UP Big Boy

[Anonymous]

With the railroads going to diesel locomotives, the need for turntables diminished since a diesel locomotive can run long or short hood forward without any decrease in performance(but it does create problems for the crew running it). Now most all of the operating turntables are owned by museums, etc. I only know of one turntable used by a major railroad(CN/IC in Memphis, TN) but there may be more.

Also, the turn radius of a Big Boy is so great that many of the wyes for turning locomotives are too sharp for a Big Boy.

[alangj]

I'm fairly certain that I've seen a photo (in someone's published collections?) of one of the Big Boys in Denver with a "regular" train, i.e., not a fantrip or other "special", nor diverted there for any servicing. If memory serves me, the photo's caption read that they were occasionally run down there off the Sherman Hill line, and upon returning back north, might either head back to Cheyenne, or else take the "cutoff" line toward the west and Rawlins/Laramie. If I can locate where I saw that photo, I'll pass along the reference.

[Anonymous]

That's what I know : today there's no way of turning a Bigboy. That's why UP decided to keep a Challenger running.
Want to see two beautiful Bigboy models ? Then check out my homepage www.sschaer.com
in the picture galleries there are two Brass Bigboys. One in N-Scale and one in O-Scale (25pounds....)

have fun
Sandro

[thirdrail1]

Yes, the turntables and roundhouses were modified, at Cheyenne and Green River, Wyoming. The 4-8-8-4's were never used outside of Wyoming on the UP - they were specifically built to conquer Sherman Hill. The 4-6-6-4's were used everywhere else, although the turntable in Ohama could handle Big Boys that came East for shopping.

[Anonymous]

When the UP began to take delivery of the "big boys" wernt some of the engine facilitys modified to handle them? like the turntables lengthend and also some of the roundhouse stalls? I read this a few months ago in Trains mag. The alco issue wich had an article wriiten by steve lee the manager of UP's steam operation. So why arent some of these turntable's and facilitys still used? where they all tore up or abanded after the retirement of the Big Boys?

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your response. I always wondered about that.

[thirdrail1]

The UP has stated that it would not because the Big Boy was intended for a specific service, running trains over Sherman Hill, and cannot be turned at most other locations on the UP. Because if its length, it cannot fit on most turntables nor negotiate the curve radius of most wyes. Unlike its larger sibling, the Challenger could run almost anywhere, so it was the locomotive restored.

[Anonymous]

Why does UP or some rich fellow not restore a Big Boy to working order? I know that it would be expensive, but I think that it would be worth the effort and money to restore one, so people could see the world's largest and most powerful steam locomotive in action once more.