There is an excellent article in the Spring 2019 Classic Trains about Big Boys working south of Ogden to Milford, UT on the Los Angeles & Salt Lake for 9 months in 1943.
Two items of note:
They apparently could roll 5,600-ton trains at speeds of 60–65 mph, and they gave such a good accounting of themselves that UP worked up preliminary plans for oil-fired Big Boy Class 4884-3 with a 33,000 gallon water tender on a 4-10-2 wheel arrangment.
However, with the A-bomb truncating the war, the order was never placed.
I rode on an excursion train pulled by the UP 844 from Denver to Sterling, Colorado many years ago. I also had an opportunity to ride on a train pulled by the UP 3985.
Does anyone know the net cost of the UP Steam Program, i.e. revenues minus expenses including interest and depreciation? I suspect the revenues don't cover all the costs.
Jim Wrinn was quoted in USA Today as estimating the cost to restore the 4014 at roughly $4 million.
If I remember correctly, Stephen Lee was the engineer on the 844 trip. Is he still around?
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