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They said it couldn’t be done. It was too heavy, too long, it burned too much fuel, and would cost too much to restore. But they were wrong. Union Pacific, Big Boy #4014, now holds the title of the Worlds largest operating steam locomotive. This locomotive underwent a frame up rebuild and is now better than new. This was a big day for the #4014. It was the first time it was taken out of the yard and onto the main line.
Since this was a break in run the locomotive is not working very much at all. Just a bit of throttle to keep the pistons lubricated. The locomotive made frequent stops to check bearings and rods for overheating. As expected there was some minor issues including leaking packing from both front cylinder rods. However this is a fairly easy fix. No major problems were reported. We see the locomotive leave the East end of the Cheyenne yard as a freight train passes. Then the locomotive stops at the West end of the yard to lubricated the side rods. Then it leaves Cheyenne and makes another stop near Speer, Wyoming.
The darkness did not deter many rail fans as there was a large gathering at Carr, Colorado where the locomotive stopped for inspection and lubrication. There was a train in the siding that lit up the Big Boy with it’s lights, and many cars turned on their lights as well. Running hours late and arriving at Nunn, Colorado at nearly 11:00 PM. The crew dedicated they have had enough for the day, and scrap plans for running to Greely, Colorado. They pull into a siding where several trains pass the Big Boy, and then head back to Cheyenne.
ht/ forcibly deranged
I drove a large diesel switch engine for two years. I loved it.
Here’s the “Great Race” steam schedule for 2019 for Big Boy. Wish I was near where it will be running.
https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm
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Back in ’86, the UP had a Big Boy running, the #8444, and I got a 60 mile ride on it. Got pics to prove it. This brings back some memories. Thanks Fur
So I just did a web search and they say the #8444 was just a 4-8-4 locomotive. Now I have to dig out my pictures. This is embarrassing. Thanks a lot Fur.
Enjoyed this though couldn’t watch it all, being a deplorable and having to get ready for work. Both of my grandfather’s retired from Grand Trunk railroad. One was a welder in the car shop and the other a crane operator in the car yard. Spent my childhood around trains. The town I live in was one of the main yards for GT.
Poor Nigerians can’t even afford spellcheck.
“Lots of respectable people have been hit by trains.”
Love trains.
Thanks.
My Grand-Dad was an Engineer and had uncles (on the other side) who were railway yard workers. My Dad was color-blind, so he couldn’t get into the game – went to War instead.
Still one of the better retirements in the Universe.
izlamo delenda est …
A technological marvel. I wonder if AOC approves or disapproves of bringing these beauties out of slumber? Ah, who am I kidding? Nobody gives ditch what she thinks.
Cool. I road on the train they have running in Cass WV. Always loved steam locomotives.
That actually happened several months ago. She attended the 150th anniversary event at Promontory, Utah back in May.
I keep checking their schedule, hoping they’ll make a run down to Texas. I got to chase the 844 several years back.
When I was about 4 or 5 years old about 1957 or 58 we lived in the Spokane valley not far away from the mainline of the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railroad tracks. Back before it was all developed I could see all the steam locomotives go by my house and I was fascinated by the trains even when I was a little kid. My mom told me we had an elderly gentleman as a neighbor named Mr. Lyle who got a kick out of me because I was fascinated by the trains and would point them out and yell and hoot and holler about how excited I was to see the trains go by. I’m still excited about trains and every time I see a BNSF or Union Pacific diesel locomotive go by with it’s long line of railroad cars I still take notice, but I miss the steam locomotives the most. Just recently over in Montana I noticed a very long train loaded with a seemingly endless line of wind turbine propellors going by on its way to the West, I thought that was interesting. And we took a trip by train when I was 7 or 8 from Spokane to Ontario, Oregon to visit my grandparents (they lived in the little tiny dinkburg of Adrian, Or.) alongside the Snake River on the farm where my mom grew up. According to her to her I stayed awake most of that night and day long trip and didn’t shut up about how much I loved trains.
I’m a woman and I got goosebumps!
C’mon ride the Trump train: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D53M1vVF2N4
RFD channel has Trains And Locomotives show (older videos) every Monday afternoon. DVR the show.
https://www.rfdtv.com/story/22875109/trains-and-locomotives
‘Big Boy’? Is that some sort of train misogyny?
@ Geoff: When I was in grad school in Missoula many years ago, a fellow grad student and I hopped a Milwaukee freight and rode over to Avery on that beautiful Hiawatha road. We hopped back from Avery later in the day. The train stopped in the yard at Alberton, MT, for an hour or so and we met an incredible number of “rod riders” who got off that train. We had no trouble from any of them. Two of ’em were WW2 Navy vets – one a CPO and other a seaman who had served under him – who hadn’t seen each other since the War. Big tearful reunion! We didn’t get back tdo Missoula until about 10:30 that night. It was one Helluva day! You probably know that the Hiawatha Road now is a bicycle trail. I rode it with some friends a few years ago. Want to do it again while I still can if I can find someone to do it with me. It really a beautiful ride – 16 miles downhill at 2% grade and fantastic scenery. Neat rides through the tunnels too. You can even rent bikes with lights for the ride although I hear the bikes are pretty crappy. Probably the Fall season would be best if you want to go. I’ve read that the trail’s getting pretty crowded during the summer season.
OTOH, they were wrong about the Titanic too…
Growing up, us kids were carted down the the train tracks every time a scheduled steam engine came by. I will always have a place in my heart for the sound of that whistle. My dad used to hop the trains by his house as a youth and never grew out of his love for them.
His proudest moment, the last few years before dementia took him away from us, was when he was selected to ride in the engine on one of their trips. I had never seen the utter joy on his face before when he stepped out of the engine. “Did you see me blow the whistle?” I miss my daddy.
I saw video of one of these monsters years ago. It consumed coal at such a rate the fireman fed the boiler with an automated auger conveyor. They only used it to get over the mountains. They were very complex machines that required a lot of fuel and servicing. .
I worked around diesel electric locomotives for 30 years . before retiring. There nothing like a modern diesel electric locomotive with AC propulsion for efficiency and tractive effort.
Forcibly deranged, unfortunately the Hiawatha Trail is closed for the year, it’s only open until Labor Day. I would meet you up there in a heartbeat as I’ve never been on the Hiawatha Trail and I want to go. Lookout Pass and the start of the Hiawatha Trail is less than 2 hrs. from where I live. I have ridden my bike on the trail of the Coeur d’ Alene’s (the old Milwaukee Road railroad route) from Mullan, Id. to the bottom of Lake Coeur d’ Alene before with some friends. And my insane brother along with his equally insane Dr. friend (a cardiologist, who now lives in Hamilton, Mt.) who are extreme bikers rode that trail from Plummer, Id. to Mullan and over the mountains all the way to Hamilton, Mt. in less than 24 hrs., riding their bikes all night thru one of the worst thunderstorms we’ve had in years and loving every minute of it.
Cool. I can recall my grandfather (railroad crew foreman) taking me aboard the last working coal fired steam locomotive at the depot on its last work day before being replaced by diesel powered locomotives when I was about 7 y.o. Oh I’d seen them everyday going down the tracks, but the last stop at the depot was a milestone day. Mostly they pulled coal cars.
@ Geoff: Let’s plan to do it next year. Either Spring when it warms up a tad and the snow is gone or before Labor Day next year. If you’re interested, I’ll ask Fur to give you my e-mail address. I may bring some like minded souls from here for the ride – possibly to include my grandson and son. We could camp at the site of the trailhead or elsewhere at some fed campsite. Maybe some other IOTWers would consider joining us. Let me know.
I took a train from New Jersey to Hawaii.
I’ll go, I have my own bike, a nice Trek mountain bike that would work perfectly and a helmet. I found out the value of a helmet when I crashed and burned and scraped myself up pretty good a few years ago when I hit a patch of oil slicked road on my way to work one morning. It was also the day that little voice inside my head (probably my daughters) told me to wear my bike helmet, it’s a good thing I did since I was a bloody mess when I crashed. I can buy a light for the tunnel which I hear is a pretty cool experience. I go by Taft, Mt. where the Hiawatha Trail ends at the bottom of Lookout Pass just off of I-90 all the time on my way to Missoula on Sundays.