Big Boy Move

[duckdogger]

Anyone with more specifics about the upcoming move of a UP Big Boy to a new location as reported in the Dallas Sunday edition?

[ndbprr]

There is a thread from a couple of years ago about someone who had the idea of restoring it and running it. Supppsedly a movie studio was going to finance it and produce a documentary. Nothing came of it. Could just be more hype to get publicity.

[duckdogger]

Not a restoration to operation, but a move via rail to new location.

[CAZEPHYR]

The museum is moving up to Frisco if I remember correctly and all of the locos and display items are being moved soon.  CZ

The following post is on Trainorders talking about the move,  Thanks to TO.

Western Railroad Discussion > Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again

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Date: 09/04/12 11:36 Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: markgiesecke

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Sometime this month BNSF will tow Big Boy 4018 from Fair Park in Dallas to the new museum location in Frisco. No date has been set yet for the move but indications are that it will be moved before the State Fair opens in October. Dallas Morning News had an article in Sunday's paper talking about the move. It will move across TRE track into Irving and then transfer to BNSF the rest of the way up, track speed will be limited to 10 mph.
If anyone has more details or an inside track to when the move will take place please let everyone know.
Posted from iPhone

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Date: 09/04/12 12:21 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: KeyRouteKen

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Don't have an exact date--BUT, it "IS" going to happen soon.  The city wants them to leave the current site.  The exact date for the Big Boy’s 55-mile jaunt is yet to be determined, but it’s likely to occur before the start of the State Fair of Texas in late September, museum officials said.
  Preparations have started.  Check out the attached photo where we see "Bruce Parent" cleaning the locomotive's crossheads..
Cheers.
KRK

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Date: 09/04/12 13:58 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: CP8888

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Rail dog working as well....

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Date: 09/04/12 14:26 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: CPRR

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Please tell me that the rods will be removed so the pistons are not moving un lubricated......how many miles? And please, someone post a video....

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Date: 09/04/12 16:02 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: MKT103

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Piston rods were cut with a torch by U.P. when they donated the Locomotive I think. But they are cut.
Troy

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Date: 09/04/12 20:10 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: Mgoldman

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Put a BIG smoke generator in the smoke box, make it the lead engine on freight and push it from behind!!!!
Looking forward to pics - even if some parts are missing and it is led by a diesel.  Maybe someone at UP would be willing to lend a hand and pull it with UP #844.  Yeah?  No?
So - why were the piston rods cut?  Was it that much trouble to dismantle?  Or was it done purposely?
Thanks for the news!
/Mitch

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Date: 09/04/12 21:20 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: SilvertonRR100

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Mgoldman Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > So - why were the piston rods cut?  Was it that > much trouble to dismantle?  Or was it done > purposely?
To keep someone from using it to pull trains.  Most likely.
Rob

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Date: 09/04/12 21:27 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: Andy2472

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It was standard practice for most all donated steam to have piston rods cut so that they could not be made operational. The exceptions were when someone in the donating organization had an "in" with someone rather high up in the donating railroad. Andy

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Date: 09/04/12 22:22 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: czuleget

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The SP did this as well.

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Date: 09/04/12 22:38 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: filmteknik

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Huh?  Wasn't that when they were going to scrap?  Do most park engines have cut piston rods?  Not that I've noticed.

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Date: 09/05/12 00:18 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: 90mac

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Wish it was under steam instead of under tow. I think that would be the apex of my railfan career seeing a BIG Boy in action. 90mac

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/12 00:21 by 90mac.

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Date: 09/05/12 03:55 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: donstrack

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This is from the Lubbock newspaper:
http://lubbockonline.com/texas/2012-09-04/dallas-railroad-museum-relocating-frisco
Don Strack

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Date: 09/05/12 07:53 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: MarkMeoff

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Andy2472 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It was standard practice for most all donated > steam to have piston rods cut so that they could > not be made operational. The exceptions were when > someone in the donating organization had an "in" > with someone rather high up in the donating > railroad. Andy
Wrong
They were cut because it was quick and easy. It had nothing to do with thwarting future operation attempts and more about making a dead steam locomotive suitable for towing. When a shop was told to get a park engine ready to move, they wanted it done as cheaply as possible, after all we are talking about a free engine. They didn't want the shop forces spending a lot of time doing things like pulling pistons.
Mark

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/12 08:50 by MarkMeoff.

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Date: 09/05/12 08:25 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: jdtravis

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Rail dog is looking for rail bear.

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Date: 09/05/12 09:07 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: JimBaker

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Case in point:
The Pacific Electric Freight Motor 1624 at OERM was originally given to the R&LHS Southern California Chapter by the southern Pacific with he stipulation that it was not to be operated.  The Controller and Switch Gear were all welded when we received it out at Orange Empire in the early 1950s.   Members diligently reworked and removed the tack welds and today the Juice Jack is operating as intended. All it needs now is a new paint job!

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Date: 09/05/12 09:19 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: Mgoldman

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That's just plain wrong - worse then punch holes on back issues of Trains or even tearing off the front page, lol.
Seriously - you would think once transferred, the railroad would not be held liable for it's former equipment.  Unless, perhaps the thought was: If these guys restore this thing, they'll come begging to run it on our tracks.
Wonder what percent have had this procedure done.
/Mitch

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Date: 09/05/12 09:58 Re: Big Boy 4018 to hit the rails again     Author: JimBaker

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The locos at the Pomona, Calif. Fairgrounds in the R&LHS exhibit had some of their piston rods cut for moving. I do not know which ones got it though. If Loren Martens or someone from R&LHS is on here, please chime in!
Correction: -- in my earlier post on OERM PE Freight Motor 1624: The date should be late 1950s to 1960s.

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Date: 09/05/12 11:04 Piston rods on SP's donated steam locomotives     Author: DWDebs/2472

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None of the following S.P. steam locos I'm personally familiar had the piston rods cut or the engine otherwise disabled when donated to parks & fairgrounds:   SP 1269 (0-6-0, Richmond, CA: city park)   SP 1277 (0-6-0, Alameda, CA: city park)   SP 2467 (4-6-2, Oakland, CA: city park)   SP 2472 (4-6-2, San Mateo, CA: San Mateo Co. Fairgrounds)   SP 2479 (4-6-2, San Jose, CA: Santa Clara Co. Fairgrounds)   SP 4449 (4-8-4, Portland, OR: Oaks Park)
So cutting the piston rods definitely wasn't S.P. standard practice.  Insofar as I can tell, they were donated in stored-serviceable condition.
S.P. 2472 was exhibited along the SF Peninsula at some stations - Burlingame(?), maybe others? - circa 1959 before arriving at the fairgrounds.  Photos show that SP moved the front cylinder heads out an inch or two on extra-long studs for this dead-in-tow movement.  The cylinder heads were tightly bolted down once the engine was parked on panel track at the fairgrounds.  (We were concerned that towing with cylinder heads lifted might have ingested abrasive crud into the cylinders, but they were fine - shiny, oily - when inspected during the overhaul. Around 1992 we borrowed CSRM's portable cylinder boring machine and trued up the cylinders for wear, also made new piston rings & valve rings for a first-class fit.)
- Doug Debs

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Date: 09/05/12 11:29 Re: Piston rods on SP's donated steam locomotives     Author: atsfm177

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None of the steam locomotives at Travel Town had their pistons cut.
Greg Ramsey Oxnard, CA