Steam Locomotive 3768
Wichita, KS - Great Plains Transportation Museum - Steam Locomotive 3768 is one of the 4-8-4 or Northern type wheel arrangement, constructed by Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, PA, and delivered to the Santa Fe in May 1938 at a cost of $178,767.17. No. 3768, as were other locomotives of the 3765 class, was initially assigned to passenger train service between La Junta, Colorado and Los Angeles, California, pulling trains such as "The Chief," "The California Limited," "Fast Mail Express," and the "Navajo." These locomotives could develop 5450 cylinder horsepower at 60 mph and 4450 drawbar horsepower at 50 mph. They could be safely operated at 90 mph. In contrast, the modern diesel-electric locomotive of today averages nearly 3000 horsepower. With the onset of the dieselization of Santa Fe's transcontinental passenger trains, the 3765 class engines were transferred to freight service. Locomotive 3768 was taken out of service at Argentine (Kansas City, KS) in August 1953 and stored serviceable. In May 1958 no. 3768 was presented to the City of Wichita and initially displayed at Friends' University. It was moved from this site to Union Station in April 1977, remaining on display until being moved to Santa Fe's North Yards (Wichita) to be turned from facing north to facing south. And while it was at North Yards members of the GPTM removed the jacketing as a preliminary step to a cosmetic restoration of this locomotive. The date of arrival of this locomotive at the Great Plains Transportation Museum site was January 1985.
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