The St. Louis–San Francisco class 4500 was a class of 25 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works between 1942-1943 and operated by the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway.
The first three operated in passenger service, pulling trains such as the Meteor. The rest pulled freight throughout the system until retirement by the early 1950s. Four 4500s has been preserved and all are on display.
History The first three (Nos 4500–4502) were built as oil-burning steam locomotives in 1942 for Frisco passenger service. They were painted in the zephyr blue, white and gray paint scheme with "Meteor" spelled out on the side of the tender in bold, red letters. They were used for pulling Frisco's crack Meteor train service. They also saw service pulling Frisco's Texas Special. When the Meteor was dieselized, the locomotives were re-painted into Frisco's standard black with gold striping and lettering, and assigned to passenger trains such as the Will Rogers. The latter twelve (Nos. 4503–4514) were also built in 1942, but as coal burners and pulled fast freight throughout the Frisco system. The last ten (Nos. 4515–4524) were built in 1943 as coal burners and also pulled freight. Despite the latter 22 being intended for freight service, they have also pulled passenger trains on occasion. Some of the earlier locomotives were equipped with boosters. In 1948, Frisco 4501 still in its Meteor livery pulled President Harry S. Truman's whistle stop tour train through his home state of Missouri. Their design was also similar to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad's O-5 class of Northerns, though there were some differences.
As the Frisco was dieselising, the locomotives was assigned to secondary passenger trains such as the General Wood and all were out of operation and put into storage by 1952.
Preservation Four 4500s survived into preservation:
4500 is on display for free public viewing at the Route 66 Historical Village at 3770 Southwest Blvd. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 4501 is on display at the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, Texas. 4516 is on display at Missouri State Fair Grounds in Sedalia, Missouri. 4524 is on display at Grant Beach Park in Springfield, Missouri.
Roster NumberBaldwin serial numberDate builtDispositionNotes450064437November 1942On display at the Route 66 Historical Village at 3770 Southwest Blvd. in Tulsa, Oklahoma.Repainted to the Meteor paint scheme before display.450164438November 1942On display at the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, Texas.Repainted to the Meteor paint scheme before display.4502644391942Sold for scrap.4503644401942Sold for scrap.4504644411942Sold for scrap.4505644421942Sold for scrap.4506644431942Sold for scrap.4507644441942Sold for scrap.4508644451942Sold for scrap.4509644461942Sold for scrap.4510644471942Sold for scrap.4511644481942Sold for scrap.4512644491942Sold for scrap.4513644501942Sold for scrap.4514644511942Sold for scrap.4515697311943Sold for scrap.451669732August 1943On display at Missouri State Fair Grounds in Sedalia, Missouri.Nicknamed "Old Smokie".4517697331943Sold for scrap.4518697341943Sold for scrap.4519697351943Sold for scrap.4520697361943Sold for scrap.4521697371943Sold for scrap.4522697381943Sold for scrap.4523697391943Sold for scrap.452469740September 1943On display at Grant Beach Park in Springfield, Missouri.Last steam locomotive built for the Frisco. Painted in the "Frisco Faster Freight" paint scheme.
References