Santa Fe No. 735 was built in 1900 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works which numbered it 17533 and was part of the 729 class of engines.
This 2-8-0 engine was one of 15 engines in this class that were built as switchers. Oil was the fuel for this single expansion type steam locomotive.
In the mid 1950s, the railroads were starting to make the conversion from steam to diesel locomotives. This left them with the problem of what to do with the old ones.
While some were scrapped others were donated to cities with parks to display as historical monuments. This was the case for the Santa Fe No. 735, which was donated to the City of Hutchinson, KS. It was placed in the fairgrounds from 1954 to 1973 on what was left of the old spur tracks that brought in state fair entertainment at one time.
In 1973, the locomotive was donated to the city of Halstead, which in turn donated it to the city of Lindsborg in 1975.
Today No. 735 resides at the Old Mill Museum in the Lindsborg Heritage Center, KS on static display.
Trivia[]
- No. 735 is one of only 46 Santa Fe steam engines on display in the US.