St. Louis–San Francisco 1522

St. Louis–San Francisco Railway 1522 is a preserved 1500-class 4-8-2 "Mountain" type steam locomotive built in May 1926 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (SLSF), also known as the " Frisco".
It, along with her sisters, was built to handle Frisco's heavier passenger trains through the hilly Ozark regions. It was retired by the Frisco in 1951 and in May 1959 donated to the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri, where it is currently on display. It was restored to operating condition in the spring of 1988 and operated in excursion service until the fall of 2002 when it was placed back into retirement at the museum. As of 2025, No. 1522 is on static display at the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri. Five other examples of Frisco Mountain-type locomotives are preserved today throughout the United States.

History

Revenue service

St. Louis–San Francisco 1522 was built in May 1926 as part of the third order of 1500-class (referred to in one source as T-54) "Mountain" type locomotives for the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway. Purchased for $70,000, originally built as a coal burner it was converted to burn oil shortly after it was purchased by the Frisco. The locomotive was built to handle heavy passenger and freight services along the Frisco Railway's Eastern and Western divisions, and had a 200 PSI boiler pressure, 69-inch drivers, 54,085 lbs. of tractive effort, and a top speed of 70 mph. Throughout its career, No. 1522, along with the other 1500s, was found to be well-liked by engine crews, dispatchers, and the motive power department.. As they were true general-purpose locomotives, they were well suited for use in hotshot freight service, fast passenger service, or even local runs.

In the decade following the start of World War II No. 1522 and 15 other 1500-class locomotives were upgraded with booster engines, boiler pressure increased to 210 psi, and 69-inch drivers, increasing their tractive force to 56,380 lbs (65,550 lbs. with the booster) and their top speed to 90 mph. At the same time, the Frisco Railway was experimenting with diesel locomotives and began rapid conversion to diesel during the late 1940s and early 1950s. All scheduled steam operations ended on the Frisco in February 1952, and reserve steam operations ended in 1956.

First retirement

The 1522 was originally retired in 1951 after the Frisco ended all steam operations. In May 1959, The locomotive was selected for preservation and donated to the Museum of Transportation of St. Louis, Missouri where it would sit for 26 years.

First restoration and excursion career

In September 1985, when the newly formed non-profit organization, the ''St. Louis Steam Train Association'', selected No. 1522 for restoration to operational condition. The restoration work includes installing new flues, superheaters, and staybolts. The main axle boxes were replaced, and the pilot and trailing trucks were rebuilt. On July 16, 1987, No. 1522 was steamed up for the first in 36 years. The restoration work was completed and by April 1988, the No. 1522 began a second career in excursion service which lasted until retirement again in late 2002. This locomotive did a variety of excursions and went through an additional overhaul.

The 1522 made a series of break in runs during July and August 1988 on the Wisconsin Central Railroad. Her first excursion was a Saturday and Sunday round trip between River Grove, IL to Fond du Lac, WI, on the Wisconsin Central.

In October 1988, No. 1522 made its inaugural run to Decatur, Illinois., and in May 1989, the locomotive made a run to Moberly, Missouri.

During the NRHS annual convention in June 1990, No. 1522 pulled a 22-car excursion over Rolla Hill alongside Cotton Belt 819, Norfolk and Western 1218, and Union Pacific 844. It ran a double-header excursion with Union Pacific 844 after the convention was completed.

In June 1994, No. 1522 was one of the locomotives to participate in the 1994 NRHS annual convention in Atlanta, Georgia, and did a double-header with Norfolk and Western 611 from Birmingham, Alabama to Atlanta on its way to the convention. In June of the following year, the locomotive was the special guest of the annual haymarket heyday and did several excursions between Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska.

No. 1522 derailed on a wye in North St. Louis, Missouri on May 17, 1999, while on a test run following an 18-month overhaul. A rail overturned under the fireman's side as the locomotive was moving onto the wye, causing extensive damage to the running gear. The damage was repaired and the locomotive returned to service a few months later with help from the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.

In June 2001, No. 1522 was invited to pull the Burlington Northern Santa Fe annual employee appreciation special which included a historic tour through the state of Texas. The 1522 was also invited to pull several excursions for the 2001 NRHS annual convention held that year in St. Louis.

Second retirement

In 2002, it was announced that the No. 1522 was to be put back into retirement as a result of increased insurance rates and flue failures. New FRA regulations required that an active steam locomotive must be inspected and re-tubed every 15 years (old boiler flues must be replaced with new ones), which proved to be too expensive for the SLSTA. Between September 28 and 29 of that year, No. 1522 ran farewell excursions, and immediately afterwards, it was put back into retirement.

As of 2025, Frisco 1522 is still a major exhibit at the National Museum of Transportation, and it remains the only 4-8-2 type locomotive in the United States to have an excursion career. Due to its poor mechanical condition, it will likely never run under its own power again. Some people have stated that while the locomotive could technically be restored, it is not financially feasible, as her original flue sheet is badly cracked, which would require fabrication of a replacement.

References

Further reading

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External links

Database of the Frisco 4-8-2 mountain locomotives



A Born Again Frisco Survivor-No. 1522 Makes Remarkable Run on Initial Trip.

{{DEFAULTSORT:St. Louis-San Francisco 1522
1522
4-8-2 locomotives
Baldwin locomotives
Individual locomotives of the United States
Standard-gauge locomotives of the United States
Preserved steam locomotives of Missouri