Never thought i would ever see a big boy restored to operational condition.
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Union Pacific 4014 Big Boy locomotive back on the hi iron.
- Thread starter jakewells
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Wow! very cool. I'll have to look for videos of the locomotive.
That must stress the tracks. Amazing there aren't more derailments. Here is the only Big Boy involved in a derailment:
Nice!
Yes, my best friend has been drooling over this for a while. He will be chasing it on its trip to and from the celebration of the driving of the Golden spike.
He's so much of a geek that he makes and sells really nice quality number plates for the 4000 series locos, the challenger series and the 800 locos.
When I get back to the shop, I'll post up a pic of one.
Edit: here is the number plate - they're actually better looking in person
He's so much of a geek that he makes and sells really nice quality number plates for the 4000 series locos, the challenger series and the 800 locos.
When I get back to the shop, I'll post up a pic of one.
Edit: here is the number plate - they're actually better looking in person
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Five years since UP towed 4014 from a theme park in California and big $$$ invested in restoring the big engine. I wish it could be in Cheyenne this weekend to watch the departure for Ogden, but I will have to wait until 4014 comes east on the transcontinental. Our city was once tracks end during the construction of the line west."Great Big Rollin' Railroad."
My grandpa was a fireman on one of the "big boys"
He told me it also had a variable speed coal sticker to help the fireman. The restored one probably uses fuel oil for fuel
He told me it also had a variable speed coal sticker to help the fireman. The restored one probably uses fuel oil for fuel
Originally Posted by The_Eric
Yes, it uses oil now.
I knew that
Yes, it uses oil now.
I knew that
Originally Posted by 53' Stude
Originally Posted by The_Eric
Yes, it uses oil now.
I knew that
I'd have to ask for the particulars but evidently they're using the same set up they used back in the 40s or 50s when there was some sort of issue with coal. Back then they had lots of problems getting it to fire evenly and after the coal situation sorted itself out they went back. I'm not sure what has changed to allow the use of oil again... Maybe improved technology or some sort of design change? Probably not an issue since they won't really be working the old girl.
Originally Posted by The_Eric
Yes, it uses oil now.
I knew that
I'd have to ask for the particulars but evidently they're using the same set up they used back in the 40s or 50s when there was some sort of issue with coal. Back then they had lots of problems getting it to fire evenly and after the coal situation sorted itself out they went back. I'm not sure what has changed to allow the use of oil again... Maybe improved technology or some sort of design change? Probably not an issue since they won't really be working the old girl.
Yeah, pretty big steam locomotive. No idea on why they couldn't fire it with coal successfully. Maybe another engineering disaster. Should probably used oil to begin with
No, they could fire it on coal fine - it was oil that they had problems with.
I asked my friend why they tried oil back then and he said they were looking for a way to reduce grass fires. It was then that they found using oil was difficult for some reason.
I asked my friend why they tried oil back then and he said they were looking for a way to reduce grass fires. It was then that they found using oil was difficult for some reason.
Originally Posted by The_Eric
No, they could fire it on coal fine - it was oil that they had problems with.
I asked my friend why they tried oil back then and he said they were looking for a way to reduce grass fires. It was then that they found using oil was difficult for some reason.
20 ft long firebox is hard to fire with oil they complained of uneven heating which was solved with this conversion.
No, they could fire it on coal fine - it was oil that they had problems with.
I asked my friend why they tried oil back then and he said they were looking for a way to reduce grass fires. It was then that they found using oil was difficult for some reason.
20 ft long firebox is hard to fire with oil they complained of uneven heating which was solved with this conversion.
Coal sits on a bed on the grate, and controlls airflow.
You know where to throw the next shovel as there's a "white" spot where the air is getting through to easy which you throw the coal over.
Converting a coal bed to oil means that the airflow is very uncontrolled and uneven.
You know where to throw the next shovel as there's a "white" spot where the air is getting through to easy which you throw the coal over.
Converting a coal bed to oil means that the airflow is very uncontrolled and uneven.
None of the UPRR heritage locomotives burn coal and haven't for many years.
Give a lot of credit to UP for maintaining their heritage program. Does not make much sense from a beancounters' perspective, sure they get some press and intangibles, but this program is surely costly. Good to see an organization valuing history and its own heritage like this.
I'm not a raving railfan, but there is something about a steam loco.
I'm not a raving railfan, but there is something about a steam loco.
Originally Posted by The_Eric
Yes, my best friend has been drooling over this for a while. He will be chasing it on its trip to and from the celebration of the driving of the Golden spike.
He's so much of a geek that he makes and sells really nice quality number plates for the 4000 series locos, the challenger series and the 800 locos.
When I get back to the shop, I'll post up a pic of one.
Edit: here is the number plate - they're actually better looking in person
Can you message me with your friends contact info? I want one.
Yes, my best friend has been drooling over this for a while. He will be chasing it on its trip to and from the celebration of the driving of the Golden spike.
He's so much of a geek that he makes and sells really nice quality number plates for the 4000 series locos, the challenger series and the 800 locos.
When I get back to the shop, I'll post up a pic of one.
Edit: here is the number plate - they're actually better looking in person
Can you message me with your friends contact info? I want one.
Got to see 4014 when it stopped in Columbus,Nebraska last Friday. Looks like it just arrived from ALCO. Most certainly much better with all the updates the UP steam crew made. I believe 4014 will stop in Columbus,Ne August 4th on way home to Cheyenne.
Some of my co-workers and I went out to our test track and watched it pass by our work yesterday. Pretty cool!
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