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Started By
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re: Railfans of the OT... Union Pacific bringing steam locomotive "Big Boy" 4014 to Louisiana
Posted on 8/10/21 at 8:30 pm to FAP SAM
Posted on 8/10/21 at 8:30 pm to FAP SAM
quote:
I'm completely ignorant to trains, can you explain why I should walk a block to go see this thing
It's the largest steam locomotive ever built. It's basically two steam locomotives in one, a "mallet" design. It's 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement indicates that. It has 2 sets of training wheels in front, two sets of 4 drivers and 2 sets of trailing wheels. It's so big, it's articulated, meaning it can bend in the middle to go around curves. A total of 25 were ever built, 8 still survive and the 4014 is the only one that is operational. Union pacific rebuilt it from the ground up, spending over $5 million on the restoration.
It was designed to pull 100 car trains across the high plains and mountain passes of the American west at 70+ mph. Originally slated to be called the Wasatch class, for the Utah mountains east of Salt Lake one of the workers building them wrote "Big Boy" on the front of the boiler and the name stuck. During WWII when German spies reported "super trains" that could pull freight over the rocky mountains at 80 mph, the Germans back in the motherland thought it impossible.
When we saw it, I thought some that big shouldn't be able to move that fast on steam alone.
LINK
This post was edited on 8/10/21 at 8:47 pm
3
Posted on 8/10/21 at 8:45 pm to rt3
Posted on 8/10/21 at 8:52 pm to Hold That Tiger 10
quote:
Covid spike incoming
Covid golden spike.
Posted on 8/10/21 at 8:53 pm to rt3
Thanks for the heads up. I’m going to check out the arrival at Audubon Park. Assume that would be the best time to view it as it will be in action.
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:02 pm to rt3
Following
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:05 pm to Hold That Tiger 10
quote:
final destination of New Orleans for the weekend
Covid spike incoming.
I hope no one shoots it
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:20 pm to crazyLSUstudent
quote:
I've seen it twice and it blew my mind how big it was.
Your mom said the same thing
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:25 pm to Lonnie Utah
quote:
During WWII when German spies reported "super trains" that could pull freight over the rocky mountains at 80 mph, the Germans back in the motherland thought it impossible.
And they were correct.
Big Boys never pulled freight up mountain grades at 80MPH. Or across the plains for that matter.
More like 15-20mph upgrade.
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:28 pm to FAP SAM
quote:
I'm completely ignorant to trains, can you explain why I should walk a block to go see this thing
Because city employees aren't doing anything anyways
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:30 pm to Lonnie Utah
Didn’t I see somewhere that it was about 15-20 years after they retired it before there was diesel-electric that could put out the same amount of power as “Big Boy”?
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:32 pm to X123F45
Thanks for the heads up. Going to catch it Friday in Durant Ok...
Question: should I see it arrives at the station? Or three miles down the tracks as it comes barreling by?
Question: should I see it arrives at the station? Or three miles down the tracks as it comes barreling by?
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:33 pm to BuckyCheese
quote:
bug Boys never pulled freight up mountain grades at 80MPH. Or across the plains for that matter.
I should have been more clear. When I said "over the rockies" I meant the high plateaus of wyoming after Sherman hill and Echo Canyon, Utah.
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:34 pm to rt3
I’ll try to catch when it stops in natchitoches. Would be a great way to step away from work for awhile
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:36 pm to ReauxlTide222
quote:
It had traveled 1,031,205 miles (1,659,564 km) during its twenty years of revenue service
Knowing nothing about trains, a million miles in 20 years seems really low, especially operating in the 40’s & 50’s. Anyone have some knowledge?
Edit: I guess It just operated pulling trains over the Utah mountain range?
This post was edited on 8/10/21 at 9:39 pm
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:39 pm to Ed Osteen
I'm sure in those days keeping the thing running was probably a gigantic logistical pain in the arse. You're right, a million miles does not seem impressive at all for a locomotive.
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:39 pm to rt3
If you see an old guy there that reminds you of Hank Hill, it's my dad. Say hi ha.
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:45 pm to jamboybarry
quote:
The OG coal Roller
not a coal burner anymore
during the restoration to bring it back to life... it was converted from coal to oil-burning
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:46 pm to Ed Osteen
quote:
Knowing nothing about trains, a million miles in 20 years seems really low, especially operating in the 40’s & 50’s. Anyone have some knowledge?
The last Big Boy operated in 1959. Some were kept serviceable for a few years after that but never used, so it didn't actually run for 20 years. They were also stored a good bit in the 50's and used only during traffic upswings caused by harvests and such.
Also, steam locomotives require much more maintenance and more frequent heavy repairs than diesels. Combine those with the fact they only ran on a small portion of the railroad and the mileage makes more sense.
Todays diesels will easily go 20k miles per month, if not more, in comparison.
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:46 pm to rt3
When I was living in Cheyenne, Wyoming between 1972-1976, there was a "Big Boy" locomotive sitting in a city park downtown. I don't remember the number. It was the biggest locomotive I'd ever seen. I lived 200 yards North of the Union Pacific tracks and saw 100 car coal trains going East every day.
Posted on 8/10/21 at 9:49 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
quote:
I'm sure in those days keeping the thing running was probably a gigantic logistical pain in the arse.
They were and it's an even bigger pain in the arse today as there is only one shop on UP set up to actually work on steam. It's in Cheyenne Wyoming.
They converted it to oil because it's much easier to fuel it. No coaling towers around anymore. And it's less likely to start grass fires.
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