The Western Pacific Class M-100 was a class of seven 4-6-6-4 "Challenger" type steam locomotives that were built by American Locomotive Company's Schenectady Works for the Western Pacific Railroad in January 1938.
History[]
In the late 1930s, the Western Pacific Railroad needed more powerful steam locomotives to pull monstrous freight trains throughout their system, especially at Higher speeds. The WP Railroad requested ALCO's Schenectady Works ordering a Articulated type Steam Locomotive with the new 4-6-6-4 Wheel arrangement. So, ALCO-Schenectady then received the order and drew up the blueprints for an all new 4-6-6-4 "Challenger" type steam locomotive that was based off of Union Pacific's Fetter Challengers, this resulted in the creation of what had become the Western Pacific Class M-100.
A total of seven examples of these new 4-6-6-4 "Challenger" type steam locomotives were ever constructed by ALCO's Schenectady Works in 1938 and they were all delivered to the Western Pacific Railroad that same year in 1938.
Withdrawal of the class had commenced and not a single example of the Class M-100 had survived into the preservation era, they were all scrapped by 1952 when the Western Pacific Railroad had began to dieselize their lines.
Stock list[]
| Image | Loco No. | Manufacturer | Serial | Build date | Status | Scrapped |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
401 | ALCO's Schenectady Works | 68902 | January 1938 | Retired and Scrapped | 1952 |
|
402 | ALCO's Schenectady Works | 68903 | January 1938 | Retired and Scrapped | 1952 |
| Frameless | 403 | ALCO's Schenectady Works | 68904 | January 1938 | Retired and Scrapped | 1952 |
| Frameless | 404 | ALCO's Schenectady Works | 68905 | January 1938 | Retired and Scrapped | 1952 |
|
405 | ALCO's Schenectady Works | 68906 | January 1938 | Retired and Scrapped | 1952 |
| Frameless | 406 | ALCO's Schenectady Works | 68907 | January 1938 | Retired and Scrapped | 1952 |
| File:Western Pacific Class M-100 No. 407.jpeg | 407 | ALCO's Schenectady Works | 68908 | January 1938 | Retired and Scrapped | 1952 |
Trivia[]
- These locomotives share the same Basis of the Clinchfield Railroad Class E-1 and the Delaware and Hudson Railroad Class J-97, hence both were Challengers based on Arthur Fetter's design.