Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Big Boy 4014

5773 views
45 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Saturday, May 4, 2019 12:38 PM

 And the Yellowstones outperformed the Big Boy in several areas, even if the Big Boy was longer and heavier.

 Big Boy may be the BIGGEST US steam loco, but they weren't the most powerful.

 

                                            --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    April 2019
  • From: Pacific Northwest
  • 780 posts
Posted by SPSOT fan on Saturday, May 4, 2019 11:18 AM

mbinsewi

I'm not a steam guy, but I think a Yellowstone would be cool.  Is the Big Boy bigger?  I don't even know!

Hmmm, do we have a convert away from yellow things??? Smile 

As an NP fan in pains me to say that a Big Boy is, regrettably, bigger. Sad Crying

...but, the Yellowstone came a decade earlier (30s) while the Big Boy came during WWII (40s). So the Yellowstone was the biggest until the Big Boys and Alleghenies appeared.

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

  • Member since
    March 2018
  • 688 posts
Posted by BNSF UP and others modeler on Saturday, May 4, 2019 10:39 AM

My modeling motto is "why buy what you can find cheaper elsewhere or reasonably make for yourself?"

I don't think I'm up for the challenge of making myself a big boy model, but when the time comes to buy one, I'll be doing a lot of research and bargain hunting to make sure I save as much money as possible.Pirate Used doesn't bug me, I just triple check to make sure the locomotive and sound decoder work very well and there are no details missing...

I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Friday, May 3, 2019 9:46 PM

BNSF UP and others modeler
Guess who decided to put a top quality HO model of this on his mental wish list?

Laugh  I'm beginning to know you BN, would you actually pay the price for a "top quality" model?  with out kicking and screaming ?  Laugh

Just joking, OK? Just having fun. Laugh

I'm not a steam guy, but I think a Yellowstone would be cool.  Is the Big Boy bigger?  I don't even know! 

Mike.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Friday, May 3, 2019 8:53 PM

 Well, you have an near infinite number of options, I think there have been moore different models of Big Boys made than there were actual Big Boys. It's probably easier to list which well known model makers DIDN'T make a Big Boy.

                                     --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    March 2018
  • 688 posts
Posted by BNSF UP and others modeler on Friday, May 3, 2019 6:28 PM

I just watched a video on it running on live steam. Guess who decided to put a top quality HO model of this on his mental wish list?

I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Friday, May 3, 2019 2:44 PM

 Lots of people from my area, it seems. One of the guys invovled int he CNJ 113 project was watching from the cab of 113! I think the only oen that would have been better than that was if someone was in the cab of one of the other stuffed and mounted Big Boys watching. During one of the delays I know I mentioned seeing if I could get ot Steamtown and to that Big Boy before the live one came through. I would have lost that one, I would have been maybe halfway there. Plus the park was closed by that time.

Turned into a meme-fest for a while, XXXXX will be running before 4014 gets moving.  Some peopel can;t take a joke, tellign everyone how railfanning requires patience, blah blah. Someone said it's called rail fanning and not train fanning because most of the time you are staring at empty rails.

 I'm not a huge UP fan, or even really a Big Boy fan, but even so, you must admit that was something seeing that big loco steam past. The sheer size of it is out of this world. I don;t think anyone who hasn't seen one up close can really appreciate it - it's just a bunch of numbers, so many tons, so many feet long. But go stand next to one. Fan or not, it is one impressively huge piece of machinery.

                                         --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • 2,616 posts
Posted by peahrens on Friday, May 3, 2019 8:14 AM

rrinker

 So who was watching Jim Wrinn's live stream last night to see 4014 move out on the main on a test trip 

                                          --Randy

 

Me & 2799 others.  Exciting once the Big Boy got there.  Several good videos & photos online, including from Trains live coverage.

Paul

Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Friday, May 3, 2019 7:19 AM

 So who was watching Jim Wrinn's live stream last night to see 4014 move out on the main on a test trip to Greeley?

                                          --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    March 2013
  • 427 posts
Posted by Colorado Ray on Tuesday, April 30, 2019 12:00 AM

While traveling between North Platte and Cheyenne you should make a short side trip to Crawford Hill.  Great site for catching BNSF Powder River coal trains.  There's a ranch with access.  As I recall they ask for a small donation and provide a map of the property with viewing locations.  

Ray

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, April 29, 2019 4:59 PM

OT Dean
I lived for the first 13 years of my life within cinder distance

There was a short Brit series on how steam and coal changed everything, not only economic, but cleaning and cooking.  For fellow history buffs:

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Monday, April 29, 2019 4:45 PM

 Steam was gone in the US by the time I was born, but from an early age I've been on various tourist railroads riding behind steam. Even some smaller stuff, like 18" gauge and 1 1/2" scale. Plenty of full size standard gauge steam locos - we are lucky to have many operating steam locos around here. 

 Funny thing, while Alco diesels are my favorites, I do like Baldwin switchers, abd Baldwin steam locos - probably from having a copy of Fred Westing's Baldwin book since I was a kid, and there is a page comparing the Big Boy to the DM&IR Yellowstones which outdid the Big Boy in some characteristics.

                                            --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Duluth, MN
  • 424 posts
Posted by OT Dean on Monday, April 29, 2019 12:35 AM

BNSF UP and others modeler

I'm jealous! Yes, be sure to post a lot of videos and pictures. I never had any exposure to steam power in my childhood, so seeing stuff like this is all new. I'm really the only railfan in the family...

 

I lived for the first 13 years of my life within cinder distance (you older guys will know what I mean!) of the MILW, at the end of steam and I want to see the pix, too.  I hope somebody posts good video on YouTube, complete with **SOUND**, too!

Deano

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Sunday, April 28, 2019 6:18 PM

 There was just a video posted on YouTube showing them getting steam up. The turbogenerators were running, and the blew the whistle. It took a while to get the whistle sounding, at first it was just a big cloud of steam, but then she cleared her throat and the whistles sounded.

 More insteresting though were the zoomed in shots, the steam pipe to the rear engine was not connected and the valves were not installed yet. Maybe that's a fairly quick job, but she's definitely not ready to roll just yet. Cab sides were still masked for painting as well. They are really pushing it to have this loco run under its own power this week.

                                        --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Sunday, April 28, 2019 10:52 AM

If you use Facebook, I'm sure there is a following on there. I don't, but just a thought.

Mike.

  • Member since
    March 2018
  • 688 posts
Posted by BNSF UP and others modeler on Sunday, April 28, 2019 10:51 AM

I'm jealous! Yes, be sure to post a lot of videos and pictures. I never had any exposure to steam power in my childhood, so seeing stuff like this is all new. I'm really the only railfan in the family...

I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • 2,572 posts
Big Boy 4014
Posted by John-NYBW on Sunday, April 28, 2019 10:45 AM

I'm planning to drive out to Wyoming from Ohio this week to see the refurrbished Big Boy 4014 make its first powered run in almost 60 years on May 4. I put this on my bucket list as soon as I learned UP was planning to do this. I checked the UP Steam Schedule and everything seems to be go. A friend told me it passed its tests a few weeks ago. I plan on leaving Wednesday, stopping at Bailey Yard in North Platte Nebraska on the way. I plan on taking both still and video shots with my new camera. I hope to post pictures and videos when I return. I'll be checking their website right up until I leave to make sure no problems have popped up. If anyone hears any news between now and Wednesday that might affect the scheduled run, I'd appreciate if you would post it. 

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!