And how did a C&NW H-class 4-8-4 come to be called a "Zeppelin of the Rails"? It was a little bit heavier than air.
Flintlock76 It wasn't unusual for railroaders back in the steam days to call the BIG freight locomotives "Big Boys," in addition to "Hogs" or "Battleships."
It wasn't unusual for railroaders back in the steam days to call the BIG freight locomotives "Big Boys," in addition to "Hogs" or "Battleships."
In a scene in the 1930 railroad-themed movie "Danger Lights", Louis Wolheim's character refers to a Milwaukee Road 2-8-2 as "the big boy".
Jones1945 Oh, I wouldn't say one's any better than the other, they're both good! Just different, that's all. Flintlock76 Mr. Jones, the way I look at it is as long as there's steam freaks there's going to be these kinds of discussions. As long as it's all in fun there shouldn't be a problem. I will say there's some out there who take this stuff WAY too seriously! Exactly, Wayne. Some people just take it WAY too seriously and made conservation like an investigation. There was no perfect steam locomotive in my book. CSSHEGEWISCH And I will argue that a Chicago hot dog is infinitely better than a New York hot dog on any day. Same goes for Chicago pizza I will skip the arguing part and put them all into my mouth!
Flintlock76 Mr. Jones, the way I look at it is as long as there's steam freaks there's going to be these kinds of discussions. As long as it's all in fun there shouldn't be a problem. I will say there's some out there who take this stuff WAY too seriously!
Mr. Jones, the way I look at it is as long as there's steam freaks there's going to be these kinds of discussions. As long as it's all in fun there shouldn't be a problem.
I will say there's some out there who take this stuff WAY too seriously!
Exactly, Wayne. Some people just take it WAY too seriously and made conservation like an investigation. There was no perfect steam locomotive in my book.
CSSHEGEWISCH And I will argue that a Chicago hot dog is infinitely better than a New York hot dog on any day. Same goes for Chicago pizza
And I will argue that a Chicago hot dog is infinitely better than a New York hot dog on any day.
Same goes for Chicago pizza
I will skip the arguing part and put them all into my mouth!
Jones 3D Modeling Club https://www.youtube.com/Jones3DModelingClub
Speaking of the UP Big Boy, I once thought this is the engine type that can bring people together instead of endless arguing. I notice some younger UP fan and C&O H-8 "Allegheny" fan still arguing about which engine is bigger, heavier and more powerful on different platforms. Such argument or "discussion" encourages people to analysis things scientifically and based on fact but not feeling or imagination. But flogging the dead horse generation after generation, What's the good of it?
In the case of the UP Big Boy, an unknown shopman at ALCO chalked the name on the smokebox, and in this case it stuck to that particular class of locomotive.
Why? Who knows why? It just did.
Bob's Big Boy was founded in 1936 in Glendale CA. Unlikely to be the origin of the Big Boy name chalked onto the boiler of one of UP's 4-8-8-4s at Alco's plant in Schenectady NY in 1941.
Which came first, the Big Boy hamburger mascot or the UP steam locomotive.
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Get the Classic Trains twice-monthly newsletter