150 year celebration of the Transcontinental Railroad.

[Lisa89125]

It's been 150 years since the Central Pacific RR and the Union Pacific RR completed the Transcontinental Railroad. For the celebration the Union Pacific is going to be running their Big boy 4014 which has been under restoration for the last 5 years. It's been more than 50 years since one of these massive giants has run the rails.

This is the official Union Pacific steam excursion dates for the famous UP steam locomotives 844 and Big Boy 4014. https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm

Official UP 4014 page. https://www.up.com/media/releases/190314-big-boy-schedule.htm

Sadly I won't be able to be there in person. The next best thing is to tune in on May 4th at 2:30 PM Eastern Time to Virtual Railfan's live streaming webcam at the Laramie Wyoming Depot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOAkrKVqLrc&feature=youtu.be I'd recommend tuning in earlier in case the steam train is ahead of schedule.

I know some of my sisters out there are steam train buffs so I thought I would pass along this information for anyone who might be able to catch the action in person.

Big boy's are legendary for their massive size and brute power. This is history in the making!

Union Pacific is a class act. They are also very supportive of their trans employees. Some of my mtf friends work for the UPRR. They are very committed to inclusion and diversity in the work place.

Lisa

[AnneK]

I haven't seen the Big Boy, but several years ago, I saw the 2nd largest locomotive after it.  It was on an excursion to Buffalo N.Y.  It was originally used to move coal in Virginia, IIRC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norfolk_and_Western_2156

BTW, I also have a lot of railroad experience in my career.

[Lisa89125]

Hi AnneK, Hmm N&W 2156 has not been operational since N&W donated it to the museum in 1959. it was moved recently to Roanoke Virginia to be on display next to the N&W 1218 and N&W J 611. She will be returning to St. Louis soon I've been told. I'd say the engine your describing is N&W 1218. 1218 has not operated since 1987. It was in the midst of having heavy overhaul when NS cancelled it's excursion program in 1994.

Other engines I'm thinking might have been seen include N&W J 611 or Nickel Plate Road 765 which have been to Buffalo several times.

I've seen the following

UP Big Boy 4012-Twice

CPR 2816

Milwaukee Road 261

I've heard C&O 614 but missed seeing it.

Lisa

[ChrissyRyan]

Hi AnneK, Hmm N&W 2156 has not been operational since N&W donated it to the museum in 1959. it was moved recently to Roanoke Virginia to be on display next to the N&W 1218 and N&W J 611. She will be returning to St. Louis soon I've been told. I'd say the engine your describing is N&W 1218. 1218 has not operated since 1987. It was in the midst of having heavy overhaul when NS cancelled it's excursion program in 1994.

Other engines I'm thinking might have been seen include N&W J 611 or Nickel Plate Road 765 which have been to Buffalo several times.

I've seen the following

UP Big Boy 4012-Twice

CPR 2816

Milwaukee Road 261

I've heard C&O 614 but missed seeing it.

Lisa

Lisa,

You sure know a lot about trains and are a big fan of them.  That is great.
I do like riding in them.  I took a tourist train in Southern Kentucky once, it was in the Big South Fork National Park area.  That was very close to Tennessee.

Chrissy

[AnneK]

Hi AnneK, Hmm N&W 2156 has not been operational since N&W donated it to the museum in 1959.

I don't recall the locomotive number, but it was definitely the big N&W.  2156 is just the one that came up in the search.

Also, there have been examples where locomotives have been restored from museum duty to enter excursion service.  There is one based in Toronto, which was undergoing just that, when the project ran out of money.

Here's it's story.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_National_6213

[AnneK]

You sure know a lot about trains and are a big fan of them.

Me too.  I used to work for CN and often rode freights in my work.  I worked on the communications side of the business though.  These days my work involves managing projects for the major Canadian railways and also light rail transit, again on the communications systems side.

[Lisa89125]

Anne, N&W 2156 would be great engine to see running because it's the last of the huge N&W Y6 class 2-8-8-2 coal haulers. The problem though is she would only have a top speed of about 45 mph if converted from compound to single expansion and because of the different sized cylinders on the front would pound the heck out of the track because of the balancing issues. The biggest problem though is N&W 2156 was retired in 1959 when a crack in the frame was discovered. To restore that particular engine would be quite a undertaking assuming a "Fix" or complete replacement could be made for the cracked section of the frame. The issues don't stop her from being towed with a diesel though. She was moved by Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern to get her to Roanoke from St Louis.

I'd say the loco you are thinking of would be the N&W A class 2-6-6-4 1218.

Lisa

[AnneK]

I'd say the loco you are thinking of would be the N&W A class 2-6-6-4 1218.

Could be.  It was around 30 years ago that I saw it in Buffalo.  Regardless it was the biggest locomotive I recall ever seeing.

[Lisa89125]

Lisa,

You sure know a lot about trains and are a big fan of them.  That is great.
I do like riding in them.  I took a tourist train in Southern Kentucky once, it was in the Big South Fork National Park area.  That was very close to Tennessee.

Chrissy

Chrissy, I buried myself in the railroad world to try and hide my true self from the world for so long. All the while dying inside. I have so many regrets and am depressed these days. There was so much I wanted to do or take part in as a kid. I always wanted to be a ballet dancer and later cheerleader. I also wanted to do some theater type acting. Sigh! Not having ever achieved my dream of being a dancer haunts me every day.

I told my mom when I came out that if it was not for my dedication to my friends in the railroad world I would have long ago ended my existence. I guess the railroad gave me a reason to stick around even with the worst times in my life. It was pretty hard to fight back the urge to just end it all.

Lisa

[Lisa89125]

He lives!

Moving under it's own power for the first time in over 50 years. 



Oh how I wish I could be in Ogden UT this weekend. 

Lisa

[Lisa89125]

New link for the live webcam out of Laramie Wy. Seems storm damage messed up the other feed.



I'm going to be glued to the computer Saturday. All else be darned!

Lisa

[AnneK]

Restored steam locomotive rolls to anniversary event

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - It's longer than two city buses, weighs more than a Boeing 747 fully loaded with passengers and can pull 16 Statues of Liberty over a mountain.

The Big Boy No. 4014 steam locomotive rolled out of a Union Pacific restoration shop in Cheyenne over the weekend for a big debut after five years of restoration. It then headed toward Utah as part of a yearlong tour to commemorate the Transcontinental Railroad's 150th anniversary.

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/us/2019/05/07/restored-steam-locomotive-rolls-to-anniversary-event.html

[AnneK]

Here's some more info on the Big Boy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_Big_Boy

[Lisa89125]

I watched the live stream from Laramie for the entirety of the steam locomotives presence in Laramie. Very cool! I had seen the Big Boy 4012 in Pa as a youngster twice and always dreamed of restoring one of them. Me and Dad broke the park rules and climbed up in her cab.  The park service just about had a fit when we got caught in Big Boy's cab.

Probably one of the best sites with Big Boy info is run by Wes Barris. http://www.steamlocomotive.com/locobase.php?country=USA&wheel=4-8-8-4&railroad=up

It was rumored for years that #4023 would be chosen. Having been overhauled in 1956 and then stored inside the roundhouse in Cheyenne until 1971/74 time frame. She was in the best condition and is the youngest of the survivors with the fewest miles on her wheels. Sadly, The UPRR decided to build a monument to their former CEO Mr Kennefick which saw the 4023 and the first DDA40X diesel 6900 hauled up a hillside and parked overlooking the interstate coming in Nebraska. 4023 had been homeless just a short time earlier after the redevelopment plans saw the two giants removed from the project completely. If she was still being shunted from siding to siding they would have shunted her into the steam shop for overhaul instead of 4014 which I would have preferred. I'm a fan of 4023 so I am biased.

Lisa