Heard on local news last night thyat the big boy will be in Wisconsin in July. You can get schedule info at UP website.
On the way from West Chicago to Rochelle it will pass right by my sons place in Dekalb. Looking forward to seeing it.
My hunch is that there will be particular interest in catching the 4014 at or near the remaining concrete coaling towers at Clyman Jct in Wisconsin, and DeKalb and Nelson, IL. Just be safe.
Dave Nelson
Looks like #4014 isn't coming any further than Chicago - too bad. I'm not a UP fan but I would drive a reasonable distance to go see it in person, or watch it go by. However, I'm not going to drive 6-1/2 hrs to Chicago.
NKP Berkshire #765 is a regular visitor here to NE Ohio and that's only a 30 min. drive for me. I can live with that.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I’m a CP boy on the north side of the line, so my seeing 4014 in person is unlikely. But...
Soooo cool!! Wish i was there!
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
dknelson My hunch is that there will be particular interest in catching the 4014 at or near the remaining concrete coaling towers at Clyman Jct in Wisconsin, and DeKalb and Nelson, IL. Just be safe. Dave Nelson
As far as I am concerned there are a lot better places to take pictures than the coaling tower in Dekalb.
I am super excited about this! It is set to arrive in Butler, WI which is only about 20 minutes from where I live... however.... they are saying no public access. This blows my mind as it is supposed to arrive around 1 in the afternoon and stay there until departing the next day at 8 am. How can they keep such a treasure in one place for so long without letting us check it out?
That being said, there are plenty of opportunities for great photography and railfanning I'm sure.
I'm familiar with the UP railyard in Butler, but I was hoping that maybe someone out there in SE Wisconsin could let me in on some good Intel. Any good photo spots? Will the big boy be kept in the barn overnight? Will it be outside in the yard for some maintenance and tune ups? Where would be an optimal spot to try to get some good pictures and/or video?
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated as this is happening the day after my birthday and it would be a nice gift to give myself the opportunity to see it. Thanks in advance. Looking forward to hearing from you all. Cheers!
irishRRI'm familiar with the UP railyard in Butler, but I was hoping that maybe someone out there in SE Wisconsin could let me in on some good Intel. Any good photo spots?
I was just checking out the Butler yard, and it's approaches, on Google maps and satellite.
No public access is right, unless you can get one of the businesses that are along the tracks to let you in.
You could go check out N124th street in advance, and see if there are any opportunities from there.
Maybe on Friday, July 26, when it leaves Butler, headed to West Chicago, departing at 8:00 am, there is a Home Depot just North of Capital Drive, on N124th St., it looks like the parking lot is right along the tracks.
You'll just have to look around, and follow the tracks, and look for opportunities along the way.
Good luck,
Mike.
My You Tube
novicerr Heard on local news last night thyat the big boy will be in Wisconsin in July. You can get schedule info at UP website.
Deano
Deano, it's going to be in Duluth on July 20th, after it stops in St. Paul.
This is from the UP web site:
https://www.up.com/media/releases/190613-big-boy-4014-midwest.htm
Looks like it will be in St.Paul Union Depot twice, on July 19th on the way up to "The Depot" in Duluth, then again on July 22nd on it's way back from Duluth to Chicagoland.
And Deano, there are some excellent photo opportunities on the BNSF line to the twin ports - as I know from several trips chasing and photographing the Milwaukee Road 261. Bridges (rail and highway), S curves, clear broadsides. That line has lots of great spots. In fact Steve Glischinski authored a sort of "hot spot" guide for the 261 chases in 2005. The view from the road as the train crosses the Kettle River at Sandstone is excellent. At Holyoke there is another long bridge as the rails cross the Net River. Other bridge shots at Foxboro. Grassy Point Draw is another good spot and it is just out of Duluth.
For an important opportunity like this, time spent with Google satellite view, road maps, and railroad maps/atlas PLUS a bit of exploratory driving around a few days beforehand can pay big dividends. Just remember to have some chilled waters along. And based on experience: there are ticks in the thick weeds.
My hope is to see it along the Spine Line in either Northfield or Farmington. Depending on my schedule, I may head to my parents in Baldwin to see it. It'll stop three blocks from where I grew up. Lots of great opportunities along that route between the Twin Cities and Altoona for pictures. Of course, I may miss all of it.
irishRR I am super excited about this! It is set to arrive in Butler, WI which is only about 20 minutes from where I live... however.... they are saying no public access. This blows my mind as it is supposed to arrive around 1 in the afternoon and stay there until departing the next day at 8 am. How can they keep such a treasure in one place for so long without letting us check it out?
There might not be public access but there is a bridge, and it looks like the sidewalk is still there.
And Sommerfelds trains is there for all your model train needs.
http://www.sommerfelds.com/
tstageLooks like #4014 isn't coming any further than Chicago - too bad.
Ironically, it appears it it won't even reach Chicago. I'm going to try and drive out to West Chicago with the kids to see it though. It's only about 30-40 miles West of my place in the city of Chicago. The website suggests it will at least have an exhibit car and possibly some other herritage cars.
Looks like it will be parked just a few blocks from one of the places I grew up!
Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad for Chicago Trainspotting and Budget Model Railroading.
I think I'll be going to see it when it stops in Rochelle. I've seen two of them now and even stood in the cab of one of them, but it will be really amazing to see this one fully operational!
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I got to see the initial run on May 4 out of Cheyenne. By hopping on I-80 a little west of Cheyenne I was able to get to Laramie well ahead of it and see it arrive just east of town. Going west out of Laramie to Medicine Bow was a different story. Due to a longer than expected layover in Laramie, I was able to find a spot on a bridge about a mile west of the depot and watch it depart Laramie. The Lincoln Highway (US30) paralleled the track on that portion and for most of the way it was a two lane road. There was one short stretch of divided highway and I caught up to where could see the train about a half mile ahead of me but as soon as it went back to two lane, there was no chance of staying up with it. As the train passed each observation point, those folks wanted to hop on the highway and chase it to the next stop. I just read in Trains magazine that the caravan of cars giving chase was 12 miles long. I believe it. I could see cars as far ahead and behind as the eye could see. This was in sparsely populated Wyoming. I can only imagine what it will be like in the area around Chicago. I would advise anyone wanting to get a good look at it to find an observation point with a wide view of the tracks so you can see a good long run. Trying to chase it will be problematic.
Here is the full schedule of the trip starting on July 8 from Cheyenne to points east:
https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm