The Union Pacific FEF series consists of 45 4-8-4 "Northern" steam locomotives built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) between 1937 and 1944 and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad until 1959. Like other Union Pacific steam classes, the acronym comes from the first letter of the spelling of its wheel arrangement: Four Eight Four.
Quick Facts Type and origin, Power type ...
Union Pacific FEF series |
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Specifications |
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Configuration:
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• Whyte | 4-8-4 |
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• UIC | 2′D2′ h2s |
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Gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
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Driver dia. | FEF-1: 77 in (1,956 mm), FEF-2/3: 80 in (2,032 mm) |
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Wheelbase | Loco & tender: 98 ft 5 in (30.00 m) |
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Length | Loco & tender: 114 ft 2+5⁄8 in (34.81 m) |
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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) |
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Loco weight | FEF-1: 465,000 lb (210.9 tonnes), FEF-2: 478,640 lb (217.1 tonnes), FEF-3: 486,340 lb (220.6 tonnes) |
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Total weight | FEF-1: 830,150 lb (376.5 tonnes), FEF-2: 894,960 lb (405.9 tonnes), FEF-3: 907,890 lb (411.8 tonnes) |
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Fuel type | Coal from 1937 to 1946 No. 5 fuel oil from 1946 onwards |
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Fuel capacity | Coal: 50,000 lb (22.7 tonnes), Oil: 6,000 US gal (22,712.5 litres; 4,996.0 imperial gallons) |
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Water cap. | 20,000 US gal (76,000 L; 17,000 imp gal) |
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Firebox: | |
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• Grate area | 100 sq ft (9.3 m2) |
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Boiler | 86 3⁄16 in (2189.2 mm) diameter 100 in (2,540 mm) (OD) |
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Boiler pressure | 300 lbf/in2 (2.07 MPa) |
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Heating surface: | |
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• Firebox | 442 sq ft (41.1 m2) |
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• Tubes | 2,204 sq ft (204.8 m2) |
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• Flues | 1,578 sq ft (146.6 m2) |
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• Total surface | 4,224 sq ft (392.4 m2) |
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Superheater:
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• Type | FEF-1/3: Type A FEF-2: Type E |
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• Heating area | 1,400 sq ft (130 m2) |
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Cylinders | Two |
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Cylinder size | FEF-1: 24.5 in × 32 in (622 mm × 813 mm), FEF-2/3: 25 in × 32 in (635 mm × 813 mm) |
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Valve gear | Walschaerts |
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Career |
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Operators | Union Pacific Railroad |
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Class | FEF-1, FEF-2, and FEF-3 |
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Numbers | FEF-1: 800–819, FEF-2: 820–834, FEF-3: 835–844 |
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Delivered | FEF-1: 1937, FEF-2: 1939, FEF-3: 1944 |
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Retired | 1958-1959 (but 844 never retired) |
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Preserved | FEF-1: No. 814 preserved, remainder scrapped FEF-2: No. 833 preserved, remainder scrapped FEF-3: Nos. 844 and 838 preserved, remainder scrapped |
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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 |
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Close
The final steam locomotives built for the Union Pacific, the FEFs represented the apex of dual-service steam locomotive development in the United States, as funds and research were thereafter 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 reassigned to freight service during the last years of their careers.
Four FEF series locomotives survive, including No. 844, which remains in operational condition and runs in excursion service. 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]