Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 ready to run!!! - Page 3

pavulon · 04-24-2019, 09:08 AM

The GTELs were awesome machines!

GO DAWG GO · GO DAWG GO's Garage

AB>> Don't sugarcoat it....I have heard many say that only real men operated these especially down south where it was humid. Atleast Big Boys had an automatic coal auger/Archemedes screw. No coal on the flight deck! I would love to take a ride in the cab!

Jeff Higgins · 04-24-2019, 04:21 PM

Back when I was but a mere lad (probably 12-13 years old) my dad took a day off from work and hauled my two brothers and I out to the town of Snoqualmie, about 45 minutes east of Seattle up I-90. There they had a railway museum (which is still there today) and, even more importantly to three young train buffs, an operating steam locomotive. They ran it on weekends, giving rides out west of town to Snoqualmie Falls one way, then back the other way several miles east of town.

Well, my dad had helped a bit on the restoration of the locomotive. We all thought we were going out to look at it or, at most, ride in one of the passenger cars behind it. We never dreamed that we would actually wind up in the cab. Nor could we have ever guessed that we would actually get to operate the darn thing. But, much to our amazement and everlasting joy, the three of us took turns as the engineer. We each got to take it out to the falls, then back through town out to the east end of the line, then back to the station where we handed it over to (or took it over from) one another. Three full runs, the full length of their available line, taking turns taking it the whole way. They were apparently doing shakedown runs, making sure it was good to go for passengers. Our dad played it cool the whole way out there, never letting on what awaited us.

Do I have to tell you guys just how awesome that was? One of my very best memories of my dad, who passed away far too soon just a few short years after that (I was only 18). He was a bit of a railfan himself, obviously. No doubt where I got it.

Here is the locomotive as it sits today. It's a 2-6-6-2 compound Mallet that was operated by U.S. Plywood back in the day. It has just recently been re-restored, after having sat idle for a couple of decades. The museum could not afford to keep it going after my dad and the rest had gotten it going. I think they might have gotten about a decade of use out of it before they had to park it. I'm not sure if it is meant to run again this time, or if it is only going to be on static display. I'm keeping my eye on it...

GO DAWG GO · GO DAWG GO's Garage

Just painted it yesterday!

GO DAWG GO · GO DAWG GO's Garage

LEAKYSEALS951 · 04-26-2019, 01:00 PM

^sweet!

edgemar · 04-28-2019, 02:36 PM

Laneco · 04-28-2019, 04:08 PM

I'm am geeking out soooo bad on this... I've done work on UP sites including their head quarters, been to the museum in Omaha...

Now I've got to figure out how to get to Ogden UT - LOL! Man I would really love to see that beast!

angela

smadsen · 04-28-2019, 09:50 PM

I got in the cab of 4014 some 50 years ago at Pomona Fairgrounds. Back then they just parked it and you could climb around on it. I remember climbing in the firebox. It was bigger than my bedroom and lined with brick as I recall. The auger would deliver coal to a table visible at the firebox door and the fireman would direct a jet of steam to blow the coal to the far corners of the firebox. I don't think one man could shovel and toss fast enough to keep it going the old fashion way.

tcar · 08:19 AM

4005 is in the Forney Transportation Museum in North Denver, Colorado.... you can climb into the cab, walk around, touch it...

Great museum: has planes, trains, cars, carriages, etc.

GG Allin · GG Allin's Garage

Dumb question, what exactly does "back in service" mean?

Is this thing going to be out hauling freight, helping freight trains over hills and what have you?

sammyg2 · 04-29-2019, 10:50 AM

Back in the olden days, refineries used steam-powered reciprocating pumps to move liquids. there are still quite a few around, I made lots of money rebuilding and maintaining them back in the 80's, GOML.

Same principle and design as steam locomotives, just different scale.
getting them timed just right was tricky and most of them had rope-style packing. Flintstone stuff.

Jolly Amaranto · 04-29-2019, 11:53 AM

"Back in service" in this case means operating, able to move under its own power. It may eventually be used occasionally to pull some freight for demonstrations, but it will probably mostly be used for pulling passenger cars in excursion service. This one is "out of service" at Kenefick Park in Omaha.