Union Pacific UP Big Boy 4014 Steam

Vakharn wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2019 9:44 pm Full video of Rock Springs to Evanston starting before dawn:

I'm going to have to head over to the hospital to get my jaw pieced back together after having it drop to the floor one too many times.

Incredible footage (and nice bokeh on whatever lens you're using as well)!

spRocket wrote: ↑Fri Jun 07, 2019 10:24 am I'm going to have to head over to the hospital to get my jaw pieced back together after having it drop to the floor one too many times.

Incredible footage (and nice bokeh on whatever lens you're using as well)!

Thank you. The lens I used for the night shots is a Voightlander Nokton 17.5mm f0.95. One of the best low light lenses for micro 4/3.

Hi All!

I have a question about the Big Boy in Cedar Rapids. I know it's not a public event, so I'm not looking for "special access," but I have a friend plus two youngsters that would like to see the train either arrive or depart. Does anyone have good locations in Cedar Rapids they could recommend (that don't involve trespassing, of course)?

Thanks in advance,

Phil

Here's a "playlist" of news reports from KCRG-TV Cedar Rapids:

https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Union ... 20951.html

In October and November, the Union Pacific will send Big Boy 4014 on a major tour of the historic Harriman Lines

The route includes...

Cheyenne to Los Angeles (especially Pomona) on the Overland Route and the Los Angeles and Salt Lake. This is the route of many pre Amtrak passenger trains between LA and Chicago.

Los Angeles to Houston on the Southern Pacific Sunset Route. 4014 will spend 23-31 October in the El Paso yards.

Houston to Kansas City by way of Little Rock. This is probably the old Cotton Belt (SSW) SP subsidiary, but it can also be MoPac or MKT.

Finally, Kansas City to Denver on the UP Kansas Pacific Line, the route of the City of Saint Louis.

Here is the link to the Union Pacific “Great Race Across the Southwest” page.

Finally, here’s a 1/USA map of the trip

I am pretty sure not long ago the UP business train made it’s way across the country and was on the CSX River Line. Might the #4014 ever travel across the country and traverse the csx river line also? I am not far from the river line and would love to see the big boy in person.

I think it should come to Steamtown.

Don't think the Big Boy will leave UP rails or UP trackage rights rails, due to it's weight and lengh.
it could turn rails sideways on CSX,go on the ground on PAR trackage,would drive the Amtrak track dept crazy on the NEC!
Not sure if NS would allow it on their trackage.
The Big Boy should stay in the west.

Unlikely. There are a lot of support logistics required when the steam team hits the road, i.e. water and fuel not to mention trackside security and crowd control...

The trip thru the midwest did see 4014 traveling on the BNSF between MSP and DLH, but UP has trackage rights on that line, and UP had facilities and resources to tap into at either end. That wouldn't be the case trying to run east.

Gonna be chasing from LV to Tuscan

I could be wrong but given the size of it and current appetite for trips like that - it's a once-in-a-lifetime affair if it does. I don't plan on ever seeing 4449 east of the Miss again in my life, that Owosso trip was ten years ago and a big deal.

Let's put it this way, you have a better chance of seeing 1218 up and running again.

4014 left Cheyenne this morning on the tour.

Trains Magazine and the Union Pacific Historical Society (Jim Wrinn, the Editor, and Cate Kratville-Wrinn) are doing video updates from various places on the line. You can find these on Facebook.

Please please please!

Observe some safety and good housekeeping when viewing 4014. Earlier this week I stopped by Indio (Palm Springs) to see her. People were walking all over the track, in the gauge, on top of railheads, wearing flipflops and high heals, arguing with UP police, etc...

It's a really good idea to stay off the ballast, wear close-toed shoes (boots even), and politely acknowledge UP police requests. This is their house, not ours. We are not ticketed passengers and this isn't an Amtrak platform.

Thanks for you consideration of this, it helps keep big steam running for the next generation.

Union pacific corporation sends the executive train to the Super Bowl, the NBA finals, the World Series, and the political conventions. It’s called “we have our own hospitality suite, and it’s darn unique. “

I don’t think 4014 will do winter time Super Bowl gigs, there’s work to be done on other equipment, plus the steam crew has direct responsibility for operating one of the rotary snowplows of the company. I do think it might be seen at one or both of the political conventions.

In early 60's, Steamtown towed their Big boy on the B&M Cheshire Branch which had 100 and 80 lb rail and when they towed her in early 80's from Vermont to Pennsylvania to their new location there were no complications that I know of; though actually running one of the beasts vs towing could have increased capacity to damage rails?