OMAHA, Neb. — The wait for Big Boy 4014’s first operating schedule got a little shorter or a little longer, depending on how soon you want to make travel plans. On Wednesday, the Union Pacific Steam Club, a new online offering by the rai...
http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2019/01/23-mid-february-for-ups-big-boy-4014-schedule-this-spring
Brian Schmidt, Editor, Classic Trains magazine
Crossing my fingers that it comes to Wisconsin or Minnesota...
Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
Some people are hoping it comes all the way east, like that UP Harriman train did last year.
Probably won't, but with a Big Boy it's strictly a question of clearances and support that'll determine where it will or won't go.
We can only hope.
Clearances a big one especially the overhanging front! Probably a high wide type problem for any clearance department. Weight limitations especially on bridges ? Anyone know the minimum switch number 4014 can go over and that might depend if the guage is widened thru the cross over?
I can't say right off hand what the minimum switch number that the Big Boy can traverse, but the trackwork for handling railroad (as opposed to streetcar or interurbans) at OERM in Perris had handling 4014 as a design criteria. Curvature was limited to 14 degrees. I would worry about the loading gauge for some eastern lines, though it was built by Alco.
Erik_MagI can't say right off hand what the minimum switch number that the Big Boy can traverse, but the trackwork for handling railroad (as opposed to streetcar or interurbans) at OERM in Perris had handling 4014 as a design criteria. Curvature was limited to 14 degrees. I would worry about the loading gauge for some eastern lines, though it was built by Alco.
Most Class 1 through line trackage has been constructed to the 286K loading abillity with some being constructed to the 315K loading ability. In the 1970's a lot of trackage may have had trouble supporting a Big Boy, in the 21st Century - not so much. I also suspect, with the carriers doing what was necessary on their properties to be able to handle 20 foot 2 inch double stacks, many of the clearance issues Eastern carriers have had in the past have been eliminated.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I got my latest issue of "Trains" yesterday, and a question similar to this is in the "Ask Trains" section.
I'll quote Steve Sweeney...
"A knowledgeable Big Boy expert with whom Trains has spoken confirms that No. 4014, and it's tender, can (slowly) take curves up to 20 degrees - making even locations in the eastern U.S. reachable for this giant steam machine."
So it is possible for 4014 to come east. "A consummation devoutly to be wished."
Wouldn't it be something if it made a trip to Schenectedy NY, the place of its birth? Even if the ALCO works isn't there anymore?
That would make sense.
The 68"-drivered wheelbase of each engine of the Big Boy would almost have to be shorter (unless there was more space between the wheels) than the wheelbase of 69"-drivered Berkshires, and 70"-drivered Erie Berkshires, along with higher-drivered Northerns of the Lackawanna, Lehigh Valley, Reading, Delaware & Hudson, Norfolk & Western, Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis, Central of Georgia and New York Central (among others), and Mountains of the Pennsylvania, Florida East Coast, and Seaboard Air Line (among others).
A Big Boy's frame and running gear may be articulated but the boiler is not.
How far will it stick out in curves?
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
Yes, that is for sure. We know the Challenger had a "scrape" on the Clinchfield when it went east.
UP knows its clearance parameters on its own road, one would presume, which is why the Big Boy will likely be staying on home rails and trackage rights rails. It would take an Eastern railroad a lot of time and effort to check clearances for a Big Boy trek east. Given their focus on PSR, for the immediate term at least it probably means the Big Boy will make it to several of the UP gateways but not any further east for the near future.
TRAINS has run a number of photos over the years that demonstrate the principle of articulation quite well. The boiler is pointing straight ahead while the lead engine is following the track and is well off to the side.
Concerning the Challenger's incident on the former Clinchfield, if I remember correctly one of the Forum posters (don't remember who) stated CSX people had left a coal car partially fouling the line where the Challenger was to pass. The UP team had done their homework and there were no clearance problems for the Challenger. The steam team was plenty PO'd about it but fortunatly the damage to 3985 was easily repaired.
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