120 Degrees In The Cab — The 909,000-lb Steam Giant That Outlived The Diesels

In 1944, the US government denied Union Pacific's request for new diesel locomotives, forcing the railroad to build the FEF-3 steam locomotive as a wartime compromise. Despite being constructed from heavy carbon steel due to material shortages, this 909,000-pound machine became a mechanical masterpiece. Featuring 80-inch driving wheels and a 300 PSI boiler, the FEF-3 perfectly balanced high-speed passenger service with brute freight power, becoming the only Class 1 steam engine never retired.