UP Big Boy 2021 Tour
Jun 14, 2021 15:34:02 #
larryepage
Loc: North Texas area
I just received an email from the Union Pacific Steam Club announcing the 2021 tour of Locomotive 4014. Looks like it will be leaving Cheyenne on Thursday, August 5, making a big figure eight route, and returning to Cheyenne on Tuesday, September 7th after a Labor Day stop in Denver. This will be a tour of the eastern part of the system, not going farther west than Cheyenne and Denver and no farther east than St Louis. Fort Worth will be on August 14th. Intermediate overnights are still being worked out.
Jun 14, 2021 20:44:30 #
Jun 14, 2021 21:40:47 #
It will come within 50 miles of where I live. I hope it stops overnight somewhere in Oklahoma. I would like to see it. I missed 844 when it came through a couple of years ago.
Wow, this thing is a monster! 1.25 million pounds!
Wow, this thing is a monster! 1.25 million pounds!
Jun 15, 2021 12:09:07 #
Can't wait. I plan to see the BB east of Cheyenne and Denver. I saw it 3 times in 2019.
Jun 15, 2021 17:28:06 #
don1047 wrote:
Can't wait. I plan to see the BB east of Cheyenne and Denver. I saw it 3 times in 2019.
Lucky dog, you live close enough to go see it just about any time it’s available. Just how impressive is the Big Boy?
Jun 15, 2021 17:51:31 #
larryepage
Loc: North Texas area
ejones0310 wrote:
Lucky dog, you live close enough to go see it just about any time it’s available. Just how impressive is the Big Boy?
I saw this same locomotive years ago at the Pomona Fairgrounds where it was on display for many years before being restored to operation. It is impressive sitting still. It is overpowering in operation with proper paint. Infortunately, it really doesn't get to work very hard pulling the touring equipment.
Jun 16, 2021 08:37:39 #
larryepage wrote:
I just received an email from the Union Pacific St... (show quote)
Thanks for posting Larry!
Jun 16, 2021 08:38:09 #
Jun 16, 2021 21:56:42 #
Hamltnblue
Loc: Springfield PA
Also, the big boy at steamtown in Scranton pa just got a new paintjob. It’s on the list to visit.
Jun 18, 2021 10:53:37 #
2buckskin
Loc: Wyoming
ejones0310 wrote:
Lucky dog, you live close enough to go see it just about any time it’s available. Just how impressive is the Big Boy?
It is really impressive, I worked for UPRR here in Cheyenne and was there when they brought it in for the massive rebuild project to make it road worthy.
I was able to watch it being rebuilt in the steam shop, the size of this monster is hard to describe until you stand next to it.
Jun 18, 2021 11:01:11 #
larryepage
Loc: North Texas area
2buckskin wrote:
It is really impressive, I worked for UPRR here in Cheyenne and was there when they brought it in for the massive rebuild project to make it road worthy.
I was able to watch it being rebuilt in the steam shop, the size of this monster is hard to describe until you stand next to it.
I was able to watch it being rebuilt in the steam shop, the size of this monster is hard to describe until you stand next to it.
Good morning Buckskin. Do you know if they returned all of the appliances that were supposedly "stolen" from the Big Boy in the park in Cheyenne to make the 3985 oerational after retiring it? I know that there seemed to be a lot of hard feelings about that locomotive, which may have affected the amount of care and maintenance it received while operating. It's not my intent to start a contentious discussion here...just trying to get a feel for how things might be different with the 4014. 3985 served for a long time, though, and 844(4) has never been officially retired.
Jun 18, 2021 21:49:50 #
2buckskin
Loc: Wyoming
larryepage wrote:
Good morning Buckskin. Do you know if they return... (show quote)
I had never heard of that "story" before, and I knew several of the steam operations people but that subject never came up. So it may be true or maybe just a rumor, I can't say one way or the other.
As a side note, I did ride in the cab of the 3985 from Cheyenne to Denver on the Cheyenne Frontier Days annual trip.
I had done a lot of surveys for the steam operations ahead of their excursions to determine if they could negotiate the curvatures in the wye tracks around the system. So I was invited to make this trip, and it was awesome, just wish I had been into photography at that time.
Jul 7, 2021 20:00:40 #
larryepage
Loc: North Texas area
I received a second email from UP today with more details about the routes and planned times at various places along the way. Here's the link to the detailed schedule:
https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm
You will note that I've decided to be inactive on the two forums that I'm a member of and concentrate on in-person mentoring and teaching of new and younger photographers. I did want to pass this information along to this subgroup, however, in the hopes that it might be helpful.
https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm
You will note that I've decided to be inactive on the two forums that I'm a member of and concentrate on in-person mentoring and teaching of new and younger photographers. I did want to pass this information along to this subgroup, however, in the hopes that it might be helpful.
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