St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (“Frisco”) locomotive 4500 is a 4-8-4 Northern-type steam engine. Baldwin built the locomotive in 1942 as an oil-burning steam locomotive for Frisco passenger service. It was the first 4-8-4 the Frisco ordered.
It was used for Frisco’s Meteor train service and was painted in the zephyr blue, white and gray paint scheme. The locomotive’s tender included “Meteor” on the side in red letters.
(Locomotives 4501 and 4502 also featured the paint scheme.)
The steamer also headed Frisco’s Texas Special. After the Meteor was dieselized, it was repainted into Frisco’s standard black with gold striping and lettering scheme. It was assigned to other passenger trains, such as the Will Rogers.
The steam locomotive is displayed at the Route 66 Historical Village in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
