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Big Boy steam locomotive

Watched a couple of short videos of her under way. Impressive indeed. Very nice to see an articulated back in running condition.
 
Not really, they spent way less on the Big Boy than what one super bowl add would cost, and it is all deductible expense as advertising. :-)
 
It’s fun when somebody does something for the folks in the cheap seats Sami! :D These are the RR equivalent to the goodyear blimp IMO. Been watching the resto for near 5 years now.

The articulated 4-6-6-4 ALCO Challenger #3985 had been running for rail fans & some freight after re-commission in 1981. It was sent to the UP steam shop in 2010 and after the big boy rebuild it is scheduled to return to service circa 2021. Here is a video of the challenger with 143 cars going up a hill. → YouTube

The UP FEF-3 4-8-4 #844 is the longest running steamer being in continuous freight service since 1944 (that is an amazing amount of service for anything). The FEF-3 was the last and fastest of the ALCO FEF’s with a designed maximum speed of 120mph (is has run at 110mph and it’s pretty much agreed the 120 rating was not the max she could go)… This clip shows her “in highball”, where the steamer goes quiet (relative term), and prolly running 70-80mph.


Nice post,
Matt
 
The diesel's a guarantee. That the mainline doesn't get obstructed. On certain routes it provides dynamic brakingas well.

Lucky7
 
There is a rail car behind the maintenance cars that is equipped with a generator that provides electricity to all of the train where it is needed. You can hear it running in some of the videos when it passes by. KenS.
 
Them folks must be doing real well business wise to support such lovely fooling around:D

I thought the same thing John, but then I reasoned that it must be valuable for public relations, goodwill and advertising. I am sure the costs were well considered. The UP has been in business for 150 years, there is a reason for that.

While not a railfan or train spotter by any means I do have a soft spot for steam engines as I think most mechanically inclined people do do. There is something special about a steam engine, whether it be dads old mill engine silently running at some engine show, or a steam locomotive going about its business. They are dynamic or alive as opposed to a internal combustion powered machine

Having said that, even though they had no load to speak of, it is very cool to see the 844 and the Big Boy double headed. One wonders when the last time two large steamers teamed up so were seen in the USA? My guess would be the late fifties when the N&W stopped running steam. I know today some of the tourist type railroads will double head, I seem to recall seeing I think a Durango & Silverton double header recently on You Tube. But those locomotives are nowhere near the size of the UP giants.

I say well done Union Pacific
 
There is a rail car behind the maintenance cars that is equipped with a generator that provides electricity to all of the train where it is needed. You can hear it running in some of the videos when it passes by. KenS.
Head End Power it's called, for the passenger cars.

Could have put the diesel into dynamic braking and used it to load the steam loco a bit.
(or allot....:D)
 
Great news!

I suddenly find myself wondering - Is there a break in procedure for steam engines?

You could say that there is, all the moving parts should be run in just like an old car- the old British Railways used to overhaul 2 A4s for the following years Flying Scotsman London – Edinburgh non -stop services. When finished and out shopped from the works they were put on the slower London – Edinburgh Scot goods for running in.
 
Very cool to see stuff like this!

It's a no-brainer that steam engines are a way of the past, but keeping them "alive" is a must IMO. I remember hearing a story from the Nevada Northern Railway in Ely, that when diesel (which was still "new" tech.) came on the scene, the offices decided to scrap all of the old steam locomotives. Some stubborn old guy decided to hide 2 steam locomotives in the back of one of their sheds (which does sound a little far fetched), and when the new diesel engines started having problems a few years later and the offices started wishing they hadn't been so hasty, they pulled the old steam engines out and saved the day (until they fixed the diesels that is).

I think the time that steam could "save the day" has long since passed, but there's always going to be a new generation of industrial types needing to be educated on what works and what doesn't. Seeing technology in use is 1000% more educational than learning about it in a class-room IMO. and you never really know what's coming down the pipe. Someone could decide a nuclear steam engine is the way to go!.... but how do you make an engine big enough to pull a train work on steam?
 
When a portable "direct to electricity" Knooo-clee-are power source is developed,
set it on the platform, wire it into the motors.

Easy Peasy
 








 
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