Steam & Excursion > For Bob Kittel

From the locomotive encyclopedia 1947.....the tractive effort of a ATSF 2900 class....this book lists the 70% value....66,000 lbs.....which is comparable to the 3700 class. It appears the actual tractive effort of a 2900 class was SO HIGH that this publication only lists the 70% value.....Not the 100% value. On 3751's web page Bob has reasoned this out....when comparing the tractive effort of the 2900's with other Northern's. This photo confirms his math! It seems reality of a 2900's full tractive effort was lost over time until Bob figured it all out.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/12 19:16 by OKTrainboys.

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Doing the math, I got a TE of 94,285 lbs!!!
wow..... What awesome machines those Santa Fe
2900s were! Can't wait until the 2926 runs!
(Wouldn't a double-header with the 3751 be
wonderful?)

I would love to see a double-header with Santa Fe #2986 and Santa Fe #3751.

From what I have heard, the Mechanical department knew what they had, but they feared letting the Operating Department know exactly how capable the 2900's were, due to the fact that they wanted the engines to operate the locomotives as economically as possible, while the Operating Department wanted all the speed and power they could get. From what I have been told, a 2900 could take 8,000 tons and run 60 MPH with it across Kansas without any problems. All of the "Super Steam" ATSF locomotives were purposely underrated by the Mechanical Department for that reason. All of them were capable of some unbelievable performances.

Txhighballer: Could you please tell us what
some of those unbelievable performances were??
I know others would also love to hear those
stories. (Before that priceless knowledge is
lost to us forever.)

Pitty 16mm color film did not come along 10 years sooner...so many incredible scenes in the plains like what txhighballer is talking about just did not get well documented....ATSF 2926 is getting closer and closer to operation....and roller bearings everywhere! May have to move to ABQ....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/12 06:29 by OKTrainboys.

So could the 2900 class tackle a doublestack train like 3985 did after the oil conversion? That was impressive!

JimBo

3751_loony Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So could the 2900 class tackle a doublestack train
> like 3985 did after the oil conversion? That was
> impressive!
>
> JimBo


Not only could the 2900,3776 Class have pulled that train, they would have done it at about the same speed. The 5001 and 5011 Classes would have done it faster.

Margaret_SP_fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Txhighballer: Could you please tell us what
> some of those unbelievable performances were??
> I know others would also love to hear those
> stories. (Before that priceless knowledge is
> lost to us forever.)


I only have the memories told to me by my great uncle and several ATSF enginemen over the years. I think the 2900's were rated at 6,000 tons Dodge City to Newton Kansas, and it was not uncommon to turn a redball freight loose on the tail of a passenger train, both of them rating either 2900's or 3776's. They left ten minutes apart and the redball usually got in 15 minutes after the passenger train arrived. Nobody truly knows how fast they would run, but my great uncle personally saw the speedometer bouncing between 110 and 120 more than once...

WOW!! 110-120 mph!! THANK you VERY much, Txhighballer!!
wow.... Give me goosebumps to read that! wow....
J

2926 was known to have maintained 100mph+ around Laguna west of Abq. Don't tell anybody.

Having '26 and '51 run together?
Couuuuuld happen. A few '26 folks helped SBRHS run their recent Grand Canyon Limited.
Mr. Kittel has visited, is well acquainted with NMSL&RHS.