About The Prototype: The Santa Fe 2926!

Welcome to BLI's new blog series, About the Prototype! This series is dedicated to exploring the real-life railroad equipment that our upcoming BLI models are based on, offering historical background, operational context, and insights from knowledgeable members of the railroad and modeling communities. In each installment, we take a closer look at the prototype locomotives and rolling stock behind our releases, helping bring their stories to life beyond the model itself.

This article was written by one of New Mexico Heritage Rail's Chief Mechanical Officers, Henry Roberts. Photos in this post are also provided courtesy of New Mexico Heritage Rail.

PHOTO: 2926 is seen hauling an express passenger train. Photo courtesy of New Mexico Heritage Rail. 

ALBUQUERQUE - Former Santa Fe #2926 is one of 30 of her class built for the Santa Fe Railway over the winter and spring of 1943-44 during the height of WWII. These 30 steam locomotives, built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, would be the last ordered by the Santa Fe Railway and were originally intended only for passenger service. However, she and her sisters would end up hauling troop, cargo, and passenger trains up through the more mountainous terrain in New Mexico, as well as California and the rest of the southwest.

PHOTO: A close up of the Timken roller bearing side rods placed on the locomotive in 1947. Photo courtesy of New Mexico Heritage Rail. 

After the war, 2926 was outfitted with her telescoping stack and iconic Timken roller bearing side rods in 1947. From then on, she hauled many of the famous Santa Fe Railway passenger trains, including the Scout, El Capitan, the Chief, and the Grand Canyon Limited. By the early 1950s, the 2926 was increasingly being used for helper service in and around New Mexico until her last revenue run on Christmas Eve of 1953. Mothballed and put into storage, 2926 sat until 1956, when she was donated to the City of Albuquerque and moved into Coronado Park for display. Forty-four years later, 2926 moved once again, this time under the banner of the New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society, which changed its name to New Mexico Heritage Rail (NMHR).

Founded in 1996, New Mexico Heritage Rail is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of New Mexico railroad history for the enjoyment of current and future generations, and to promoting and educating the public about the impact of rail transportation on Albuquerque's and the State's social, cultural, and economic development.

The organization spent nearly 20 years working two days per week, meticulously returning 2926 to her former grandeur. Despite being in overall good shape after spending decades in the park, 2926 needed major patches to the outer sheet of the firebox, as well as repair welding on the tender frame. NMHR's all-volunteer team cleaned, fixed, repaired, painted, and restored all systems and subsystems on the locomotive and tender, including piping, jacketing, electrical, brakes, bearings, insulation, oilers, valves, and everything else. Together with the community, we've brought the past back to life, and there are many more exciting things to come!

PHOTO: The volunteer crew of New Mexico Heritage Rail (NMHR) work at moving 2926 from Coronado Park to the restoration site. Photo courtesy of New Mexico Heritage Rail. 

Currently, New Mexico Heritage Rail steams up and runs 2926 a few times a year, running small jaunts over to the old Albuquerque Rail Yards, where the group is also engaged in the restoration of the old turntable located there. Plans are already in place with the State of New Mexico to run longer distances once a diesel locomotive can be acquired or borrowed for protection power.

The next major milestone for New Mexico Heritage Rail is bringing the south end of the old rail yards in Albuquerque back to life as a base of operations and part-museum, as the eventual home of 2926 and other rolling stock, such as passenger cars! NMHR is also pursuing the eventual running of passenger excursions using 2926. However, this will take an immense amount of work, including the cooperation and permission of NMHR's host railroad, and finishing the installation of positive train control on the engine. Small steps must be taken in due time before such things can happen.

New Mexico Heritage Rail was happy to provide photographs, blueprints, detailed information, and even the sounds of 2926 to Broadway Limited in order to help them make their new 2900 model as accurate as possible! They really go above and beyond to make sure their models stay true to form!

To help us continue our current efforts and achieve our future goals, please donate using the links provided on our website, www.2926.us, or get in touch at nmheritagerail@nmheritagerail.com. A new fundraising campaign will also launch shortly to rehabilitate some of the radius tracks around the old turntable, to better secure the old rail yards, and to begin building an appropriate facility!

Stay tuned! Together we'll keep her rolling!