The 2F4m9t Class is a class of freight tank engines designed by Gustav Othmar at the Eastern & Atlantic's Richmond Works.
History[]
The E&A always had a large amount of tank engines for an American railroad, and this was because of it's refusal to use diesel engines on smaller, shorter routes, thinking them dirty and smelly, even if in some cases they were cleaner than the steam locomotives used. Thus, in the late '30's, the railroad required a new tank engine for the short-range freight work around major cities, connecting the major freight depots with the major industries.
The 2F4m9t Class had side tanks and large fuel bunkers, and were found to be suitable for the short-range work that was asked of them. 100 locomotives were built from 1939-1941.