Santa Fe 2926

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe 2926 is a 2900 class 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive, built in May 1944 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (ATSF). It was used to pull passenger and fast freight trains, mostly throughout New Mexico, until retired from service in 1953. In 1956, ATSF donated No. 2926 to the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico for static display. In 1999, the non-profit New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society purchased No. 2926 for restoration. In 2021, No. 2926 moved under its own power for the first time in almost 70 years. It is the world's heaviest 4-8-4, and the sole operating class 2900 locomotive among the last six in existence. The Society, under the trade name New Mexico Heritage Rail, plans to operate historic rail excursion trains behind No. 2926 between Albuquerque and Las Vegas, New Mexico. History Revenue service No. 2926 was among the last group of steam passenger locomotives built in 1944 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Eddystone (Philadelphia), Pennsylvania for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. This class of locomotives comprised the heaviest 4-8-4's built in the United States, and among the largest. The railroad used the locomotive in both fast freight and passenger service, and it accumulated over one million miles of usage before its last revenue run on December 24, 1953. Equipped with the latest Timken roller-bearing tandem side-rods between 1946-1948, it was then approved for 110-mph speeds with the Santa Fe's crack passenger trains: up from 100-mph when delivered with its original side-rods. Preservation The locomotive and a caboose were donated to the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico in July 1956 to recognize the city's 250th anniversary, and placed in Coronado Park. The city displayed the locomotive as a static exhibit in the park until it was sold for $1.00 to the Society on July 26, 1999. On June 23, 2000, the locomotive was moved by Messer Construction Company to a BNSF Railway rail siding just south of Menaul Boulevard. The locomotive has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since October 1, 2007. Restoration In May 2002, the No. 2926 locomotive was moved out on temporary snap tracks to its current location near the intersection of 8th Street and Haines Avenue, where it underwent a complete restoration to operating condition by the Society. On February 11, 2016, House Memorial Bill 100, introduced by Don L. Tripp and adopted by the New Mexico Legislature, recognized the Santa Fe No. 2926 steam locomotive as "New Mexico's steam locomotive and a representative of the railroads' contributions to the economic and cultural growth and stature of New Mexico". In January 2018, it was reported that the restoration was nearing completion, and that the locomotive could be operational by the end of the year. As of that date, NMSL&RHS members had put in 166,000 hours of volunteer labor and spent over $2.8 million on the project. On August 20, 2018, the boiler of ATSF No. 2926 was fired up for the first time in sixty-five years. The locomotive was scheduled for a test run on March 20, 2020, when it would move under its own power for the first time since 1953. However, that event and most other restoration efforts were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Mexico. On July 24, 2021, the No. 2926 locomotive moved under its own power for the first time in sixty-eight years. Excursion service On May 6, 2023, No. 2926 visited a nearby brewing company for a fundraiser, a distance of about four blocks. The same visit happened two more times, on August 26, 2023, and May 4, 2024. On September 30, 2023, No. 2926 returned to the mainline on a 2.5-mile excursion to the Albuquerque Rail Yards to attend the New Mexico Railroad Days event. On June 14, 2025, it was announced that the New Mexico Department of Transportation and New Mexico Heritage Rail have agreed to allow No. 2926 to operate on 40 miles of state-owned trackage around Albuquerque from Bernalillo to Los Lunas. Surviving sister engines 3751 moved from Viaduct Park in San Bernardino, California in 1986 for restoration to operating condition, which was completed in 1991. 3759 is displayed 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 displayed at the Modesto Amtrak Station in Modesto, California. 2925 is displayed at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, California. Historic designations National Register of Historic Places #NPS–#07000388 See also Santa Fe 3415 Grand Canyon Railway 4960 Spokane, Portland & Seattle 700 Southern Pacific 4449 Union Pacific 844 Milwaukee Road 261 References Further reading Diven, William P. (2017). "2926: So close". Trains. No. 9. Kalmbach Media. pp. 4–11. External links National Register of Historic Places Weekly Update New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society: Website • YouTube Page • Facebook Page • Instagram