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Santa Fe class 3460
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United States | 1937
6 produced
No. 3460 in 1938 at Chicago, Illinois
No. 3460 in 1938 at Chicago, Illinois
collection Taylor Rush

The Santa Fe class 3460 consisted of six 4-6-4 “Hudsons” which were delivered by Baldwin in 1937. They were much more powerful than the class 3450 delivered in 1927 and were called “Super Hudsons”. The class leader No. 3460 was the only ATSF locomotive that had been streamlined. It got the name “Blue Goose” and was used for publicity service.

Features of the locomotives were 84-inch drivers, a 300 psi boiler pressure, SKF roller bearings on all axles and a Worthington feedwater heater. The firebox had a combustion chamber and two thermic syphons. It was oil-fired, but the firebox was designed in such a way that a conversion to coal-firing would also be possible. Although they had been built before the similar Chicago & North Western E-4 and Milwaukee Road F7, they were most likely more powerful.

In December 1937, 3461 set a long distance world record for a steam locomotive. There it ran the 2,227 miles or 3,585 km from Los Angeles to Chicago with an average of 45.4 mph or 73 km/h and reached a top speed of 90 mph or 145 km/h on some stretches. The average speed already includes five refueling stops. Although this was a success, it soon became apparent that the high steam pressure led to leaks on different points over time.

In 1945, they were rebuilt to an even more powerful variant and called “Super Duper Hudsons”. In this process they received a longer combustion chamber that led to shorter tubes. The combination of the thermic syphons and a water circulator was apparently matched very good and led to a considerable increase in power. They were retired in 1956 and only 3463 was preserved and is on static display at Topeka, Kansas.

Variantas builtrebuilt
General
Built19371945
ManufacturerBaldwinAlbuquerque
Axle config4-6-4 (Hudson) 
Gauge4 ft 8 1/2 in (Standard gauge)
Dimensions and Weights
Length112 ft 7 in
Length loco54 ft 3 3/4 in
Wheelbase41 ft 1 1/2 in
Rigid wheelbase14 ft 6 in
Total wheelbase88 ft 8 in
Service weight412,330 lbs417,300 lbs
Adhesive weight213,440 lbs210,800 lbs
Total weight808,670 lbs814,046 lbs
Axle load71,570 lbs71,600 lbs
Water capacity20,000 us gal
Fuel capacity7,000 us gal (oil)7,107 us gal (oil)
Boiler
Grate area98.5 sq ft99 sq ft
Firebox area375 sq ft433 sq ft
Tube heating area4,395 sq ft3,870 sq ft
Evaporative heating area4,770 sq ft4,303 sq ft
Superheater area2,080 sq ft2,020 sq ft
Total heating area6,850 sq ft6,323 sq ft
Variantas builtrebuilt
Power Plant
Driver diameter84 in
Boiler pressure300 psi
Expansion typesimple
Cylinderstwo, 23 1/2 x 29 in
Power
Power sourcesteam
Estimated power5,300 hp (3,952 kW)5,700 hp (4,250 kW)
Optimal speed69 mph75 mph
Starting effort48,618 lbf
Calculated Values
steam locomotive
express
streamline
last changed: 01/2025
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