Santa Fe 3751 - History

History

Built in 1927 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, 3751 was Baldwin's and the Santa Fe's first 4-8-4. It had a 5 chime freight whistle mounted on it. Tests showed that 3751 was 20% more efficient and powerful than Santa Fe's 4-8-2 3700 class steamer, which at the point was the Santa Fe's top of the line steamer. In 1936, the engine was converted to burn oil. Two years later, the locomotive was given a larger tender able to hold 20,000 gallons of water and 7,107 gallons of fuel oil. In 1941, along with other 4-8-4s, 3751 received major upgrades including: 80-inch drive wheels, a new frame, roller bearings all around, and more. That same year, it achieved its highest recorded speed at 103 mph. It continued to be a very reliable working locomotive until 1953, when it pulled the last regularly scheduled steam powered passenger train on the Santa Fe to run between Los Angeles and San Diego on August 25, this was its last run in revenue service. after that, it was stored at the Redondo Junction roundhouse in Los Angeles for four years before it was officially retired from the roster by the railroad in 1957, and in 1958 it was placed on display in San Bernardino. In 1981, the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society was formed with intentions of restoring and operating 3751. Four years later, they achieved their goal when 3751 was sold to them with the condition that the SBRHS must restore and operate the locomotive. In 1986, 3751 was moved from its display to California Steel Industries, where it was restored at a cost of $1.5 million and in 1991, operated for the first time in 38 years. Since then, it has done countless excursions and special trips and gone to many events.

The locomotive is currently owned by the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society, the organization that performed the restoration.

The 3751 made its first excursion in December 1991 following its completed restoration. The 3751 and two Santa Fe FP45s led 16 passenger cars from Los Angeles.

August 1992 had 3751 on its largest assignment so far, as the engine ran the entire route of the Santa Fe Transcon route between Los Angeles and Chicago. The engine spent 18 days traveling over 2,300 on home rails in both directions.

In April 22-23 1995, 3751 was displayed in the Riverside Sunkist Orange Blossom Festival in Riverside, CA. Its original 5-chime freight whistle was replaced with a new 6 chime passenger whistle on April 21, 1995. (Which was the day before the excursion.)

The 3751 was a participant at Railfair '99 in June 1999. It was helped by BNSF Dash 9 4419. It pulled a passenger train mixed with a boxcar train.

In October 2000, 3751 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

A second locomotive of the same class has also been preserved, AT & SF Locomotive 3759. It too is listed on the NRHP.

In May 2001, 3751 was displayed at Fullerton Railroad Days in Fullerton, CA.

In August 2002, the 3751 ran an Amtrak excursion from Los Angeles to Williams, Arizona to participate in the 2002 NRHS Convention. The excursion ran over Metrolink, Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway, and the Arizona and California. The engine also ran on the Grand Canyon Railway for an excursion on the former Santa Fe's "Grand Canyon" line. The event including double and tripleheading with Grand Canyon Railway's own steam engines.

In June 2008, 3751 ran on the Surf Line for two excursions from Los Angeles to San Diego. The first, on June 1, was a public excursion which left 30 minutes late due to a delayed Metrolink train and arrived in San Diego 2 hours behind schedule, mostly caused by the single-track railroad south of CP Avery, or the Mission Viejo station. However, it was history in the making, as no steam engine had traversed the Surf Line since the 1976 American Freedom Train, it was also the first steam powered passenger train to make the run between Los Angeles and San Diego since 3751 last traveled the line in 1953 and many proud Southern California residents turned-out to watch. The train was turned at Miramar Wye, 15 miles north of San Diego station. The second excursion was a private car special, passing San Clemente at 9:30 AM. However, a trespasser was struck at CP Avery, delaying all trains up to 3 hours. 3751 passed CP Avery at around 9:00 PM. Still, this excursion was enjoyed by many, even catching the eye of railfans as far north as Simi Valley.

In May 2010, the 3751 returned to the Surf Line for a third excursion from Los Angeles to San Diego, pulling eight Amtrak cars and a few dome cars, attracting large crowds to see it in action. In order to alleviate issues with turning the train, the excursion was split over two days: south to San Diego on May 1, and north to Los Angeles the following day. This proved successful, as 3751 was on time into San Diego the first day and sustained only normal delays northbound, thus proving this excursion to be the most successful yet. Proceeds from this trip will be used for the annual $50,000 cost of maintaining and storing the locomotive. The weekend after the trip to San Diego the engine also was in San Bernardino for "National Train Day" as well as the 2010 San Bernardino Railroad Days festival. It made the run to San Bernardino for the Railroad Days Festival again the following year in April, 2011. In May, 2012 3751 powered a six day excursion from Los Angeles to Williams, Arizona to celebrate the state's Centennial. As part of the excursion a special roundtrip doubleheader to the Grand Canyon and back was run with 3751 and Grand Canyon Railway's former Chicago Burlington and Quincy 2-8-2 Mikado 4960. The train also operated over the Arizona and California Railroad on the way to Williams and on the return trip to Los Angeles. Three weeks before the trip to Arizona the engine also made the trip east to attend the San Bernardino Railroad Days Festival for the third year in a row. 3751 was also featured in the movie "There Goes a Train."

Santa Fe 3751 can also be briefly viewed near the end of the 1952 film "Boots Malone" starring William Holden, and Harry Morgan. It is shown pulling into a station, and you can make out the numbers on the tender as it passes.