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Santa Fe Mallet

Another piece from the backlog. My first, and so far only, livery for the stock Big Boy, based on one of the Norfolk & Western's impressive Y-3 2-8-8-2s!

...wait, what? Norfolk & Western? But it says Santa Fe in the title. What gives?

Well, the real ATSF 1795 had three identities over its life. It first hit the rails in 1919 as N&W 2029, a Y-3 based on the USRA's ponderous 2-8-8-2s...which in turn were based on the N&W's own Y-2s.

In 1943, with World War II raging, the Santa Fe began looking for engines to ease a motive power shortage. They picked up eight of the Y-3s, including No. 2029. Renumbered to 1795, this engine became a staple for mountain and helper service, especially on the imposing Raton Pass route crossing the Colorado-New Mexico border. The Mallets were good at this, but the Santa Fe's operating department were anxious to get rid of the ponderous beasts.

In 1947, the Santa Fe found a buyer for their "white elephant" Mallets, and this engine returned to coal country as Virginian Railway 741. It was scrapped sometime around 1954-55, but now it lives on in Rolling Line.

Get the matching tender here: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2383698882