Big Boy Locomotive Came to Nor Cal.

[UncleDave]

My wife loves Choo Choo trains. Last time it came through here she spent the day trying to catch it and failed lol.

It was a bit tricky trying to determine the actual route it was going to take from time to time, and the app is pretty bad.
It doesnt have a real time GPS update like my dogs AirTag on her collar, but has track based indicators that tell you when it reaches a certain area.

 

[Chris142]

It was a bit tricky trying to determine the actual route it was going to take from time to time, and the app is pretty bad.
It doesnt have a real time GPS update like my dogs AirTag on her collar, but has track based indicators that tell you when it reaches a certain area.

It caused quite a traffic snarl here. People checking it out on the fwy.

 

[PF52]

It was a bit tricky trying to determine the actual route it was going to take from time to time, and the app is pretty bad.
It doesnt have a real time GPS update like my dogs AirTag on her collar, but has track based indicators that tell you when it reaches a certain area.

It's helpful to know the rail routes in your area..... When it came through here (Chicago) in 2017, my boss and I were tracking it on the app but the average person wouldn't know which way it would go at various junctions, etc.

 

[twouvakind]

Google "last of the giants union pacific railroad" for a fascinating look at a day in the life of Big Boy when originally in service.

 

[UncleDave]

It caused quite a traffic snarl here. People checking it out on the fwy.

Ive seen this clip dozens of times - it's awesome.
The eng hanging out with his cup of coffee - talk about a good day.
"Winning"

Traffic just stops matching her pace to oogle. I cant blame them It's simply mesmerizing to see and hear all that metal flinging around.

My fav part is 4:34 where you get the angled oncoming shot.

This particular train is one of Santa Fe's 4-8-4's
(although the train is marked AT&SF )

Apparently sticking two power sections together is what gets you a 4-8-8-4 or the " Big Boy" although one can hardly cal a 4-8-4 "little".

 

[someonesomewhere]

They pulled the old steam engine that lived in Centennial Park in Nashville (climbed around it as a child in the 80s, took our kids to do the same) and are currently restoring it for use as a day tripper. It'll come to our little town to the east (we have a turntable in process of being installed where our siding currently sits). Will for sure have to indulge once they get it up and running. Almost lost it earlier this year when a tornado came through Nashville and wrecked the restoration building. Would have been a tragedy.

Story from last year about it: https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-new...des, this train sat,get it back running again.

 

[vavavroom]

I wish i had known sbout this. Roseville isn't very far.

 

[4WD]

There were many old beasts long before multi diesel electrics took over

https://largest.org/technology/steam-locomotives/

 

[UncleDave]

I wish i had known sbout this. Roseville isn't very far.

In retrospect I should have shouted out to bitog and used it as an opportunity to meet some peeps.

 

[opus1]

Have to give UP credit for maintaining a steam program, and actually letting this beast out in this litigious/Wall Street controlled corporate age we live in.

Norfolk Southern used to have a nice program with 611 and 1218. Living in Northwest Indiana at the time, I was able to at least see the trips go by if I wasn't on them (Chicago-Ft. Wayne and back), and I took several overnight round-trips from Lexington, KY, to Chattanooga, TN, which were run by the Bluegrass Railroad Museum. It was a sad day when NS pulled the plug.

 

[y_p_w]

The smoke and soot could be pretty dangerous when going through tunnels or snow sheds. Baldwin made about 20 cab forward locos for Southern Pacific that pulled loads over the Sierra Nevada. The last one is on static display at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento. Taken the kiddo to see it many times. Not sure about the weight. Might be that heavy with a fully loaded tender.

 

[53' Stude]

Can you imagine how much coal and water it used during WWII hauling ore up Sherman Hill and other steep grades? Mind blowing to say least. No wonder it had a high speed auto coal stoker installed.

Yes; I know it’s tan on fuel oil now also before someone corrects me.

 

[walterjay]

As tight as California is on emissions I am surprised they let it into the state.

 

[y_p_w]

Can you imagine how much coal and water it used during WWII hauling ore up Sherman Hill and other steep grades? Mind blowing to say least. No wonder it had a high speed auto coal stoker installed.

Yes; I know it’s tan on fuel oil now also before someone corrects me.

Yeah - converted to burning oil. I tried doing an inline link, but the video just doesn't come up. Had to use a trick just to get the link to show, because otherwise it saw it as a Facebook video.

www.facebook.com/unionpacific/videos/converting-big-boy-no-4014-to-oil/238424964522741/

As far as coal goes, there used to be a series of coaling stations in the Central Valley of California where they would load coal and water for steam locomotives. Coaling Station A, Coaling Station B, etc. One eventually became the city of Coalinga.

 

[Pew]

It must be such an honor to be able to be the guy that operates on that. I saw a drone video yesterday of Big Boy going through the Colorado mountains on the way to you. It was some 2-300 ft away and the sound was amazing!

 

[UncleDave]

10 years ago... if it was a UP steamer would have been either the 3985 Challenger 4-6-6-4 or the 884 a higher speed 4-8-4 configuration. Both are incredibly impressive in their own right. The 884 with it's 80" drivers is incredible to see in real life as well.

The 4014 has only been restored since 2019

Look at this old gal roll! The suspensions getting a real workout , it gets a little bouncy hitting crossings at 75 MPH.

These guys must have needed plastic surgery to get the smiles off their faces.

Can you imagine going 70 down the freeway and see this gal charging past you?

It says 844 on the side, but I don't see why it isn't a 484 ?

 

[Tman220]

Look at this old gal roll! The suspensions getting a real workout , it gets a little bouncy hitting crossings at 75 MPH.

These guys must have needed plastic surgery to get the smiles off their faces.

Can you imagine going 70 down the freeway and see this gal charging past you?

It says 844 on the side, but I don't see why it isn't a 484 ?

Oops, I goofed. The UP designation is 844. The wheel configuration is 4-8-4

 

[97prizm]

Union Pacific's 4014 4-8-8-4 the mighty " Big Boy"

We chased it around for a day or so and had great fun.

What a beast. I can only imagine this thing hitting 103 on the open prairie.

It was 107 in Oroville that day, but we snuck down to get a shot of it over the bridge and when it pulled into the station.

With a plaque on the side stating it was made by THE AMERICAN LOCOMOTIVE COMPANY, and flags in front it couldn't be any more patriotic.

The sound - glorious is the only word I can use. Even sitting still it was like a thoroughbred making fluttering noise like a living creature.

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From a video that I saw a while back wasn't there one more steam locomotive that was bigger? It amazes me that the wheels can actually turn with all of that weight on them. They hosed Colorado this year, I don't think they're stopping.

 

[UncleDave]

From a video that I saw a while back wasn't there one more steam locomotive that was bigger? It amazes me that the wheels can actually turn with all of that weight on them. They hosed Colorado this year, I don't think they're stopping.

There were bigger engines than the big boy, but I dont think anything that was bigger is in operation today.
The train super geeks would know, Im just a casual train geek.

Given they built all this with slide rules and paper drawings it's pretty amazing.

I wonder what the bob weight is on reciprocating parts and how tightly /closely balanced everything is.

 

[PF52]

Oops, I goofed. The UP designation is 844. The wheel configuration is 4-8-4

Yep, 844 is just its number. Fun fact: back in the 60s, they bought a bunch of new diesels and one of the ones in the series was going to carry the same number, 844. Not wanting to create duplicate numbers, they re-numbered the steam engine "8444" instead. Eventually (in the 80s?), the diesels became old and were retired and the "8444" reverted back to its original number of 844.