UP Big Boy to steam again in 2019

[AMJ]

The other year I had a visit to the UP heritage operations at Cheyanne in Wyoming and Ed can talk the talk with all of his tales and work that they are doing there on the various locomotives including 844 and the Big Boy.

 

If anyone ever fancies a trip to USA I can recommend Darjeeling Tours Colorado tours.  I think that even SWMBO will like the scenery and riding behind various steam trains etc.  Plus there are ample places to eat nice food along with craft beers. http://www.darjeelingtours.co.uk/

[jamie92208]

They've just posted another video on You Tube showing the latest progress on the front engine.

It's certainly looking good.

 

Jamie

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

Wow, just... wow.

 

The drawings alone are a work of art, and every component is a masterpiece.  

 

A magnificent job.  

[LNER4479]

I've taken the plunge. Flight tickets booked to enable me to be in the Ogden (Utah) area on 10th May 2019. Always wanted to go to Promontory Point in any case. #4014 planned to be on display in Ogden station 9th-11th May, according to UP website but will be on the lookout for Cheyenne-Ogden move info nearer the time to hopefully see her in motion.

 

Also planning to see #4006 (St Louis) and #4023 (Omaha) as part of the trip. I will then have seen six of the eight surviving Big Boys

[Mike Boucher]

Reports flying around facebook that UP has put the front engine back under the boiler...



http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/12/13-big-boy-4014-gets-drivers-up-asks-for-ptc-waivers-for-three-steam-locomotives?fbclid=IwAR2hnwhA4Y6V8lKoUEvSuZqd_i3GKxX4V5GKAQHkYbKPUJvxQXp0QB8WEtM

Photo from this facebook page, called ""FANS OF UNION PACIFIC 844, 3985, AND 4014 AND OTHER UP EXCURSION LOCOS".  (yes, the group name is all caps...)  I don't know if you have to be signed in to view or not...)

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/111374102216772/permalink/2169087993112029/

[jamie92208]

Thanks for that Mike.  There was a short bit of video on another site.   It looks as if they've got the front engine installed and the next job is the rear driving wheels.

 

Jamie

[brack]

They've got 6 months. Interesting to see it going back together.

[Mike Boucher]

Uncle Pete has created a "steam club" where you give them your email address, and they'll send you "exclusive news" about the UP steam program, including scheduling information and "members only" videos.

https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/club/index.htm?fbclid=IwAR3bZvpLROyujtBeoVm6qEJBAUXhKSoH_aE6qr3z-AH87q8OSw2UwbjrVzE

They've also said that they'll be releasing 4014's schedule in February, for events "leading up to" the golden spike celebration.  This article also says that UP will "tour other parts of the UP system" after the golden spike.

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2019/01/23-mid-february-for-ups-big-boy-4014-schedule-this-spring?fbclid=IwAR1WMBZ1NDjM5g7U3l8wSWI5Ejr-7lUg-SfdxVyqJQPcIG1Mb2DpkSmGwl4#.XEk0blrz26w.facebook

[DavidB-AU]

Getting closer!

 

[jamie92208]

They are really cracking on.   Two videos were posted yesterday on the UP Steam Club site to show that they were filling the boiler with warm water for hydrostatic testing to 375psi.   I think that what Ed Dickens aid is that they plan to do two days of warm water fills to warm the loco up properly then do another warm water fill and start the hydrostatic pressure test.   Exciting times as they will be able to light it up and do a steam test once it's passed the hydrostatic test.

Jamie

 

[jamie92208]

Another email from the UP Steam club, 4014 has passed it's hydrostatic test at 375 psi.   Next step is a proper steam test at 300 psi.   Great work by the team.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

A bit more progress yesterday, they pulled the loco forward so that it's nose was poking out of the shops but the rear of the loco was under the new overhead crane on the old tracks.  This was used to lift the cab back on.  Either they must be pretty confident to put the cab back before the test firing or they don't want to be standing on the footplate outside in  a Wyoming winter.

 

Jamie

Edited February 9, 2019 by jamie92208

[PaulRhB]

It's alive . . . 

 

Union Pacific Steam Club Update No. 5 - Apr. 10, 2019

 

From the UP Steam Team: We've been working hard out here making good progress. For the first time in 60 years a UP 4000 class locomotive has fire in its firebox in Cheyenne...an oil fire.

A fire was successfully lit April 9 in the firebox of the UP 4014, the crew is excited to undergo additional testing of the modified "oil conversion" for the Big Boy 4014.

[PaulRhB]

It takes 15 minutes but then you hear the Big Boy hoot  

 

[roundhouse]

I see that they have swapped tenders rather than modify 4014's at present.

[PaulRhB]

I guess it’s expedient with the May deadline but also I guess a shame we won’t see the ultimate double header just yet  

Does anyone know the official line if they are mothballing 3985 or intending to alternate them over the years as overhauls are due? 

[LNER4479]

Well, we're over there, over-paid (perhaps not?) and definitely not the other 'over...'. Making our way steadily way out west to be there to hopefully see it all in the flesh and, in doing so, achieve a lifetime's ambition.

 

Landed in Chicago in a snow blizzard (!) after an otherwise good flight. Managed a quick trip into the city centre on a Metra 'gallery car' train. Why Chicago? Read on...

 

Weather so foul that only photography possible was in Union station. Been before but never fails to impress. And an appropriate starting place for a trip heading out west.

 

But the weather sorted itself out for our drive along the first 300 miles of Route 66 on Sunday, this restored original gas station at Odell being the highlight.

 

My road trip buddy's day was made when two Corvette's and a Mustang rolled up, three young lads on a trip out of their own. The middle one was the genuine 1950's article (apparently - sorry, I'm not much of a petrol head myself!)

 

Of FAR more interest to me was our visit today (well, now yesterday) to St Louis's National Museum of Transportation and successfully hunting down our first 'quarry' - Big Boy #4006.

 

Number 5 out of 8 (remaining examples), this was the first time my mate had clapped eyes on one and he was well-impressed. In reasonable nick, considering she's out in the open. This is the highest mileage Big Boy, if the info is correct. Of course, #4014 has the chance to wrestle that mantle at some point in the future, depending on how much use UP make of her.

 

Great museum; very few folks visiting (although it was a week day). Pretty typical of US museums in my experience! A selection of other stuff that caught our eye:

 

 

 

 

 

 

To recover from all that excitement, a stop at a legendary Route 66 institution on the way back to the hotel:

 

Before a late afternoon trip into town and a look at the impressive St Louis Union station. A sort of St Pancras going on here as this is now a swanky hotel!

 

More soon (subject to hotel WiFi ...)

Edited April 30, 2019 by LNER4479

[DavidB-AU]

It's alive!

 

 

[LNER4479]

Sure is - and we were there to see it.

 

Firstly, continuing on from the previous instalment, we left St Louis headed for Omaha...

 

 

...where Big Boy #4023 is imaginatively and spectacularly displayed overlooking the Interstate entering the city.

 

From there we pressed on to North Platte (Weds evening).

 

 

There, I 'discovered' Challenger #3977 - had no idea is was there until we got there and I happened to see reference to it on a town map!

 

 

This morning started with a visit to Bailey Yard in North Platte, the world's largest railroad yard at eight miles long.

 

There you can go into the 'Golden Spike' tower ...

... for a panoramic view of the yard

 

And so on to Cheyenne, where I joined with local railfans on the bridge overlooking the UP Steam Shops to see #4014 being worked on.

Within 15 minutes, she moved off, setting back into the yard to get access to the mainline tracks.

It was an age before any further movement, UP understandably running continuous checks on the loco before letting her loose on the mainline. Consequently, we contented ourselves with these views held on the running line

 

In spite of a few final details still required (note lack of cab windows and cylinder covers), she looks a million dollars (probably several million of 'em in truth).

 

We sticking around till Saturday to hopefully follow her out of town on the first leg of her journey to Ogden.

 

Edited May 3, 2019 by LNER4479

[PaulRhB]

Well done UP the monster is back!  

[PaulRhB]

I just hope they do something like they did with the Challenger  

Imagine 4014 on double stacks!!!

 

[steam-driven boy]

2 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

 

 

...where Big Boy #4023 is imaginatively and spectacularly displayed overlooking the Interstate entering the city.

 

Hi,

Some may not have seen the 'Monster Moves' programme relating to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x33QRwrSUJs

 

Regards, Gerry.

[Dave Hunt]

Wow! If ever the phrase, "Wish I was there," was appropriate, this is it. Oh to be in Ogden a week today....

 

Dave

[melmerby]

Here's the schedule:

https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm

 

Virtual Railfan viewers will get to see 4014 at Laramie where it does a stopover on the way to Ogden on May 4th and during the return journey to Cheyenne a night stopover after a lunchtime arrival on May 17th.

 

 

Edited May 3, 2019 by melmerby

[LNER4479]

6 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

I just hope they do something like they did with the Challenger  

Imagine 4014 on double stacks!!!

 

I'll be amazed if they don't do something like that with her at some point ... but right now I guess their focus is on having a successful next 14 days without any hitches so I imagine they'll be keeping it as simple as possible and treating her with the largest pair of kid gloves and the biggest bundle of cotton wool they can find. They certainly weren't taking any chances with her yesterday evening.