Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Locomotive 2926
1833 8th St. NW

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Locomotive 2926 is representative of the last steam locomotives used by the Santa Fe Railway. The locomotive was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia and began its service for the Santa Fe in 1944.

It hauled mostly freight trains until the end of World War II, when it began passenger service between Chicago and the West Coast. Most trips were with the railroad's Grand Canyon and California Limited trains, although 2926 also served the Chief and El Capitan runs.

The 2926 Locomotive has a 4-8-4 wheel configuration (four pilot wheels, eight main "driving" wheels, and four trailing wheels), which is the mostly technically advanced of the final days of the steam locomotive. The 2900 class of steam locomotives was known not only for its physical size and power, but also for the ability to make extended runs without roundhouse attention. The locomotive itself weighs over 510,000 pounds. Its tender had the capacity for 24,500 gallons of water and 7,000 gallons of fuel. Fully loaded, the locomotive and tender weighed over 975,000 pounds.

The 2926 made its final run on December 24, 1953, from Clovis, in New Mexico's eastern plains, to Belen, south of Albuquerque. In nine and a half years of service it logged 1,090,589 miles. The Santa Fe Railway donated 2926 to the City of Albuquerque in 1956 and it stood in Coronado Park until June 2000, serving as a reminder of the glory days of passenger rail service and the importance of the railroad in Albuquerque's history.

It was recently sold to the Albuquerque Locomotive and Rail Historical Society, a New Mexico non-profit corporation, for $1 to remove any hazardous materials and restore the locomotive into possibly operating condition. In the agreement, the locomotive, tinderbox, and caboose (not officially included in the city landmark) were moved in June 2000 to a temporary storage location until it can be moved to a restoration facility. As a Landmark, all the details exemplary of the 2900 class steam locomotives must be preserved.