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This is a big Deal, The Worlds largest Steam Locomotive is on the tracks

transmaster

transmaster

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The UP Steam Shop is located in Cheyenne Wyoming about mile from where I am typing this. The Big Boy’s 4884, 4014 5 year restoration is complete and on Wednesday the 2nd, for the first time in 60 years, a Big Boy was under steam power on the tracks. It’s steam whistle is unique the locomotive sings. Today it and and the other fully restored steam locomotive the 484, 844 Challenger will double head for Ogden, Utah for the ceremony commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike ceremony with the completion of the Transcontinental RR. The 2 largest most powerful operational steam locomotives in the world will be together on the tracks today.

Train Magazine will be live streaming the trip to Ogden live. The train is scheduled to depart Cheyenne at 0930 MDT.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/186822985473780/?ref=share
 
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Cool - thats 11:30 AM Saturday in the east
 
That is indeed a big thing, both in size and import to train heads everywhere. Hope the Big Boy makes it's way to Omaha sometime.
 
The 484 844 Challenger behind the 4014 is the last steam locomotive the UP purchased. The 484 class is essentially 1/2 of a 4884 Big Boy.
 
transmaster said:
The UP Steam Shop is located in Cheyenne Wyoming about mile from where I am typing this. The Big Boy’s 4884, 4014 5 year restoration is complete and on Wednesday the 2nd, for the first time in 60 years, a Big Boy was under steam power on the tracks. It’s steam whistle is unique the locomotive sings. Today it and and the other fully restored steam locomotive the 484, 844 Challenger will double head for Ogden, Utah for the ceremony commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike ceremony with the completion of the Transcontinental RR. The 2 largest most powerful operational steam locomotives in the world will be together on the tracks today.

Train Magazine will be live streaming the trip to Ogden live. The train is scheduled to depart Cheyenne at 0930 MDT.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/186822985473780/?ref=share
Click to expand...
https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/4014/
 
Was hoping to see a spectator run. I was temp crew on the Chessie Steam Special way back when. That was a heavy freight 4-8-4. We'd drop all the passengers off in a field, back the train up, then come blasting by with a full head of steam. Back up again, pick everybody up, and go merrily along.
 
The 844 isn't a Challenger, its a Northern. The Challenger is 3985. The Challenger and the Big Boy are the two largest operating, the 844 is the only continuously operating steamer for a major rail line. The 3985 is up for restoration work now that the 4014 is done.
 
The local press was stupid I should have known the Challenger is going to be rebuilt. They were calling the 844 the Challenge once I got an actual look at the Engine it was a smack my forehead moment.:oops: My only defense is I am not a steam Locomotive fanatic. Ask me about vintage portable AA5 radios and farm radios on the other hand..... :D

The UP had intended to use the 4664 3985 in this 150th Golden Spike Ceremony but a problem developed with it’s boiler. UP Engineers who operated these engines back in the 1950’s told me it was not being shut down properly. They said it was being shut down as if it was in regular service. But because of it’s infrequent use it should have been shut down in ready service storage. The difference is a more complete cleaning of the firebox, Boiler. and steam-lines. They also told me that in the 1940’s, and 1950’s a locomotive was rarely started with cold water they filled the engines with boiling hot water from track side boilers. These same boilers were used to blow out the boiler and such when the engine was put in storage. I have a nephew who is an engineer with B&N the word he has is they thought because engine was oil fired the storage requirements were not a stringent as with coal. The 4664 is the first of these large engines that was successfully converted to oil. They used a marine burner to do the job. The 4664, and 4884’s were designed to use the bituminous coal from Hanna, that was the conversion problem theIr fire boxes are huge. Wyoming which has a lower BTU density than eastern Anthracite coal. It is also more corrosive. They had intended to overhaul the 3985 but not until after the ceremony. This overhaul will be finished in 2022.
 
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I saw 4014 in Rock Springs, WY when I lived there back in the 80's. It was an impressive sight and I felt fortunate to witness the sound, feel and size of that beast.

We have the SP 4449, aka the Daylight, housed here in Portland. Built in 1941 at the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio; she's a GS-4 class 4-8-4 steam locomotive that was retired in 1957. It was donated to the City of Portland in 1958 and sat in static display at Oaks Amusement Park. After suffering the slings and arrows of being a jungle jim to the kids at the park for 16 years, she was restored and was used for nation-wide excursions celebrating America's Bi-Centennial.

Since then the locomotive has been actively used for excursions and resides at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in Portland.

Here's ol' 4449 in all her streamlined finery:

SP%204449_zpswqjwumss.jpg


As cool as SP4449 looks, UP4014 just looks bad-a$$ !

UP%204014_zpsnifc65od.jpg
 
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