any steam locomotive people here?

im trying to find a site where i can find out about the working life of a individual locomotive, where it was, what it did, when it was retired ect, the locomotive is the atsf 3424 in Kinsley ks, been to it numerous times , been in it and on it, now id like to know more about it

This site has tons of railroad info, including historical info. For an ATSF locomotive, you might also try the BNSF website, looking for a contact number for their historical dept.
webville and hypertext railroad

Also try " www.steamlocomotive.com "
A slightly older one, #3415 is operable -found a video of that one on you tube. Ken

This is the locomotive you're talking about, right?

that's the one, for a unfenced locomotive this one is really complete, usually with a engine not protected by a fence souvenir hunters gradually swipe enough of the small pieces off them to where somebody finally has to haul the rest to the scrapper, not so with this one, this is parked in a small town park right across the hiway from the railroad and the town really takes care of it, next to it inthe fence is a lot of antique farm equipment too as well as a good museum just across the park from it

Hi Eric,

Check with the folks at the ATSF Historical society... they may be able to help.. or they may not. Some railroads did a good job of transitioning records to historical societies and libraries ... others not so good.

http://www.atsfrr.com/



Randy

I cannot answer your specific question but am an avid steam locomotive fan.

Steam locomotives.com, as recommended by a poster below, is a wealth of information.

Dean

Go to an old fashioned library. Or get on a forum where people have actual books on the subject. A quick online search show's people talking about the mayor trying to give the thing away etc..... like the chick in the commercial, can't be on the internet if it's not true....
A photo in a book from the 50's or 60's might have that engine, or its 'class' photographed in a certain area of a certain line, but one this size lots like it would sink in light track- just for mainline passenger power. Pacifics spread their weight evenly, but this is a bigger one.
I am going to guess, it was that ATSF just wanted to get a nice but condemned engine donated without a long transport hassle. How close is the/a SF mainline? What town had the closest division point and roundhouse? Their museum and library would be a good field trip. So it might have worked out of the closest roundhouse.
Some engines are very limited- only Southern Pacific coal burners were in New Mexico, UP's gas turbines confined to deserts with deaf animals, around here, CV Texans couldn't get over a bridge in northern Mass, so had to work in Vermont, D&H articulates couldn't get thru the tunnels and rock cuts to show themselves off at Canadian trade shows. Not without a visit by a Montreal autobody crew after the run there.
Like tractor forums, there is alot of innacruate, useless, or off the wall information to hear themselves talk, but snapshots from the era at work, and captions by oldtimers who witnessed these machines are your best bet. You need pics older than 2004.... I will try to dig up something tonight, got a couple books on Santa Fe power... somewhere...

This is a little off subject, but I visited Cass, WV last summer to ride on the Cass Scienic Railroad. And what an experience it was! These Shay steam engines are half-size compared to the big "piston" steamers of the main line railroads, but they are capable of amazing feats, such as pulling a load up 11% grades and turning 33% curves. It is a 4 hour ride to a mountain top with a magnificant 180 degree view.
This is hands on experience with chance to talk to engineer, firemen, brakemen, smell the smoke see the steam and hear the whistles and bells. I haven't master the art of posting pictures here yet, but anyone interested can google shay engines or Cass Scenic RR and get a taste of what they look like. There are some very good clips on U-Tube also

Did you try googling it? Or searching on the Internet? You might have Some luck there.

Try this link.

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/

Your engine was owned by the (Achtison Topeka & Santa Fe RR).

This is what I have found on it.


3400 3400-3449 Baldwin 1919-24 50 1956 3415-17, 3423-24 preserved

They do make models of this type of engine I found one numbered 3415
Walt

When searching for old steam engines count the wheels. This one has 4 up front 6 drivers and 2 trailers. Then enter the RR name and you can come up with what you want oh also enter the engine number usually on the tender.
Walt

Try this site. Look under Surviving Steam Locomotives database. Select state. There's more information here than you can process.
Untitled URL Link

That's a nice site except it a little shrt on information. It said that engine 3134 was Scrapted we no that to be wrong as we a picture of it taken recently.
Walt

Here is the 4449 out of portland. WWW.4449.com
Untitled URL Link

They made a great movie about her going over the summit and own to Sacramento. Funny at the end where thank everyone who helped. It said No thanks to California Highway Patrol. They gav the camera crew a ticket.
I have seen her when she comes though Independence headed to the coast at New Port.
Walt

ive been looking online for 2 weeks, there just isnt much on this one, other than i learned this wheel arrangement is referred to as a pacific class, which is upgraded from the Atlantic class, more hp, bigger drive wheels ect posting here to see if anybody knows somewhere to look i havent seen yet even emailed the atsf rr, but no reply yet, also found where somebody had this thing as 'free to whomever can remove it" it was a hoax, Kinsley ks mayor and city hall clearly stated this engine is not to be moved, nor is it for sale, they like it right where it is

I found I have 3 books on Southern Pacific steam, I thought I had atleast one good one on the Santa Fe's.

All I found so far is there were 50 3400's, all 45 left alive in 1935-40 were rebuilt in Topeka shops, so I immagine some-this one? stuck around Kansas from then till they were finished.
Only pics I found were others in that class in California in the 50's, apparently in the Central Valley- Oakland to Bakersfield farm country.