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Description
Among thirty other 4-8-4 'Northern's built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad in 1944 is locomotive number 2926.
Weighing in at 974,850 Ibs, this 2900 class 4-8-4 saddles on eight 80 inch drivers, packs a boiler pressure of 300 psi, and produces 79,968 Ibs of tractive effort.
At the time when 2926 and her thirty sisters were built at the second world war, wartime shortages of material resulted in ordinary metals being used for their construction,
making these iron horses the heaviest 4-8-4's ever built, out-weighing their nearest rivals by over 2000 Ibs.
Out on the high iron along the ATSF mainline, 2926 was assigned to dual service, accumulating over a million miles of usage until her last revenue run occurred in Dec. 24th, 1953.
Retired from service in response to the overwhelming dieselization, both the locomotive and a additional caboose were donated to the city of Albuquerque in New Mexico where they
were statically displayed at Coronado Park in 1956 ever since.
Forty-three years later on Monday July 26th, 1999, the New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society bought the 2926 in hopes of restoring the locomotive for future
excursion trips eight years after the shorter 4-8-4 sister locomotive number 3751 was restored in 1991.
On the 23rd of June, 2000, 2926 was moved to the Messer Construction Company on a siding belonging to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe just south of Menaul Boulevard.
Two years later in May 2002, the locomotive was subsequently moved by the BNSF to its current position near the intersection of 8th Street and Haines Avenue where restoration work took place.
Years progressed, and the members of the New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society worked hard to restore the 2926 into operating condition.
Just as the restoration efforts were about to be rewarded between March 20th and 21st in 2020, the plans for 'steam up and movement under power' had been bludgeoned by the rising COVID-19
restrictions that grounded this effort for most of the year.
Then in 2023, the 1944 Baldwin-built iron horse came to life though frequently and briefly for local occasions while waiting for future excursions on the mainline.
For the members of the group who labored over the engine in more than 200,000 hours to resurrect 2926 into action over the last two decades, their efforts were rewarded for putting
the final touches on the proposed largest 4-8-4 Northern type locomotive in the United States.

In the Indian Valley Railroad World:

Locomotive number 2919 was built by Baldwin in 1943 for the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad in WWII.
She labored on the ATSF mainline hauling passengers and freight until mid 1953 when diesel locomotives arrived on the roster.
Upon retiring from her home rails, the railroad donated the locomotive to her new home on the Indian Valley Railroad in Pennsylvania.
The 2919 was since proclaimed as the heaviest iron horse on the IVRR trackage, crowned with a name; 'Santa Fe Sam' due to her
majesty of her true power hauling trains day in and day out including the Indian Falls Limited.
Santa Fe Sam is also among the most favorite locomotive to some residents inspired by her long-gone fellow locomotives in paintings and photographs.

Photograph by: Unknown Photographer

Description
Among thirty other 4-8-4 'Northern's built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad in 1944 is locomotive number 2926.
Weighing in at 974,850 Ibs, this 2900 class 4-8-4 saddles on eight 80 inch drivers, packs a boiler pressure of 300 psi, and produces 79,968 Ibs of tractive effort.
At the time when 2926 and her thirty sisters were built at the second world war, wartime shortages of material resulted in ordinary metals being used for their construction,
making these iron horses the heaviest 4-8-4's ever built, out-weighing their nearest rivals by over 2000 Ibs.
Out on the high iron along the ATSF mainline, 2926 was assigned to dual service, accumulating over a million miles of usage until her last revenue run occurred in Dec. 24th, 1953.
Retired from service in response to the overwhelming dieselization, both the locomotive and a additional caboose were donated to the city of Albuquerque in New Mexico where they
were statically displayed at Coronado Park in 1956 ever since.
Forty-three years later on Monday July 26th, 1999, the New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society bought the 2926 in hopes of restoring the locomotive for future
excursion trips eight years after the shorter 4-8-4 sister locomotive number 3751 was restored in 1991.
On the 23rd of June, 2000, 2926 was moved to the Messer Construction Company on a siding belonging to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe just south of Menaul Boulevard.
Two years later in May 2002, the locomotive was subsequently moved by the BNSF to its current position near the intersection of 8th Street and Haines Avenue where restoration work took place.
Years progressed, and the members of the New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society worked hard to restore the 2926 into operating condition.
Just as the restoration efforts were about to be rewarded between March 20th and 21st in 2020, the plans for 'steam up and movement under power' had been bludgeoned by the rising COVID-19
restrictions that grounded this effort for most of the year.
Then in 2023, the 1944 Baldwin-built iron horse came to life though frequently and briefly for local occasions while waiting for future excursions on the mainline.
For the members of the group who labored over the engine in more than 200,000 hours to resurrect 2926 into action over the last two decades, their efforts were rewarded for putting
the final touches on the proposed largest 4-8-4 Northern type locomotive in the United States.

In the Indian Valley Railroad World:

Locomotive number 2919 was built by Baldwin in 1943 for the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad in WWII.
She labored on the ATSF mainline hauling passengers and freight until mid 1953 when diesel locomotives arrived on the roster.
Upon retiring from her home rails, the railroad donated the locomotive to her new home on the Indian Valley Railroad in Pennsylvania.
The 2919 was since proclaimed as the heaviest iron horse on the IVRR trackage, crowned with a name; 'Santa Fe Sam' due to her
majesty of her true power hauling trains day in and day out including the Indian Falls Limited.
Santa Fe Sam is also among the most favorite locomotive to some residents inspired by her long-gone fellow locomotives in paintings and photographs.

Photograph by: Unknown Photographer