Union Pacific No. 5511 is a class TTT-6 2-10-2 "Santa Fe" type steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in September 1923 for the Union Pacific Railroad (UP). It is the only surviving member of its class and the only surviving UP 2-10-2 type locomotive. 5511 is also the only (complete) surviving steam locomotive in the United States that is equipped with Young valve gear.
5511 was retired from the UP in 1956 and stored at Cheyenne, WY along with several other steam locomotives. As the numbers of the locomotives in the deadline began to dwindle, 5511 was not among them. The engine was kept at Cheyenne for posterity by the UP themselves and was never donated to any public organization for display. 5511 is in an unrestored cosmetic state at the moment, but also in restorable mechanical condition.
On April 28, 2022, it was publicly announced that 5511 had been donated to the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America (RRHMA) in Silvis, IL alongside UP Challenger No. 3985 and UP DDA40X diesel locomotive No. 6936. It was later towed by UP AC44CWCTE type diesel No. 5716 out of Cheyenne, WY on November 11, 2022, and arrived at the RRHMA's former Rock Island Railroad shops and yard in Silvis, IL on November 19, 2022. The RRHMA's current plan to restore 5511 back to operating condition after they restore 3985.
In January 2023, 5511's smokebox was opened for the first time and RRHMA crews began the process of drying out the boiler so they could remove the tubes.[1] In February 2023, RRHMA removed the petticoat pipe and the top of the stacks so they could begin the process of taking out the pipes in March.[2] In March 2023, RRHMA removed the super heaters and began the process of milling the boiler pipes in preparation for tube removal in April.[3] In April the boiler tubes were removed and the boiler was marked for cleaning and inspection.[4] In July the mud ring was removed to allow removal of the fire trough and the firebricks along with the burner, the air tubes, and the blower to allow access to the underside of the firebox for repairs.[5] In September the pistons, valves, rings, and the piston rods have been removed from the cylinders. The boiler was prepped for needle scaling to remove deposits left in the firebox, boiler, and smokebox when they burned tires for the filming of Last of the Giants.[6] In December 2023 the crossheads and the crosshead guides were removed from the locomotive along with the rods. These will be shipped to Newton where Alex Beams will work on them at his shop and new pistons made at a foundry to replace the ones that were cut. New pipes, decking, and firebox sheets also arrived in December and are standing by to be installed. [7]
In February of 2024 the stacks, dry riser pipes, the branch pipes, the t-pipes, and the super heater headers were removed from the boiler and the boiler was washed in preparation for flue sheet removal in March. The dome was also removed and shipped to Strasburg to be used to make patterns for a new dome and cover after it has shown five decades of rust. Next the boiler will be x-rayed and the stay bolts drilled out in preparation for firebox replacement and work on the inside of the boiler.[8]
In July 2024 RRHMA received a new dome from Strasburg and it has been installed on the locomotive. Next task is to remove the flue sheets and begin work on replacing the boiler sheets so 5511 can move under its own power. Just recently, No.5511 was pulled along with challenger No.3985 were pulled along the mainline.
UP 5511
Trivia[]
- During its storage at Cheyenne after retirement, the crosshead’s connection to the cylinder was cut for ease of movement. Despite this, it is in okay mechanical condition.
- 5511 was shown briefly in UP's Last Of The Giants; to give the illusion that it was operational, burning tires were put in its firebox and the train was pushed from the rear by a diesel locomotive. Because of this the deposits will have to be chiseled out before work on the engine can begin.
- 5511 is the only surviving member of its class in preservation and is also the only mechanically complete steam locomotive in the U.S. equipped with Young valve gear.