Union Pacific Challenger No. 3985 is an example of a 4-6-6-4 locomotive.

In the Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, a 4-6-6-4 is a railroad steam locomotive that has four leading wheels followed by two sets of six coupled driving wheels and four trailing wheels. 4-6-6-4's are commonly known as Challengers.[1]

A similar wheel arrangement exists for Garratt locomotives, on which both engine units swivel, but is referred to as 4-6-0+0-6-4.

Other equivalent classifications are:
UIC classification: 2CC2 (also known as German classification and Italian classification)
French classification: 230+032
Turkish classification: 35+35
Swiss classification: 3/5+3/5

The UIC classification is refined to (2'C)C2' for simple articulated locomotives.

Challengers were most common in the Union Pacific Railroad, but many other railroads ordered them as well. An expansion for the Union Pacific Challenger class was the Union Pacific Big Boy class, being a 4-8-8-4, instead of a 4-6-6-4.

Today, the only Challenger locomotives that survive were both owned by Union Pacific. One such locomotive, Union Pacific 3985, was operated by the Union Pacific Railroad in excursion service from 1981 to 2010, when mechanical problems took it out of service. It was retired in January 2020 due to its poor mechanical condition[2] and subsequently donated to the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America, where it is now undergoing a second restoration.[3][4][5] The second example, Union Pacific 3977 is on static display in Cody Park North Platte, Nebraska.

Though originally intended for freight service, many units could be found leading passenger consists as well. Railroads that used the Challenger type locomotive include:

4-6-6-4 construction roster
Railroad (quantity)ClassRoad numbersBuilderBuild yearNotes
Clinchfield Railroad (12 new, 6 secondhand)E-1650–657ALCO1942–1943Scrapped between 1953 and 1958
E-2660–663ALCO1947Scrapped between 1955 and 1959
E-3670–675ALCO1943Ex-D&RGW, acquired 1947. Scrapped 1959
Delaware and Hudson Railway (40)J1500–1539ALCO1940–1946Scrapped between 1951 and 1959
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (21)L-1053700–3709Baldwin1938 Scrapped between 1951 and 1956
L-1053710–3714Baldwin1942Scrapped between 1951 and 1956
L-973800–3805ALCO1943Diverted to the D&RGW from a UP order. To Clinchfield Railroad in 1947. Scrapped 1959
Great Northern Railway (2 secondhand)Z-64000–4001ALCO1937Ex-SP&S 903–904; sold back to SP&S March 1950 and July 1946 respectively. Scrapped between 1953 and 1957
Northern Pacific Railway (47)Z-65100–5120ALCO1936–1937Scrapped between 1950 and 1953
Z-75121–5126ALCO1941Scrapped between 1951 and 1954
Z-85130–5149ALCO1943–1944Scrapped between 1952 and 1957
Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway (8)Z-6900–905ALCO1937Identical to NP Z-6 class; 903–904 sold to GN January 1940; purchased back March 1950 and July 1946 respectively
Z-8910–911ALCO1944Identical to NP Z-8 class
Union Pacific Railroad (105)CSA-13900–3914ALCO1936To UP 3800–3814. Scrapped between 1957 and 1958
CSA-23915–3939ALCO1937To UP 3815–3839. Scrapped 1958
4664-33950–3969ALCO1942Scrapped between 1958 and 1959
4664-43975–3999ALCO1943No. 3977 and 3985 are preserved.
4664-53930–3949ALCO1944Scrapped between 1957 and 1959
Western Maryland Railway (12)M-21201–1212Baldwin1940–1941These and the 15 units for the D&RGW were the only ones of this type made by Baldwin. Scrapped 1958
Western Pacific Railroad (7)M-100401–407ALCO1938Scrapped between 1953 and 1959

References

  1. "Union Pacific 4-6-6-4 "Challenger" Locomotives in the USA". www.steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved 2019-05-08.
  2. Keefe, Kevin. "The Challenger at high tide". Classic Trains.
  3. "Work begins on Union Pacific Challenger No. 3985". Trains. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
  4. "Railroading Heritage of Midwest America - official website". Railroading Heritage of Midwest America. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  5. Glischinski, Steve (April 28, 2022). "Railroading Heritage of Midwest America, Union Pacific agree to donation of Challenger, other locomotives, cars". Trains. Kalmbach Media. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.


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