Chicago 1933 - 34

Continuing with the theme set by last week's blog entry....

As part of its program of experimentation with steam locomotive design in the 1930s, the Delaware & Hudson Railroad equipped two P-1 Pacific type engines, including No. 653 seen on the post card below, with the Caprotti poppet valve gear. As built in 1929 by the railroad's Colonie Shops, these 4-6-2s exerted 41,027 pounds of tractive effort, having 73-inch drivers, a boiler pressure of 260 p.s.i., and 22x28-inch cylinders. They weighed 300,000 pounds, and their wide firebox — designed to burn anthracite coal — had a grate area of 87 square feet. As rebuilt, No. 653 boasted a very high 325-pound boiler pressure, 3200 square feet of evaporative heating surface and 1500 square feet of super-heater surface.

The locomotive was displayed at the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago in 1934, as shown on this post card. She displays the clean lines and uncluttered appearance favored by Delaware & Hudson president Leonor F. Loree, who admired the British "look" in steam engines.

There is no mention of the printer or the publisher as such on the back of the post card, although I would assume that the A Century of Progress International Exposition is the publisher. One could probably purchase these post cards at the Exposition in Chicago.

A Century of Progress International Exposition was held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Chicago. Its theme, as given in A Century of Progress Chicago International Exposition of 1933 Statement of its Plan and Purposes and of the Relation of States and Foreign Governments to Them (Chicago, 1933) was to "attempt to demonstrate to an international audience the nature and significance of scientific discoveries, the methods of achieving them, and the changes which their application has wrought in industry and in living conditions." This was done through exhibits that appealed to the public in general, often with miniaturized or replicated processes.

The fair was held on 427 acres (much of it landfill) on Lake Michigan, immediately south of Chicago's downtown area, from 12th Street to 39th Street (now Pershing Road). Today, Meigs Field and McCormick Place occupy this site. A Century of Progress officially opened on May 27, 1933 and closed on November 12 of that year. Although originally planned for the 1933, season only, it was extended for another year, reopening on May 26, 1934, and closing on October 31, 1934.

Let's Go Back to 1933

The Chicago World's Fair of 1933 - 34 featured a Travel & Transport Building. Outside the building they placed a 600-foot length of railroad track. On this track they placed three trains. You can see them in the picture on the front of the post card. The middle one, the feature of this post card published by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, was Number 3000. It was advertised at the time as the most powerful 4-6-4 wheeled locomotive in the world. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad purchased twelve Hudsons from the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1930. These 4-6-4's were designated Class S-4 and assigned road numbers 3000 through 3011. The engines weighed 391,880 pounds; the engine and tender weighed 717,930 pounds. It held 15,000 gallons of water and 24 tons of fuel (either coal or oil). The drivers were 78 inches tall and the cylinders were 25 inches in diameter with a stroke of 28 inches.

To the fireman's side of the modern locomotive stood a little old "tea kettle" engine with elongated cow catcher and diamond smokestack--No. 35, the Pride of the Prairies in the early 1880's. It is a 4-4-0 Class A-2 engine. This locomotive was built by Chicago, Burlington & Quincy's Aurora Shops in 1892 as Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad 66, later renumbered for the same company as 666. It was again renumbered in 1904 as it entered service for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy system as Number 359. It was rebuilt in Denver in June 1932 for exhibition at the Century Of Progress (held in Chicago, Illinois during 1933-34) as Burlington & Missouri River Railroad 35. This is what this post card is commemorating.

The locomotive to the far left in the post card is from England. The original 6100 was the first of its class, built in 1927 by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow. It was named Royal Scot after the Royal Scots. In 1933, 6152 The King's Dragoon Guardsman and 6100 swapped identities permanently. 6152 had been built at Derby Works in 1930. The new Royal Scot was sent to the Century of Progress Exposition of 1933 and toured Canada and the United States with a train of typical LMS carriages.

It was given special commemorative plates that sit below its nameplates which read:

This locomotive with the Royal Scot train was exhibited at the Century of Progress
Exposition Chicago 1933, and made a tour of the Dominion of Canada and the United
States of America. The engine and train covered 11,194 miles over the railroads
of the North American continent and was inspected by 3,021,601 people.
W. Gilbertson - Driver T. Blackett - Fireman
J. Jackson - Fireman W.C. Woods - Fitter

The post card was published by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, commonly known as the Burlington Route.