UP Big Boy to steam again in 2019

[jamie92208]

are they moving the big boy to area 51 or somewhere as its become really hard to find any up to date news on its progress.

I think it's gone into a black hole.  I can't find anything either.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

It hasn't disappeared.    This is from 4 days ago

 

 

This is yesterday with it alongside the Drag Strip.

 

 

Jamie

Edited November 21, 2013 by jamie92208

[ZiderHead]

Is there a donations page where we can chip in to buy that guy a tripod?

[jamie92208]

Just found a rather better one   here  the move starts at about the 5 minite mark.

 

 

 

Now must get to bed as it's off to Warley in the morning.

 

Jamie

[PhilH]

Conundrum - here , an early photo, the wheels are out by 1/4 turn.

 

The latest photo shows the wheels in almost perfect sync.

 

Not sure how that could happen....

Edited November 24, 2013 by PhilH

[298]

Conundrum - here , an early photo, the wheels are out by 1/4 turn.

 

The latest photo shows the wheels in almost perfect sync.

 

Not sure how that could happen....

Perhaps they're using the same sound stage that NASA used for the moon landings....

[mozzer models]

 

Conundrum - here , an early photo, the wheels are out by 1/4 turn.

 

The latest photo shows the wheels in almost perfect sync.

 

Not sure how that could happen....

 would that not just be down to which side sliped when going round the curves let hand on one bogie & right hand side on the other

[PhilH]

If it's being pulled mozz then nothing should slip. The only thing I can think of is that apparently they had an air compressor on the tender so they could operate the loco's brakes. Perhaps one set grabbed and made one set of wheels skid for a bit.

 

Or not.

 

Or I'm missing something obvious... 

[Michael Delamar]

they have got the air brakes working on the front engine with a compressor on the tender

[jamie92208]

This movement is quite normal on articulated locomotives.  I don't know why but there were always stories about Garretts starting off with the engine units out ofmsync but naturally getting into sync.  Also you would only need a fraction of an inch difference in driving wheel diameters for this to happen.

 

Jamie.

[mozzer models]

 

If it's being pulled mozz then nothing should slip. The only thing I can think of is that apparently they had an air compressor on the tender so they could operate the loco's brakes. Perhaps one set grabbed and made one set of wheels skid for a bit.

 

Or not.

 

Or I'm missing something obvious...

 as loco do not have Diffis

when a loco gos around a cuver then as rails on ons side is shorter then the other the wheels on one side have to slip compared to the rail lenth & if its the oposit side on each bogie then the diffarence placing on the rods will move

 

reading the info the loco has been moving on a cuve for the 1st part on the move & has only just gone on to strat track

Edited November 25, 2013 by mozzer models

[298]

 

 

This movement is quite normal on articulated locomotives. I don't know why but there were always stories about Garretts starting off with the engine units out ofmsync but naturally getting into sync. Also you would only need a fraction of an inch difference in driving wheel diameters for this to happen.

 

Jamie.

It is a usual driving practice with double Fairlie's on the Ffestiniog to give the rear unit a bit more throttle, it also looks like big Mallets also have independent regulators, and a similar driving technique might be used. Edited November 25, 2013 by 298

[PhilH]

But it's not being driven, it's being pulled. I still don't understand how the wheels can get out of sync.

 

But then, I'm a simple man!

Edited November 25, 2013 by PhilH

[298]

But it's not being driven, it's being pulled. I still don't understand how the wheels can get out of sync.

 

But then, I'm a simple man!

Uneven wear between each set of drivers...?

[PhilH]

Could be, but relatively speaking it hasn't gone very far, and, to my way of thinking, to move 1/4 of a turn in relation to the other set in such a short distance there would have to be quite a difference in diameters.

 

But I guess it doesn't really matter, what's important is that they're getting on with it..

Edited November 25, 2013 by PhilH

[Arthur]

Part of the explanation for how locomotives follow a curve without the need for a differential is that the wheel treads are coned. The outer wheel flange is pushed against the rail so the largest part of it's diameter rotates there, whilst on the inner rail, the wheel runs on the smallest diameter of it's coned tread. Imagine a cone rolling on the floor. It naturally rolls in a circle, same principle.

 

Phil is of course right, the usual explanations for articulateds going in and out of synch, are only true when they're under power.

 

I can only imagine that some of the reasons here are combinations of brakes only on one unit, irregular curvature of the track, stiffer bearings/motion here and there etc. Essentially, one of the units is suffering a bit more drag than the other.

 

Edited for clarity.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Arthur

[jamie92208]

Part of the explanation for how locomotives follow a curve without the need for a differential is that the wheel treads are coned. The outer wheel flange is pushed against the rail so the largest part of it's diameter rotates there, whilst on the inner rail, the wheel runs on the smallest diameter of it's coned tread. Imagine a cone rolling on the floor. It naturally rolls in a circle, same principle.

 

Phil is of course right, the usual explanations for articulateds going in and out of synch, are only true when they're under power.

 

I can only imagine that some of the reasons here are combinations of brakes only on one unit, irregular curvature of the track, stiffer bearings/motion here and there etc. Essentially, one of the units is suffering a bit more drag than the other.

 

Edited for clarity.

I suspect that with the loco stripped of quite a bit of weight from the motion and the felxible steam pipes (To avoid lubrication problems), and the lack of water in the boiler, there is probably far less weight on the front engine unit than in operating condition.  They did have problems with flange lift on the first day with the front unit, which is also the one that's braked so it looks like there are some weight distribution problems.  They have stored all the motion in the tender and partially filled it with water.  Even at half load that's an extra 60 tons.  This is due to problems with the centipede tenders on curves.  I think that the 4018 move in Texas had problems with the very light tender.

 

Jamie

Edited November 25, 2013 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

There are now quite a lot of videos on You Tube.

This is one of the better ones but doesn't appear to be dated.

 

 

From the stands on the drag strip in the backlground and the roads that cross the track it appears to be nearly level with the start of the raised part of the grandstands, presumably near the start line.   I've been able to locate this on Google earth and it's only 750 feet to the Metrolink tracks so they seem to have really cracked on.  One of the websites says that the crew are going to have a few days back in Cheyenne to see their families before making the link.  The link will probably be made on a Saturday night with track being slewed.

 

Jamie

Edited November 26, 2013 by jamie92208

[Gary H]

I've been able to locate this on Google earth and it's only 750 feet to the Metrolink tracks so they seem to have really cracked on

 

I done that too! It took me a while to pin point the loco in its original resting place as it was under a line of trees.

 

One of the websites says that the crew are going to have a few days back in Cheyenne to see their families before making the link.  The link will probably be made on a Saturday night with track being slewed.

 

Some folk get all the good jobs don't they?

Imagine being physically involved in this project whilst getting your salary at the same time!

 

This project must be generating a ton of revenue for Athearn, everytime they release a model of 4014 it sells out in a day!

Edited November 26, 2013 by Gary H

[Michael Delamar]

the design of the tender interests me, as to why they went for that particular axle arrangement than say a pair of 6 wheeled bogies or similar.

[jamie92208]

the design of the tender interests me, as to why they went for that particular axle arrangement than say a pair of 6 wheeled bogies or similar.

It was a simple matter of axle weight and tender capacity.  the tender was a standard design over the FEF3's  (The last batch of 4-8-4's) the second series cChallengers and the Big Boys.  I'll have a look at Kratville's books and see if the rationale is given.

 

Jamie

[roundhouse]

There's a Trix 4014 on display in Gaugemaster at the moment in early condition.

 

Look forward to Athearn releasing an N scale one as 4014

[jamie92208]

There's a guy called Richard E Nunez who apparently lives near Pomona posting regular video updates.  This is one of the latest ones.

 

 

 

It seems that theya re now past the drag strip and now have to shift the loco sideways to line up with the gat towards the metrolink tracks and seem to be shuffling backwards and forwards on a series of S bends to get to the required orientation. 

 

He does say in one o his commentary's that the UP crew are going back home for a breakl this week.

 

Have fun watching.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

It was a simple matter of axle weight and tender capacity.  the tender was a standard design over the FEF3's  (The last batch of 4-8-4's) the second series cChallengers and the Big Boys.  I'll have a look at Kratville's books and see if the rationale is given.

 

Jamie

I've had a look in W Kratville's book, 'The Mighty 800'  The 7 wheel 'centipede tenders' were developed for the second series of 4-8-4's (820 to 834) in early 1939.  The UP wanted to get a longer range between servicing for the locos and wanted to increase the water capacity from the 15000 gallons that the previous 6 axle bogie tenders had. They couldn't find a satisfactory 8 wheel track that rode well.  Apparently they sufferred from flange cutting on curves.  They then developed the centipede type which was adapted from an electric loco design (It doesn't say which).  There was an arrangement of side play on all the 5 fixed axles of 1 1/2" on axles 3 to 6 and 1/2" on axle 7.   The tender was constructed on an enourmous cast steel bed that included all the suspension horns and brake hangers, simialr to the cast steel engine beds that locos were using by then. Hope this helps.  

 

Jamie

Edited November 27, 2013 by jamie92208

[dullsteamer]

It is a usual driving practice with double Fairlie's on the Ffestiniog to give the rear unit a bit more throttle, it also looks like big Mallets also have independent regulators, and a similar driving technique might be used.

 

G'day Andy, 4014 isn't a Mallet, it's a simple articulated engine. High pressure steam is delivered from the regulator to all 4 cylinders, used once and exhausted to atmosphere.  Mallets are compound engines.

 

As for regulators, neither Mallets or simple articulateds have more than one. Big Boys have a multiple-valve regulator typical of modern US practice, located in the smokebox.

 

All the best,

 

Mark.