Invention and Engineering

Chicago and North Western R-1 class

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.

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See also

• ▸Beulah Louise Henry
• ▸Economy of the Czech Republic
• ▸Economic history

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