I'm not sure how many of you will be interested in this. But one of the largest steam locomotives ever built has been restored over the last 4 years. It is now coplete and just yesterday blew his horn for the first time in 60 years.
Here is a little history of this Big Boy from the Union Pacific website;
"Big Boy No. 4014
Twenty-five Big Boys were built exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad, the first of which was delivered in 1941. The locomotives were 132 feet long and weighed 1.2 million pounds. Because of their great length, the frames of the Big Boys were "hinged," or articulated, to allow them to negotiate curves. They had a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, which meant they had four wheels on the leading set of "pilot" wheels which guided the engine, eight drivers, another set of eight drivers, and four wheels following which supported the rear of the locomotive. The massive engines normally operated between Ogden, Utah, and Cheyenne, Wyo.

There are seven Big Boys on public display in various cities around the country. They can be found in St. Louis, Missouri; Dallas, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Denver, Colorado; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Big Boy No. 4014 was delivered to Union Pacific in December 1941. The locomotive was retired in December 1961, having traveled 1,031,205 miles in its 20 years in service. Union Pacific reacquired No. 4014 from the RailGiants Museum in Pomona, California, in 2013, and relocated it back to Cheyenne to begin a multi-year restoration process."



https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/4014/index.htm

What a beautiful beast. Nothing better that standing by the tracks when steam passed by.

Nothing comes alive like steam.

Yes, engineering pun. But true.

Very cool. Why did it operate only between Ogden and Cheyenne?

quote:

Originally posted by Russ59:
Very cool. Why did it operate only between Ogden and Cheyenne?

That's where the biggest grades on the UP were located in the 40s and 50s when the Big Boys were in revenue service.

Sherman hill is a big nasty bitch for a train.

Very cool, thank you.

I've been watching this very closely since the move to the UP shops. Props to UP for taking on the 'Challenge' [that's a pun that us railroaders will understand] - UP now have three of the largest steam locomotives EVER to grace the planet on their roster - The other articulated loco - Challenger, the FEF 8444, and now 4014.

I can not wait to see her back on track, preferably storming up Sherman Hill with a hundred cars on the hook.

I have to say that hearing her clearing her throat was a very moving experience - I shared it with Mrs tac on our sound-bar equipped TV and almost moved furniture.

quote:

Originally posted by terma-nator: The locomotives were 132 feet long and weighed 1.2 million pounds.

That was very interesting and cool, Terma-nator! Thanks for posting.

I've never understood how those engineers keep those narrow wheels on those narrow rails. It must be difficult!

We got to see 4004 on display in Cheyenne last summer. Hope to get the opportunity to see 4014 with a head of steam one day.

We trudge on.

Here is the Cheyenne, Wyoming Big Boy in 2009:

DSC_1832 by David Casteel, on Flickr

DSC_1836 by David Casteel, on Flickr

DSC_1837 by David Casteel, on Flickr

Cheyenne Big Boy pano 1833-1835 by David Casteel, on Flickr

flashguy

Sheldon Cooper would go bat crazy seeing that.

Massive! I'd love to see one up close and in person. I've always had a great fondness for trains. My cousins in Chicago lived near to a very busy railway and as kids we used to listen and watch trains run by all day. They looked like giants when you're that small.

The only steamer I've had the pleasure to ride was in Williams AZ, the Grand Canyon Railway. Though it wasn't nearly as big as these "Big Boys" it was like a childhood dream riding on one. Thanks for the post!

Nice!

Quite lengthy.

Here he is on it's way to Golden Spike National Historical Park for the 150th ceremony in a few days.

^Oh,wow-they've got a 2-10-4 Texas in there, too.

This is a favorite song of mine. I came across it looking at train videos (rabbitholing from one of tacfoley's train posts).

quote:

Originally posted by just1tym:
Massive! I'd love to see one up close and in person. I've always had a great fondness for trains. My cousins in Chicago lived near to a very busy railway and as kids we used to listen and watch trains run by all day. They looked like giants when you're that small.

The only steamer I've had the pleasure to ride was in Williams AZ, the Grand Canyon Railway. Though it wasn't nearly as big as these "Big Boys" it was like a childhood dream riding on one. Thanks for the post!

Did the bandits rob the train?