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News Wire: Big Boy 4014 gets drivers; UP asks for PTC waivers for three steam locomotives

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Posted by Brian Schmidt on Thursday, December 13, 2018 10:48 AM

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Big Boy 4-8-8-4 No. 4014 is feeling like at least half of its old self today. Photos published on Facebook news groups showed Union Pacific steam shop crews on Tuesday lifting the smokebox and boiler with side sideboom tracto...

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/12/13-big-boy-4014-gets-drivers-up-asks-for-ptc-waivers-for-three-steam-locomotives

Brian Schmidt, Editor, Classic Trains magazine

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Posted by SD70Dude on Thursday, December 13, 2018 2:38 PM

Great news.  They're really making progress.

Can't wait for next year!

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by Firelock76 on Thursday, December 13, 2018 7:21 PM

And why shouldn't UP steamers get waivers from PTC?  Or anyone else's steamers for that matter?

Steam locomotives are already exempt from any EPA regulations concerning smoke emissions, so there's precedent there as far as Federal regs are concerned.

And there's probably very few of us here who don't think PTC is an example of panic legislation at its worst.

I've said it before, think twice before you say "They ought to do something about...."  whatever happens to annoy or scare you at the time.  One day "They" may come after something near and dear to your heart with the blind heavy hand of government regulation, and with the same level of understanding. 

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Posted by jeffhergert on Saturday, December 15, 2018 12:56 AM

They didn't ask for waivers so they wouldn't have to use cab signals.  The steam engines are equipped with both UP and CNW cab signal systems.

Jeff

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