Competing with the Chicago & North Western and the Burlington Route in the Chicago-Twin Cities market, the Milwaukee Road (Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific) needed a fast locomotive to power its new Hiawatha service. Unable to afford expensive diesels, the railroad turned to American Locomotive Company for four Atlantic type (4-4-2) engines, Nos. 1-4, that were among the fastest steam locomotives ever constructed. These oil-burners, with streamlined styling by famed designer Otto Kuhler, were delivered between 1935 and 1937. It was reported that, while under construction, they had so little friction on their roller-bearing axles that they could be pushed manually over the erecting floor. In service they regularly sustained speeds of 100 miles per hour or more. They were unusual among modern locomotives, also, in having their main rods connected to the first pair of driving wheels (as were those of the Canadian Pacific's class F2 "Jubilee" 4-4-4s built at the same time). This view of No. 3 was taken at Milwaukee in October 1938, and comes from the Clifford "Mike" Southard collection courtesy of the Kishwaukee Valley Heritage Museum of Genoa, Illinois. For the dimensions of the these 4-4-2s of class A see the commentary on the following page.