Frisco 4003
Encyclopedia
Frisco 4003 is a 2-8-2
, Mikado type, standard gauge
steam railway locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company
in 1919 as a standard USRA
light Mikado for the Pennsylvania Railroad
. The PRR, for unknown reasons, rejected 33 of 38 locomotives in the order. The USRA reassigned 23 of them (road numbers 4000-4007 and 4017-4031) to the St. Louis – San Francisco Railway, better known as the "Frisco". The Frisco also received 10 sisters from the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad
(road numbers 4008-4016 and 4032), making 33 in all.
, from December, 1917 to March, 1920. As part of this, locomotives built during the period were one of the twelve USRA standard designs
, which included the Light Mikado
. 4003 was one of 625 built by the USRA; another 641 were built after the USRA era, making it one of the most numerous single locomotive designs of all time. After Frisco received the Mikados, it modified them with boosters
on the trailing trucks and raised cab roofs for more headroom.
in late summer 1919. The balance of the class was built by Lima
. It cost $53,619.
The Frisco put it into service hauling freight between Fort Smith, Arkansas
and Monett, Missouri
, which included a stretch through the Boston Mountains
that was relatively steep. Two major sources of carloads were berries, a million quarts shipped in 1941, and zinc, which was smelted in Fort Smith.
Like all the other US railroads, the Frisco actively began converting to diesel power in the late forties. 4003 was retired in early 1952, shortly before the last steam powered train on the Frisco, between Birmingham
and Bessemer, Alabama
in February. Frisco kept the locomotive until 1954 when it donated it to the City of Fort Smith. The city placed it on display in
Kay Rodgers Park where it remained for almost 50 years. Early in this century, the city transferred the locomotive to the Fort Smith Trolley Museum
with the provision that the museum pay for the moving. It now sits outside at the museum. While it could probably be restored to operating condition, the museum has no track on which to run it and the restoration cost would be considerable.
The locomotive was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 2004 as St. Louis San Francisco (Frisco) Railway Steam Locomotive #4003.
2-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
, Mikado type, standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
steam railway locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company
American Locomotive Company
The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
in 1919 as a standard USRA
United States Railroad Administration
The United States Railroad Administration was the name of the nationalized railroad system of the United States between 1917 and 1920. It was possibly the largest American experiment with nationalization, and was undertaken against a background of war emergency.- Background :On April 6, 1917, the...
light Mikado for the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. The PRR, for unknown reasons, rejected 33 of 38 locomotives in the order. The USRA reassigned 23 of them (road numbers 4000-4007 and 4017-4031) to the St. Louis – San Francisco Railway, better known as the "Frisco". The Frisco also received 10 sisters from the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad
Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad
The Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad is a Class III railroad in the United States. The line comprises of track—30 miles of single mainline track, of double-main track and of additional yard and side track—starting northwest of Chicago in Franklin Park, Illinois, traveling southeast...
(road numbers 4008-4016 and 4032), making 33 in all.
The USRA Designs
The railroads of the United States were nationalized during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, from December, 1917 to March, 1920. As part of this, locomotives built during the period were one of the twelve USRA standard designs
USRA standard
The USRA standard locomotives and railroad cars were designed by the United States Railroad Administration, the nationalised rail system of the United States during World War I. 1,856 steam locomotives and over 100,000 railroad cars were built to these designs during the USRA's tenure...
, which included the Light Mikado
USRA Light Mikado
The USRA Light Mikado was a USRA standard class of steam locomotive designed under the control of the United States Railroad Administration, the nationalized railroad system in the United States during World War I...
. 4003 was one of 625 built by the USRA; another 641 were built after the USRA era, making it one of the most numerous single locomotive designs of all time. After Frisco received the Mikados, it modified them with boosters
Booster engine
A booster engine for steam locomotives is a small two-cylinder steam engine back-gear-connected to the trailing truck axle on the locomotive or, if none, the lead truck on the tender. A rocking idler gear permits it to be put into operation by the engineer...
on the trailing trucks and raised cab roofs for more headroom.
4003
4003 was one of three of the class built by Alco at its Schenectady Locomotive WorksSchenectady Locomotive Works
The Schenectady Locomotive Works built railroad locomotives from its founding in 1848 through its merger into American Locomotive Company in 1901.After the 1901 merger, ALCO made the Schenectady plant its headquarters in Schenectady, New York....
in late summer 1919. The balance of the class was built by Lima
Lima Locomotive Works
Lima Locomotive Works was an American firm that manufactured railroad locomotives from the 1870s through the 1950s. The company took the most distinctive part of its name from its main shops location in Lima, Ohio. The shops were located between the Baltimore & Ohio's Cincinnati-Toledo main line...
. It cost $53,619.
The Frisco put it into service hauling freight between Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
and Monett, Missouri
Monett, Missouri
Monett is a city in Monett Township in Barry County and Pierce Township in Lawrence County, Missouri, United States. The population was 8,873 at the 2010 census...
, which included a stretch through the Boston Mountains
Boston Mountains
The Boston Mountains area is a high and deeply dissected plateau located in northern Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. The Oklahoma portion of the range is locally referred to as the Cookson Hills. The rocks of the region are essentially little disturbed, flat-lying sedimentary layers of the Paleozoic...
that was relatively steep. Two major sources of carloads were berries, a million quarts shipped in 1941, and zinc, which was smelted in Fort Smith.
Like all the other US railroads, the Frisco actively began converting to diesel power in the late forties. 4003 was retired in early 1952, shortly before the last steam powered train on the Frisco, between Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
and Bessemer, Alabama
Bessemer, Alabama
Bessemer is a city outside of Birmingham in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States eight miles west of Hoover. The population was 29,672 at the 2000 Census, but by the 2009 U.S...
in February. Frisco kept the locomotive until 1954 when it donated it to the City of Fort Smith. The city placed it on display in
Kay Rodgers Park where it remained for almost 50 years. Early in this century, the city transferred the locomotive to the Fort Smith Trolley Museum
Fort Smith Trolley Museum
The Fort Smith Trolley Museum is a railroad museum in Fort Smith, Arkansas.Located at 100 South 4th Street, the museum collection includes four streetcars which operated in municipal service in Fort Smith, an open streetcar, as well as a Frisco steam locomotive.The museum also operates a heritage...
with the provision that the museum pay for the moving. It now sits outside at the museum. While it could probably be restored to operating condition, the museum has no track on which to run it and the restoration cost would be considerable.
The locomotive was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2004 as St. Louis San Francisco (Frisco) Railway Steam Locomotive #4003.