Chicago and North Western R-1 class
class of American 4-6-0 locomotives
The Chicago and North Western R-1 class is a class of 325 4-6-0 "Ten-Wheeler" steam locomotives built by the Schenectady Locomotive Works, the American Locomotive Company, and the Baldwin Locomotive Works from 1901 to 1908. The R-1 locomotives were so large and heavy that the Chicago and North Western (C&NW) Railroad had to extensively rebuild their trackage, bridges, tunnels, turntables, and enginehouses to accommodate them.
The R-1s were widely considered to be one of the most reliable classes of locomotives on the C&NW's roster. They were able to travel all across the C&NW system by the 1940s, and they received varying modifications, including superheater installations and conversions to burn oil. The R-1 class also served as the basis for the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha (CMO) Railway's I-1 and K-1 classes. As of 2026, only three R-1 locomotives are preserved; two are undergoing restoration to operating condition, while one remains on static display.
History
Development
After the year 1900, railroad traffic in the United States was constantly growing, and existing locomotive rosters and rail infrastructures were becoming inadequate. By that time, the Chicago and North Western Railroad (C&NW) experimented with various firebox designs on steam locomotives to meet the demand for greater motive power. They rostered 250 4-6-0 "ten-wheeler" locomotives that were divided into seven classes, including the R class locomotives built between 1897 and 1900, and they all came with larger fireboxes that were placed above the frame, as opposed to in between the frame and the wheels.
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