The B&LE used two types of 2-10-2 “Santa Fe” locomotives. The 20 locomotives designed by Baldwin for this railroad was the D1A shown here, while five of the Heavy USRA design were delivered in 1919 as D2A. The D1A had drivers of 60 inches and cylinders with a diameter of 30 inches and a stroke of 32 inches. When delivered between August and November 1916, they carried different works numbers between 43950 and 44208. The B&LE numbered them 501 to 520.
Originally the firebox had a surface of 259 square feet in its walls and 129 in the combustion chamber. Additionally, the arch tubes had a surface of 42 square feet. Their four-axle Vanderbilt tenders had a capacity of 10,000 gallons of water and 16 tons of coal. In the thirties, some were equipped with massive six-axle tenders which carried 22,000 gallons and 23 tons. These weighed around 400,000 pounds and brought the total weight to nearly 800,000 pounds. No. 505 got the same tender, but with two booster engines, each of which powered two axles in each truck. Both together added 26,250 pounds of tractive effort, for a total of more than 110,000 pounds.
To increase the power, they got thermic syphons around 1940. These added 99 square feet to the direct heating surface, what increased their boiler output to 3,947 hp. At least three locomotives also received overfire steam jets. These added fresh air to the fire, resulting in a cleaner combustion and reducing smoke. They were retired between 1948 and 1951.