The UP4023 Big Boy on the Move.

[Modelcar]

I've taken another look at the platform and it appears the diesel / generator is right on the platform and remote controlled.

[Mookie]

Awesome!

[dehusman]

It should be across the mains by now. It goes to the park on Saturday. They have been jacking it up on the carrier and working on prep for a couple months .

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

I've taken another look at the platform and it appears the diesel / generator is right on the platform and remote controlled.

right, the above mentioned article of the local newspaer stated that it will crawl at 3 mph and needs to go up hills to get to where it has to go.

[Mookie]

Everything in Omaha is uphill.....

[Anonymous]

The paper said they were expecting lots of railfans out to see the big move. As an Omahan, I'll try to sneak a peak, but I see the engine on a regular basis as it is.

The Big Boy and the Centennial will be positioned on a hill right next to I-80 as you cross over the Missouri River into Nebraska from Iowa. They wanted to use the giant steamer and diesel as a welcome mat into the state of Nebraska. It's very fitting considering the history that the railroad industry has in Omaha and Nebraska.

[railman]

Oh, it's so close to those tracks...maybe we can wrangle the state of Nebraska to fund getting it running...sigh.

[Mookie]

Only if the people from Wisconsin send lots of $....

[Modelcar]

....A few years ago at our local University had a large partly stone building moved and it was supported by a similar arrangement as is under the Big Boy. These rigs have a computer controlled leveling devise that transmits data to each boggie and each is adjusted hydraulically to maintain the steel frame holding the load in a level position as it travels over different grades, etc....So in this case most likely the Big Boy will be maintained in a level position as it moves.

[Mookie]

And if I can get there in time, maybe I can confuse the workers and have it just go onto the interstate and right on down the road to my house!

Ain't technology grand!

[Anonymous]

LOL, as with all things related to UP, it broke down on the tracks!

http://www.uphs.org/4023move.html

[Modelcar]

....It appears it will need a coat of paint when it arrives at it's destination so Jen, maybe you can get a job renewing it's look....and maybe a job for Driver too....

[Modelcar]

SteamerFan: Great, great photos, much appreciated. Really great detail...! And wow...! A real problem crossing that last set of tracks. It appears the buildup of the wood plank supports weren't built up high enough on each side and the boggie set in the center couldn't retract any further and took all the weight in the center and that crushed that boggie integrity. I notice these fellows on this rig did the same as the movers here in Muncie I mentioned earlier, and that is they fastened those steel beams together under the load with C-CLAMPS...! I am amazed that is adequate to do the job but obviously they must do the job....!
Boy, being stuck on the tracks and with a crushed boggie....that really must be one massive problem.
Again, thanks for the great photos for us to see....!

[Mookie]

This means BNSF train watching in Lincoln is not going to be good the rest of the day and possibly into tomorrow...Sigh...

I would take the Big Guy in a heartbeat and the Driver would then have me committed!

Steamerfan: Wonderful pictures! You just saved me a trip to Omaha.

Back next Monday to see the rest of the saga!

[Anonymous]

Not my photo's just linking them from another forum.

[Modelcar]

...We're glad to be able to see them.....

[JoeKoh]

thanks for the links and the info everyone. they guys have their work cut out for them.
stay safe
Joe

[Anonymous]

The next set of photos are probably going to be obscured by many many big bosses examining the extent of the damage come daylight.

I have a great interest in seeing how they FIX that little problem.

[Modelcar]

....Fixing that problem....Yes, that will be interesting. It sure looks to me the prep of the road service was inadequate where they crossed the rise in the tracks...When the load got to the mid point the mid boggies could not retract any more and took too much load and collapsed.

[Anonymous]

I would have brought in some gravel. Laid it out..

I wonder if you could remove the damaged unit and "drive" the load back off the tracks and place a replacement under there?

[Modelcar]

....I would say something like that is what they're going to have to do.....Don't see how it could be replaced where it is located in the photo...I'd guess they will have to move the load one direction or another and hope the remaining boggies are enough to support the load in so doing and then think about replacing that or {those}, damaged ones. And I agree with above post in having to redo the approaches on the road services to allow a more gental rise up and over the tracks....
I watched movers move a very large and heavy building here in Muncie several years ago and getting around city street corners {taking down utility poles and even cutting down some trees and those boggies really take a beating making such a turn...A fascinating piece of work to observe...

[Modelcar]

...Sure hope the source of yesterday's photos wil be on site today and make them available to have them posted on here like yesterday....Anxious to hear it they got it free and off the tracks and a new boggie or boggies replaced, etc....

[tatans]

Steamerfan : Great photos, gratefully appreciated. IRONY= when a rather large steam engine is crossing a set of railway tracks on a rubber tired vehicle and blocks a mainline railroad, could anyone have written a better script. Do you think the engine is just peeing itself laughing? I do.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans

Steamerfan : Great photos, gratefully appreciated. IRONY= when a rather large steam engine is crossing a set of railway tracks on a rubber tired vehicle and blocks a mainline railroad, could anyone have written a better script. Do you think the engine is just peeing itself laughing? I do.

That is not much of a MAJOR Main Line at all,you'd be very lucky if there are 3 Trains on that line on Omaha.

[coborn35]

Here are some more pictures, not mine, credits to photographer.

[Modelcar]

coborn 35: Thanks for posting these great pic's....Trying to determine if the rig has moved beyond where the break down occured yesterday....Looks like different colored boggies under the center part but not sure if they were all same color to start with....The first photo blows up into a full screen pic and it is really sharp and great...! To whom ever is taking these please keep them coming. I'm sure lots of fans are enjoying them, I know I am....Happen to be interested in this craft of moving very heavy objects.

[Modelcar]

....What a massive bunch of equipment to do the job.....144 wheels under the engine. Each one carrying a bit over 2 ton if we assume the engine might weigh about 300 tons.

[Willy2]

Yesterday evening (March 12) I went down to the Amtrak station to take a look and found out that they did get it off the tracks. They must have gotten it to its destination because I didn't see it anywhere in the immediate vicinity.

[Willy2]

Here's a link to an article on the move. The article itself isn't great but there are some good photos. To view the photos click on the link that is under "slide show" on the website.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=1358791

[Modelcar]

....Thanks for that update Willy...