re: Railfans of the OT... Union Pacific bringing steam locomotive "Big Boy" 4014 to Louisiana

Very cool description and video. Hopefully I can catch it coming through the area

Don't know jack about locomotives, but that thing looks like a Hoss.

There are a pile of people in grosse tete waiting to see this thing

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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.

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It's astonishing how much manpower the steamers required back in the day compared to modern day diesels. You had both an engineer and fireman, shopmen every 150-200 miles, watermen and coalmen, and various yard maintenance folks. The driving wheels and valve gear needed to be lubricated after every segment and the firebox cleaned after a day's run.

Nowadays a modern diesel electric locomotive can go from coast to coast with only crew changes and a couple of refuels (correct me if I'm wrong).

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Steam locomotives are amazing machines. They are massive. They are beautiful in a way you can understand— meaning you can see how they work. Everything is purely mechanical so it makes sense - no electronics.

And they seem alive. A steam locomotive huffs and puffs rhythmically- as if it were breathing.

Absolutely go see it close up while it’s under steam. You won’t forget it.

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This. They are marvels of 20th century engineering. Especially the giant articulated ones, and the beautiful 4-8-4's that used to haul arse with passenger trains.

Take a listen to O Winston Link's sound recordings of N&W steam from back in the 50's, when steamers were gradually being phased out. They will give you chills.

O. Winston Link Thunder on the Blue Ridge

Will be in Plaquemine today!

So is this Big Boy going to go along the track near the Levee into Audubon Park tonight? Says it arrives at 715PM so I assume that’s the route it’s taking in and you can see it anywhere along the levee on River Road.

UP.com - live tracking of Big Boy

It came through Houston this week. Pretty cool.

I love those big old locomotives. Part of me wishes we still had steam trains around.