Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Locomotive #1452
The Model and the Prototype

The railroads of John S. Reed’s childhood represented speed and the lure of distant places. That was particularly true for the trains of the Santa Fe Railway, which raced from Chicago to California. Santa Fe operated more trains than any other railroad at Kansas City Union Station, and these engines were a common sight in the early 20th century.


When the prototype of this model was built in 1909, it was among the latest in fast passenger power. With excellent steaming capacity and tall driving wheels, it pulled Santa Fe’s finest trains at speeds exceeding 100 mph – a marvel in its day. It was known as a balanced compound locomotive, a sophisticated design that used four cylinders in order to get the most out of every pound of steam.


The model on display at Union Station was built in 1915 by apprentices at Santa Fe’s shops in San Bernardino, Calif., and it was presented to John S. Reed upon his retirement in 1983. It is a fully-functioning 1:8 scale model, capable of steaming under its own power.


Prototype technical information:

Builder: Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, Pa.

Date built: 1909

Wheel arrangement: 4-4-2 “Atlantic” type Balanced compound

Cylinders: 15” x 26” (high pressure); 25” x 26” (low pressure)

Weight on drive wheels: 115,000 lbs.

Total engine weight: 220,795 lbs.

Boiler pressure: 220 lbs.

Tractive effort: 22,200 lbs.

Driving wheel diameter: 79”

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