made it the first steam locomotive to bring a passenger train into that station.
In 1941, 3751 received some major upgrades. It got bigger 80-inch drive wheels and a new frame. It also got roller bearings, which made it run smoother. That same year, it reached its fastest speed ever: 103 miles per hour!
The locomotive worked reliably until 1953. On August 25, it pulled the last regular steam-powered passenger train between Los Angeles and San Diego. This was its last trip carrying passengers. After that, it was stored for four years. In 1957, the railroad officially retired it. In 1958, it was put on display in San Bernardino, California.
Bringing 3751 Back to Life
In 1981, a group called the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society was formed. Their goal was to fix up and run 3751 again. Four years later, they bought the locomotive for just one cent! The deal was that they had to restore and operate it.
In 1986, 3751 was moved to California Steel Industries for restoration. The project cost $1.5 million. On August 13, 1991, it moved on its own power for the first time in 38 years! Its first special trip was on December 27, 1991. It traveled from Los Angeles to Bakersfield with 16 passenger cars. Since then, 3751 has been used for many special trips and displays. It is now one of the most famous working steam locomotives in North America.
Special Excursion Trips
The San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society still owns and operates 3751. They are the same group that restored it in 1986.
In August 1992, 3751 went on its biggest journey yet. It traveled the entire Santa Fe Transcon route between Los Angeles and Chicago. The engine traveled over 2,300 miles in both directions over 18 days.
On April 22–23, 1995, 3751 was shown at a festival in Riverside. On September 22, 1995, the Santa Fe Railway merged with the Burlington Northern Railroad to form Burlington Northern Santa Fe. 3751 kept its number. It was displayed again in Riverside on April 20–21, 1996.
In June 1999, the locomotive took part in Railfair 99. On its way to the fair, 3751 pulled a train that was a mix of passenger cars and boxcars.
In October 2000, 3751 was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a very important historical item.
Another locomotive of the same type, Santa Fe 3759, is also preserved in Kingman, Arizona. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places. 3751 has also been displayed many times at Fullerton Railroad Days in Fullerton, California.
In August 2002, 3751 made a special trip with Amtrak from Los Angeles to Williams, Arizona. This was for a big railway convention. The trip included running on the Grand Canyon Railway line. There, 3751 ran with the Grand Canyon Railway's own steam engines, No. 4960 and No. 18.
In 2008, 3751 ran on the Surfline route for two trips from Los Angeles to San Diego. The first trip was for the public on June 1. It was the first steam locomotive to run on the Surf Line since 1976. It was also the first steam-powered passenger train to go between Los Angeles and San Diego since 3751 did it in 1953.
In May 2010, the locomotive returned to the Surf Line for a third trip to San Diego. It pulled eight Amtrak cars and some special dome cars. Many people came to see it. To make the trip smoother, it was split over two days. It went south to San Diego on May 1 and north to Los Angeles the next day. This worked well! The weekend after, the engine was in San Bernardino for National Train Day. It has made an annual trip to San Bernardino for the Railroad Days Festival since then.
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In May 2012, 3751 powered a six-day trip from Los Angeles to Williams, Arizona. This was to celebrate Arizona's 100th birthday. As part of this trip, 3751 and GCRY 4960 ran together to the Grand Canyon and back. Three weeks before this trip, 3751 also went to the San Bernardino Railroad Days Festival.
In May 2013, 3751 made its fourth trip to the San Bernardino Railroad Days Festival.
In May 2015, 3751 was at Fullerton Railroad Days in Fullerton, California. This was its first time there since 2008. It was also displayed there from April 31 - May 1, 2016, and again from May 6–7, 2017. This was its last display for a few years because it is now getting a big overhaul. It was displayed at Union Station's Summer Train Fest on July 15, 2017, before the overhaul began. The overhaul is expected to be finished in 2021.
Other Surviving Locomotives
Did you know there are other steam engines like 3751 that still exist? Here are some of its sister engines:
- 3759 is on display at Locomotive Park in Kingman, Arizona.
- 3768 is displayed at the Great Plains Transportation Museum in Wichita, Kansas.
- 2903 is displayed at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois.
- 2912 is displayed at the Pueblo Railway Museum in Pueblo, Colorado.
- 2913 is displayed at Riverview Park in Fort Madison, Iowa.
- 2921 is now displayed at the Modesto Amtrak Station in Modesto, California.
- 2925 is displayed at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, California.
- 2926 is being restored to run again by the New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society.
Historic Recognition
- National Register of Historic Places #NPS–#00001178
Images for kids
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ATSF No. 3751 leads an employee special train westbound through Streator, Illinois in 1992
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No. 3751 with Grand Canyon Railway 2-8-2 No. 4960, 2002.
