Nostalgia & History > Some Little Frisco Friends

Back in the 1920s, Frisco decided to take 6 old 4-4-0s and modernize them to replace motor cars on certain runs and to handle certain other short passenger operations. West Springfield did an excellent job and created modern locomotives out of the former slide valve engines.
69" drivers, superheated, lightweight Walschaerts valve gear, front end throttles and classic lines, these little gals Nos. 182-187 lasted until the end of steam on the Frisco. The doric striping and nickled cylinder head covers didn't hurt their appearance either. Of the six, 183 was the only one to have the smokebox lagged. They had reputations as snappy little performers.

---

---

---

What the heck, I'm on a roll, might as well include the rest of the class.

---

---

---

Snappy little creatures. Reminds me of some of Espee's 4-4-0s. - Tony J.

Handsome engines. Frisco had class.

Africansteam

Don, why would the Frisco be smart enough to put Front End Multiple Valve Throttles on these little jewels and not order said throttles on their big 4500 class 4-8-4's? That's been somewhat of a mystery to me. Any thoughts?

Bob Callahan
Monticello,IN

Great looking little locomotives! What is the history of the second car behind #182? Is it a heavyweight rebuilt to look streamlined?

I've often pondered things like this. The Frisco had their own way of doing things and in this case, it could have had something to do with WPB restrictions. Who knows?
The 4200 class 2-8-2s and 4300 class 4-8-2s were delivered with front end throttles (Frisco built the 4300s) but no others. They were in receivership when they bought the 4500s also, maybe that played into the mix.
They never owned an engine with roller bearings. I guess our conversion of 1522 to roller bearing pilot, trailing and tender trucks would have been a first.

---

Frisco1522 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've often pondered things like this. The Frisco
> had their own way of doing things and in this
> case, it could have had something to do with WPB
> restrictions. Who knows?
> The 4200 class 2-8-2s and 4300 class 4-8-2s were
> delivered with front end throttles (Frisco built
> the 4300s) but no others. They were in
> receivership when they bought the 4500s also,
> maybe that played into the mix.
> They never owned an engine with roller bearings.
> I guess our conversion of 1522 to roller bearing
> pilot, trailing and tender trucks would have been
> a first.


Don, interesting. I didn't know about the receivership thing. I think you might have hit on something there.

Question: looks like the 4-4-0's have a "Johnson Bar" instead of a "power reverse". Correct? Either way, they were pretty little things. Wish one had been preserved. Thanks for your response.

Bob Callahan
Monticello, IN

Frisco1522 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Back in the 1920s, Frisco decided to take 6 old
> 4-4-0s and modernize them to replace motor cars on
> certain runs and to handle certain other short
> passenger operations. West Springfield did an
> excellent job and created modern locomotives out
> of the former slide valve engines.
> 69" drivers, superheated, lightweight Walschaerts
> valve gear, front end throttles and classic lines,
> these little gals Nos. 182-187 lasted until the
> end of steam on the Frisco. The doric striping and
> nickled cylinder head covers didn't hurt their
> appearance either. Of the six, 183 was the only
> one to have the smokebox lagged. They had
> reputations as snappy little performers.

Yeh, if that doesn't beat all...a 4-4-0 with a front-end throttle. Didn't the Mopac modernize some of their Americans with
disc drivers? I think I remember seeing photos of one with a set of Scullins too! A friend of mine rode behind one on a
troop train during WW11 & said it ran over 65 with its short train.
Beautiful photos, I like 'em all. Thank you.

Tom

MoPaC had some modernized high drivered Atlantics in the 5500 series that ran the gamut in appearances with different style drivers, Delta trailing trucks and other appliances. Great looking engines also.
To answer someones question, it does look like there's no power reverse on these engines. (Frisco 4-4-0s) Frisco was clever in hiding the power reverse units, sometimes being mounted backwards alongside the smokebox. And the car behind the ex-troop sleeper in the 182 shot is a heavyweight car that was rebuilt by the Springfield shops in the "Meteor" paint scheme of blue and white. Originally, this scheme made it's debut with the "Firefly", a train and engines rebuilt in the '30s to compete with streamliners. Featured some little 4-6-2s with streamlined cowling and a bullet nose. Quite attractive little train actually.
Wish I could find that top secret storage facility in the desert where all the steam engines are stored, like all the airplanes, and look for myself. Well, OK it's a little early for April Fool.