Union Pacific FEF Series
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| Power type | Steam |
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| Builder | American Locomotive Company |
| Configuration | 4-8-4 |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm) |
| Driver size | 77 in (2,000 mm) (80 in on FEF-2/3) |
| Wheelbase | locomotive and tender: 98 ft 5 in (30 m) |
| Weight on drivers | 270,000 lb (120,000 kg) (266,500 lbs on FEF-2/3) |
| Locomotive weight | 465,000 lb (211,000 kg) (483,000 lbs on FEF-2/3) |
| Locomotive and tender combined weight | 830,150 lb (376,550 kg) (908,000 lbs on FEF-2/3) |
| Fuel type | coal (No. 5 fuel oil on FEF-3) |
| Tender capacity | 20,000 gallons water, 25 tons coal |
| Boiler | 86 3⁄16 in (2189.2 mm) diameter |
| Boiler pressure | 300 psi (2,100 kPa) |
| Fire grate area | 100 sq ft (9.3 m²) |
| Heating surface: Tubes | 2,204 sq ft (204.8 m²) |
| Heating surface: Flues | 1,578 sq ft (146.6 m²) |
| Heating surface: Firebox | 442 sq ft (41.1 m²) |
| Heating surface: Total | 4,224 sq ft (392.4 m²) |
| Superheater area | 1,400 sq ft (130 m²) |
| Cylinder size | 24.5 in (620 mm) bore (25 in on FEF-2/3) × 32 in (810 mm) stroke |
| Tractive effort | 63,600 lbf (283,000 N) |
| Factor of adhesion | 4.18 |
| Career | Union Pacific |
| Number | 800-819 (FEF-1), 820-834 (FEF-2), 835-844 (FEF-3) |
| Delivered | 1937 (FEF-1), 1939 (FEF-2), 1944 (FEF-3) |
| Disposition | 844 operates in occasional excursion service, others on static display |
The FEF was a series of three types of 4-8-4 steam locomotives owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railway. The classes were: FEF-1; FEF-2; FEF-3. "FEF" was an acronym for the wheel arrangement, "four-eight-four."
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[edit] Origins
During the late 1930's, the rising trainloads started to excede the limits of the then in use 4-8-2's, which were the mainstay of the UP passenger opeations. One day, in 1937, with UP President William Jeffer's business car in the rear, a "7000" Cass 4-8-2 demonstrated the lack of steaming power inherent in the type. Even when the train was waiting for rescue, dialog by telegram was sen't to Alco in Schenectady, with a view of something better. The result was a superb class of forty-five locomotives.
[edit] First Locomotives
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 spoilt the basic simplicity of so many US locomotives, but UP resisted most of them, resulting in an elegant, uncluttered appearance. Despite requently moving at speeds over 100mph (160kp/h), the forces and stresses that the coupling and connecting rods were subject to was kept within acceptable limits. There were thus excellent results, and there were many reports of reaching the design limit of 110mph (176kp/h).
[edit] FEF-2
The second batch of fifteenwas delivered in 1939. Theses had several improvements, including larger cylinders, better tractive effort, taller driving wheels, and smoke deflectors of the smoke box. The greatest change, however, was the provision of a fourteen wheeled "centipede" tender, in place of the twelve wheeled ones of the first twenty locomotives. Thus, the first locomotives became known as "FEF-1," whilst these were known as "FEF-2."
[edit] 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 "800"s to oil burning, and a 6,000 gallon (27m3) tnk was fitted in thebunker space. Otherwise, few modifications were needed for the years of ardous service. These were the last steam locomotives delivered for the UP, and were in service until the late 1950's.
[edit] References
- Hollingsworth, Brian; Arthur F. Cook (1987,1996;). The Great Book of Trains. Salamander Books Ltd.. ISBN 0-517-18462-1.
- Hollingsworth, Brian (2000). The Illustrated Dictionary of Trains of the World. Salamander Books Ltd.. ISBN 1-84065-177-6.
- Union Pacific Northerns maintained by Wes Barris
