Santa Fe O Scale Premier 2-10-4 Steam Engine w/Proto-Sound 2.0 (Hi-Rail Wheels)
Overview
The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad introduced the first 2-10-4 steamer in 1919, when they experimented with a 4-wheel trailing truck on a 2-10-2 engine. However, it was not until 1930 that they accepted shipment of a genuine 2-10-4 Texas engine built for them by Baldwin specifically for expediting fast freights on the 239-mile Peco Dvision between Clovis and Belen, New Mexico. Number 5000, the "Madame Queen," as the Santa Fe's employees dubbed this monster, weighed in at 502,600 pounds and generated 95,584 pounds of tractive effort. Later ATSF Texas-class engines were even larger and boasted enormous 74-inch drivers. The Texas engines that did not begin as oil burners were eventually converted. The 2-10-4s performed very well in heavy freight service, and the Santa Fe ultimately purchased 36 of the engines, which helped carry World War II tonnage. The Santa Fe Texas returns to the M.T.H. Premier Lineup in 2005 fully outfitted with the power and performance of Proto-Sound 2.0. Available in both 2 and 3-rail versions, each model is equipped with Proto-Scale 32T which allows the user to quickly convert either version for operation on 2 or 3-rail track.