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UP Steam News

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UP Steam News
Posted by BurlingtonJohn on Thursday, January 8, 2015 8:41 PM

From the official Union Pacific facebook page: (https://www.facebook.com/unionpacific)

 

Exciting news! UP is dedicating even more resources to its Heritage Fleet Program.

J. Scott George is joining the UP Steam Team in Cheyenne as Director - Steam Shop. George was the director of system locomotive facilities in North Little Rock. In this new role he will handle day-to-day administrative tasks associated with UP Steam Shop.

George's move to Cheyenne will free up time for Ed Dickens, senior manager-Heritage Operations, to focus on setting the technical direction for returning No. 844 to service and the restoration and eventual operation of the Big Boy, No. 4014

 

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Posted by selector on Friday, January 9, 2015 11:30 AM

I may have forgotten what was related to the public recently about #3985, but it seems it is consistently omitted from press releases, suggesting it's on the back burner, and on low.

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Posted by thomas81z on Saturday, January 10, 2015 5:45 AM

selector

I may have forgotten what was related to the public recently about #3985, but it seems it is consistently omitted from press releases, suggesting it's on the back burner, and on low.

 

Well 4014 is first obviously & then its a toss up

After the crew gets more experience & ed dickens 

Departs the program,  then things will come in to focus better

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Posted by carnej1 on Monday, January 12, 2015 11:40 AM

thomas81z

 

 
selector

I may have forgotten what was related to the public recently about #3985, but it seems it is consistently omitted from press releases, suggesting it's on the back burner, and on low.

 

 

 

Well 4014 is first obviously & then its a toss up

After the crew gets more experience & ed dickens 

Departs the program,  then things will come in to focus better

 

[quote user="thomas81z"]

 

 
 

I seem to recall reading recently that 844 is supposed to be back in Steam either this year or in 2016 so people's worries about a possible haitus on steam excursions until the 100th anniversary unveiling of the restored Big Boy may be unfounded..

 

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Posted by oldyardgoat on Thursday, January 22, 2015 3:56 PM

3985's last run was made double-heading with the 844 from Cheyenne to Denver for the 2005 Cheyenne "Frontier Days" rodeo in July ,2005, Ten years ago this coming July.  Something happened on the ferry move to Denver and the 3985 was taken off at La Salle, Colorado.  The 2005 UPHS Convention was held in Denver at the same time.  The UPHS was able to get a 'fan trip' on the Denver to Cheyenne ferry trip.  There was no sign of the 3985 anywhere in, or around, LaSalle on that northbound trip.  My speculation has been something major happened to the 3985 on the trip to Denver, and the UPRR, and UPHS, has been uncharacteristly silent ever since.  It is something that neither one has talked about.  The mystery contines . . .

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 22, 2015 5:33 PM

With the extensive work on 844's boiler, including mostly new flues, does this mean her 1472-day clock resets?

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Posted by Falcon48 on Thursday, January 22, 2015 8:47 PM

Depends on what work UP actually does. There's much more than just flue work required for a a 1472 day/15 yyear inspection.  If UP does all of the work required for a 1472 day/15 year inspection, then the clock would reset.  If they don't do all the required work, then it wouldn't reset.  

If I were UP's steam guru (which I'm not), and if the boiler work represented much of the work required to reset the "clock" (which I don't know), I would do the additional work needed for a full 1472 day/15 year inspection so that the clock, does, in fact, "reset".  

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Posted by Dakguy201 on Friday, January 23, 2015 4:58 AM

oldyardgoat

3985's last run was made double-heading with the 844 from Cheyenne to Denver for the 2005 Cheyenne "Frontier Days" rodeo in July ,2005, Ten years ago this coming July.  Something happened on the ferry move to Denver and the 3985 was taken off at La Salle, Colorado.  The 2005 UPHS Convention was held in Denver at the same time.  The UPHS was able to get a 'fan trip' on the Denver to Cheyenne ferry trip.  There was no sign of the 3985 anywhere in, or around, LaSalle on that northbound trip.  My speculation has been something major happened to the 3985 on the trip to Denver, and the UPRR, and UPHS, has been uncharacteristly silent ever since.  It is something that neither one has talked about.  The mystery contines . . .

Old yard goat

 

 

I'm sure that happened, but it wasn't its last run.  3985 attended the Republican nominating convention in the Twin Cities in 2008 (844 went to the Democratic convention in Denver).

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Posted by GREG HUTCHINS on Saturday, February 14, 2015 1:44 AM

The 3985 pulled the circus train in 2010

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