#1421
Chicago and North Western Z class
🇺🇸 United States ·built by American Locomotive Company· from 1909· class of 251 American 2-8-0 locomotives
what is it?
The Chicago and North Western Railway class Z (and Omaha Road class Z) was a class of 251 American 2-8-0 locomotives. They were built between 1909 and 1913, when production switched to the larger class J 2-8-2 locomotives. The class letter spawned their nickname amongst C&NW and Omaha Road crews: "Zulu".
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 117 years ago, in 1909.
- Served for 47 years (1909–1956).
steam locomotive: Burns coal, wood or oil to boil water; the steam drives pistons that turn the wheels.
spec sheet
- built
- 1909–1913
- in service from
- 1909
- retired
- 1956
- status
- retired
- number built
- 251
- kind
- Steam
- traction
- steam
- origin
- 🇺🇸 United States
- builders
- American Locomotive Company, Baldwin Locomotive Works
- operators
- Chicago and North Western Transportation Company, Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway
- top speed
- —
- power
- —
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- wheel arrangement
- 2-8-0
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q94653359, Wikipedia: Chicago and North Western Z class (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.