Santa Fe No. 2903

Santa Fe (ATSF) No. 2903 is a 4-8-4 "Northern" Type steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1943 for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. Outwardly identical to the 1941 series (3776-3785), the 2900s were built with carbon steel boilers instead of nickel steel due to wartime restrictions. This made the 2900s the heaviest 4-8-4s ever built, weighing in at over 510,000 lbs. The last thirty (#2900-#2929) delivered in 1944 were based on the 3765 class built in 1938, but WWII material restrictions meant some components had to be substituted.
This engine hauled passenger trains on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway at 20 cars at speed reaching 90 miles an hour or it could haul 100 freight cars at a slower rate until the 1950's.
The locomotive was donated to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois in 1961 and placed on display outdoors.
In December 1994, the Museum of Science and Industry donated this locomotive to the Illinois Railway Museum. The museum was trying to re-arrange its outdoor exhibits and moving many of the outdoor exhibits to the inside, but 2903 was simply too heavy to be moved inside the museum. The locomotive was moved from the Museum in the Spring of 1995, and was moved through downtown Hyde Park.
Today the locomotive is still at the Illinois Railway Museum.
==Trivia==
*Santa Fe 2903 is the largest preserved locomotive in Illinois.
*The locomotive made a cameo appearance in Transformers: Age of Extinction.
*Being dual service locomotives, the 2900's (2903 included) are not only able to haul heavy freight, but they were also fast enough to run passenger trains, even the 'name' trains such as the 'Scout' and the 'Grand Canyon Limited'.
==See also==
*Gallery
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:4-8-4 steam locomotives
Category:Santa Fe locomotives
Category:American locomotives
Category:Baldwin locomotives
Category:Eight-coupled locomotives
Category:Illinois Railway Museum Engines
Category:4-8-4 locomotives
Category:Locomotives featured in media
Category:Built in 1943
Category:Locomotives
Category:Standard gauge locomotives
Category:Restored locomotives
Category:Preserved steam locomotives