Union Pacific FEF Series

Union Pacific FEF Series
Union Pacific 844 running through Painted Rocks, Nevada on September 15, 2009
hideType and origin Power type Steam Builder American Locomotive Company (ALCO) Build date 1937–1944 Total produced 45
hideSpecifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-4  • UIC 2′D2′ h2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. FEF-1: 77 in (1,956 mm), FEF-2/3: 80 in (2,032 mm) Wheelbase Loco & tender: 98 ft 5 in (30.00 m) Length Loco & tender: 114 ft 2+5⁄8 in (34.81 m) Adhesive weight FEF-1: 270,000 lb (122.5 tonnes), FEF-2: 265,520 lb (120.4 tonnes), FEF-3:270,300 lb (122.6 tonnes) Loco weight FEF-1: 465,000 lb (210.9 tonnes), FEF-2: 478,640 lb (217.1 tonnes), FEF-3: 490,700 lb (222.6 tonnes) Total weight FEF-1: 830,150 lb (376.5 tonnes), FEF-2: 894,960 lb (405.9 tonnes), FEF-3: 912,250 lb (413.8 tonnes) Fuel type Coal from 1937 to 1946 No. 5 fuel oil from 1946 onwards Fuel capacity Coal: 50,000 lb (22.7 tonnes), Oil: 6,000 US gal (22,712.5 litres; 4,996.0 imperial gallons) Water cap 20,000 US gal (76,000 l; 17,000 imp gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 100 sq ft (9.3 m2) Boiler 86 3⁄16 in (2189.2 mm) diameter Boiler pressure 300 lbf/in2 (2.07 MPa) Heating surface 4,224 sq ft (392.4 m2)  • Tubes 2,204 sq ft (204.8 m2)  • Flues 1,578 sq ft (146.6 m2)  • Firebox 442 sq ft (41.1 m2) Superheater: ​  • Type FEF-1/3: Type A FEF-2: Type E  • Heating area 1,400 sq ft (130 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size FEF-1: 24.5 in × 32 in (622 mm × 813 mm), FEF-2/3: 25 in × 32 in (635 mm × 813 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts
hidePerformance figures Tractive effort FEF-1: 63,611 lbf (283.0 kN), FEF-2/3: 63,800 lbf (283.8 kN) Factor of adh. FEF-1/3: 4.24 FEF-2: 4.17
hideCareer Operators Union Pacific Railroad Class FEF-1, FEF-2, and FEF-3 Numbers FEF-1: 800–819, FEF-2: 820–834, FEF-3: 835–844 Delivered FEF-1: 1937, FEF-2: 1939, FEF-3: 1944 Retired 1958-1959 (but 844 never retired) Preserved FEF-1: No. 814 preserved, remainder scrapped FEF-2: No. 833 preserved, remainder scrapped FEF-3: Nos. 844 and 838 preserved, remainder scrapped Disposition FEF-1: No. 814 on display FEF-2: No. 833 on display FEF-3: No. 844 operational in excursion service, No. 838 in storage as source of spare parts

The Union Pacific FEF Series consists of forty-five 4-8-4 "Northern" steam locomotive types built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) between 1937 and 1944 and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad until 1959.

The 45 locomotives were the last steam locomotives built for the Union Pacific. They represented the epitome of dual-service steam locomotive development; funds and research were being concentrated into the development of diesel-electric locomotives. Designed to burn coal, they were converted to run on fuel oil in 1946.^[1] They pulled a variety of passenger trains, such as the Overland Limited, Los Angeles Limited, Portland Rose and Challenger,^[2] until diesel-electric locomotives took over passenger service. Many FEF Series locomotives were later reassigned to freight service during the last few years of their careers.

Four FEF Series locomotives survive today, including No. 844, which remains in operational condition and now runs in excursion service. Today, the 844 is one of the Union Pacific's oldest serving locomotives^[3] and the only steam locomotive never retired by a North American Class I railroad.^[4]

Origins[]

During the late 1930s, the rising trainloads started to exceed the limits of the 4-8-2 that were the mainstay of the UP passenger operations. One day, in 1937, with UP President William Jeffer's business car in the rear, a "7000" Class 4-8-2 demonstrated the lack of steaming power inherent in the type. Even when the train was waiting for rescue, a telegram was sent to ALCO in Schenectady seeking something better. The result was a superb class of 45 locomotives that could run at 100 mph and produce between 4,000 and 5,000 drawbar horsepower.

Models[]

The FEF Series consisted of three classes of steam locomotives: FEF-1, FEF-2, and FEF-3.

FEF-1[]

The first twenty locomotives, numbered 800–819, were delivered by ALCO in 1937. The "800"s as a whole followed – like Northumbrian 108 years earlier – the simplest possible arrangement of only having two outside cylinders. Fitting ALCO's lateral motion devices to the leading coupled wheels eased the negotiation of curves. Complicated accessories often spoiled the basic simplicity of so many US locomotives, but UP resisted most of them, resulting in an elegant, uncluttered appearance. Despite frequently moving at speeds over 100 mph (161 km/h), the forces and stresses on the coupling and connecting rods were kept within acceptable limits. There were thus excellent results, and there were many reports^{[by whom?]} of the class reaching the design limit of 110 mph (177 km/h).

FEF-2[]

The second batch of fifteen was delivered in 1939. These had several improvements, including larger cylinders, better tractive effort, taller driving wheels, and smoke deflectors on the sides of the smokebox. The greatest change, however, was the provision of a fourteen wheeled "pedestal" or "centipede" tender, in place of the twelve wheeled ones of the first twenty locomotives. Thus, the first locomotives became known as "FEF-1," while these were known as "FEF-2."

FEF-3[]

Except for the use of some substitute materials, the final batch of ten were nearly identical to the FEF-2. After World War II, coal supplies were affected by a series of strikes. In order to safeguard operations, UP converted the 800s to oil burning, and a 6,000 US gallons (23,000 l; 5,000 imp gal) tank was fitted in the bunker space. Otherwise, few modifications were needed to ensure years of mainline service. These were the last steam locomotives delivered for the UP. Like many of the "late era" steam locomotives, their final design was cut short by the advent of diesel locomotives, the new monarchs of the rails. A former manager of the Union Pacific Steam Program once commented on the FEF series, saying that "although it is stated that the UP FEF Series were designed to safely operate at 120 mph (190 km/h), no one really knows how fast the final 4-8-4 could go, the last FEF-3 was actually never retired."

Surviving examples[]

Four FEF Series locomotives survive. Two, No. 814 (FEF-1) and No. 833 (FEF-2), are on static display. A third, No. 844 (FEF-3), has remained operational and is currently used in excursion service. There is also a fourth locomotive, No. 838 (FEF-3); however it is solely used as a source of spare parts for No. 844.

Surviving FEF locomotives^[5]

Type	Number	Image	Date built	Serial number	Location	Coordinates	Notes
FEF-1	814		September 1937	68822	RailsWest Railroad Museum, Council Bluffs, Iowa	41°14′52″N 95°51′10″W / 41.24778°N 95.85278°W / 41.24778; -95.85278 (FEF-1 814)
FEF-2	833		October 1939	69174	Utah State Railroad Museum, Ogden, Utah	41°13′15″N 111°58′47″W / 41.22083°N 111.97972°W / 41.22083; -111.97972 (FEF-2 833)	Originally on display at Pioneer Park in Salt Lake City, Utah.
FEF-3	838		December 1944	72785	Union Pacific Railroad, Cheyenne, Wyoming	41°7′46.9308″N 104°48′49.1688″W / 41.129703000°N 104.813658000°W / 41.129703000; -104.813658000 (FEF-3 838)	Source of spare parts for 844.
FEF-3	844		December 1944	72791	Union Pacific Railroad, Cheyenne, Wyoming	41°7′46.9308″N 104°48′49.1688″W / 41.129703000°N 104.813658000°W / 41.129703000; -104.813658000 (FEF-3 838)	The only steam locomotive never retired by a North American Class I railroad.[6]

See also[]

• Union Pacific Challenger
• Union Pacific Big Boy

References[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Union Pacific FEF-1.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Union Pacific FEF-2.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Union Pacific FEF-3.

• Hollingsworth, Brian; Arthur F. Cook (1996). The Great Book of Trains. Salamander Books Ltd. ISBN 0-517-18462-1.
• Hollingsworth, Brian (2000). The Illustrated Dictionary of Trains of the World. London: Salamander Books Ltd. ISBN 1-84065-177-6.
• Union Pacific Northerns at steamlocomotive.com maintained by Wes Barris

Further reading[]

• Bush, John E. (2013). Building Union Pacific 844: The Birth of the FEF-3 Steam Class (1st ed.). South Platte Press. ISBN 978-0-942035-98-8.
• Kratville, William W. (1967). The Mighty 800 (1st ed.). Kratville Publications. ASIN B0007EME4Y.