Santa Fe 5000

Santa Fe No. 5000 is a 2-10-4 "Texas" type steam locomotive constructed by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1930 for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. No. 5000 was immediately nicknamed the "Madame Queen" and remained a unique member of its own class. It was donated to the City of Amarillo, Texas in 1957. As of 2023, Santa Fe 5000 is maintained by the Railroad Artifact Preservation Society. Santa Fe 5000 is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Construction

The Texas type on the Santa Fe is by design a Berkshire with an additional driving axle, as it was ordered by most railroads. Although Santa Fe 3829 was the first steam locomotive with the 2-10-4 wheel arrangement, Santa Fe 5000 served as the prototype for all further 2-10-4 locomotives used by the railroad.

In 1930, Santa Fe looked at the contemporary heavy-duty motive power policies of other railroads and decided that its own needed substantial reappraisal. Additional locomotives were ordered as a result of this study, including the 5000. Santa Fe 5000 was placed in service between Clovis and Vaughn, New Mexico for observation. The result was that the company had purchased a locomotive which would pull 15% more tonnage in 9% less time, burning 17% less coal per 1000 gross ton-miles than its 3800 series 2-10-2s.

Although the locomotive was a success, the 1930s brought the national depression and Santa Fe adopted a policy of avoiding capital expenditures during this period. By the time the next 2-10-4s were delivered in 1938 they were placed in a different class because of many design refinements. With the various classes of 4-8-4 types, the 2-10-4 type represented the pinnacle of modern heavy-power development on the Santa Fe Railway System.

Modifications

Santa Fe 5000 underwent a few modifications during its service life. It received a larger 'square tender', which required the cab roof to be modified with an area that allowed crew members to pass from the cab to the top of the tender. In 1940 the locomotive was converted from coal to oil fuel.

Preservation

On April 17, 1957, after several years of storage and 1,750,000 miles (2,820,000 km) of service, Santa Fe 5000 was retired and donated to the city of Amarillo, Texas. It was placed on outdoor static display at the Santa Fe station. In August 2005, 5000 was moved by the Railroad Artifact Preservation Society to a new location in Amarillo, 500 SE 2nd Avenue, where it plans to construct a building to house and preserve the locomotive. In July 2016, the city of Amarillo proposed selling the locomotive.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Potter County, Texas

References

Bibliography

• Worley, E. D. (1965), Iron Horses of the Santa Fe Trail, Southwest Railroad Historical Society
• Teague, Sam D. (2012). The Madame Queen: ATSF 5000 (1st ed.). Paired Rail Railroad Publications. ISBN 978-1937001032.

External links

• 1979 Article on the Madame Queen (updated 11/10/2011)
• Article on putting the Madame Queen on the Nat. Register of Historic Places (updated 11/10/2011)
• Railroad Artifact Preservation Society of Amarillo, TX