4F2v20fa Class

The 4F2v20fa Class is a class of semi-streamlined Pacific locomotives designed by Gustav Othmar at the Eastern & Atlantic's Richmond Works.

History
In the late '30's, with the sudden upturn of traffic after the end of the Great Depression, the Eastern & Atlantic decided to design a new type of semi-streamlined locomotive. Gustav Othmar had been visiting the Southern Railway in the UK, and he had seen designs for the Southern Railway's Merchant Navy class.

When he got back to the US, he decided to intergrate the style of streamlining used in the Merchant Navy class. Thus, the design acquired a semi-streamlined shroud around it.

The locomotive design was finalized in 1942, and, with funds from the War Department, build 40 locomotives for express troop services. The locomotives were hardworking, and, after the 1942-1944 run, 35 more locomotivese were built in 1946-1947.