Big Boy Running As God And Otto Jabelmann Intended

[kgbw49]

CEO Jim Vena rides Big Boy - slow speed in a yard - but the CEO is interested and that is a good thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF2KG1xsZfI

Cab ride at Elko, NV.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLIevDFQidM

 

[kgbw49]

Here is 4014 footage from Idaho including the Cuttler Dam Bridge:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr_W6rck0Ik

 

[kgbw49]

Well done ABC piece which has some unique views of the Feather River Canyon and shows the draw of the Big Boy.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v41cyw5ca9A&pp=ygUMNDAxNCBiaWcgYm95

[blue streak 1]

Wonder if UP ran a geometry car over the route shortly before 4014 ran?

[kgbw49]

Great film from the Feather River Canyon:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SsuDoquRTYI

 

[kgbw49]

Big Boy "blitzen" Donner:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0fAlB1JO5oQ&pp=ygUVNDAxNCBvdmVyIGRvbm5lciBwYXNz

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LTHo7V1e2_U&pp=QAFIAQ%3D%3D

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0uKhTu21nEI&pp=ygUVNDAxNCBvdmVyIGRvbm5lciBwYXNz

[kgbw49]

If this web site is correct the auxiliary tenders have 28,000-gallon capacity.

https://utahrails.net/pass/water-cars.php

[Overmod]

BaltACD

How much water is being hauled in the two canteens along with the normal tender?

I don't have time to check, but the UP Steam site might have actual capacity as converted.

These were gas-turbine fuel tenders, so a quick check of their 'historic' fuel-oil capacity would get you at least in the ballpark.

[BaltACD]

kgbw49

The Union Pacific Dreadnought sallies forth:

https://railpictures.net/photo/861100/

https://railpictures.net/photo/861230/

https://railpictures.net/photo/861679/

https://railpictures.net/photo/861610/

https://railpictures.net/photo/861678/

https://railpictures.net/photo/861616/

How much water is being hauled in the two canteens along with the normal tender?

[kgbw49]

The Union Pacific Dreadnought sallies forth:

https://railpictures.net/photo/861100/

https://railpictures.net/photo/861230/

https://railpictures.net/photo/861679/

https://railpictures.net/photo/861610/

https://railpictures.net/photo/861678/

https://railpictures.net/photo/861616/

 

 

[BaltACD]

Big Caboose

I have read on the interweb that, on 7/11, 4014 will roll through a segment of North Sacramento on its way to Roseville. I found a nice spot to watch it - it has the Sacramento skyline in the background, it's well away from the track, and the train will be going slow through the area because it's a wye (it's at the end of 20th St)

The only possible issue is that once you are off the road you are on UP property. The UP property around the wye is large (understandably).

We would be about 50-feet from the track, but still on UP property. How serious is UP about keeping observers off its property? 

If you try it you can find out.

[Big Caboose]

I have read on the interweb that, on 7/11, 4014 will roll through a segment of North Sacramento on its way to Roseville. I found a nice spot to watch it - it has the Sacramento skyline in the background, it's well away from the track, and the train will be going slow through the area because it's a wye (it's at the end of 20th St)

The only possible issue is that once you are off the road you are on UP property. The UP property around the wye is large (understandably).

We would be about 50-feet from the track, but still on UP property. How serious is UP about keeping observers off its property? 

[kgbw49]

In Evanston WY on July 3.

[kgbw49]

It is nice to see 5 clean boxcars, 7 clean grain hopper cars, and the Steam Program caboose in the consist, all to help with the braking as Overmod points out, but also making it a great-looking train!

Good stuff from UP!

[Overmod]

JC UPTON

Please remind us of the various functions the "support diesel" provides, beyond PTC, and if intermittent or continuous. 

Is it possible to run without ANY "support diesel"?

The whole point of the independent-PTC efforts (as on 4014 and 2816) is to allow them to run without ANY "support diesel".

As Doug just mentioned, while the diesel does give rapid and immediate 'limp-home' capability for a range of road failures -- although, perhaps important to note, not all -- the single most useful thing it can provide is not enhanced tractive effort but dynamic braking.

As was discovered on GG1s operated with Amfleet equipment, if the locomotive is very heavy, the amount of required train braking force can become great at times, particularly from high speed, but the independent brake on a steam locomotive is a relatively crappy and potentially very expensive way to provide that.  I remember for example that when 3751 was restored, it had to be tested with a substantial rack of skeleton flats to provide sufficient braking 'wheels and shoes' to be safe.  Now, if that can be done proportionally, and fully graduated, without any need for friction braking... which is something dynamic braking provides, on modern locomitives right down to almost zero mph road speed, you have an advantage.

Another is drifting control.  Most steam locomotives have to have careful handling when drifting at speed (this was one purpose of the Wagner bypass valves, as on ATSF 2926, and technically for the Trofimov valves on some Chinese steam) and there are advantages in being able to work for example ~15-20psi positive steam pressure in the engine to prevent vacuum effects or the usual problems with allowing atmosphere into the cylinder space via snifter valves.  

If there is any sort of developing issue with water, or with coal or oil quality, having diesel power to be able to 'stretch' water rate while retaining steam working for lubrication and low thermal distortion can be significant.

I can think of any number of excursions that ran late, late, late due to various issues with steam.  (One very painful one with 2102 and misconceived 'in-flight refueling' was just discussed on RyPN a few days ago).  If you have the ability to 'cut and run' with the excursion consist and all the passengers, there will be fewer issues with surly people driving home in the wee hours...

I would note in passing that the same issue that concerns 5550 (but not 4014 or 2816) is that if the operator isn't formally affiliated with a deep-pockets class 1 that actively provides all the expensive PTC components and maintenance 'free', there remains great advantage in 'remoting' signals from the necessarily-positioned antennae and sensors to a fully-equipped locomotive somewhere in the trailing consist.

[challenger3980]

JC UPTON

Please remind us of the various functions the "support diesel" provides, beyond PTC, and if intermittent or continous. 

Is it possible to run without ANY "support diesel"?

 

Tis' Nice to see Steam running as intended,

I believe that another much appreciated, if not necessary benefit, is Dynamic Braking 

 

Doug

[kgbw49]

If you notice from the June 30, 2024 pictures there is no support diesel.

UP's installation of PTC on 4014 apparently has worked to satisfaction.

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/860808/

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/860807/

[Flintlock76]

JC UPTON

Please remind us of the various functions the "support diesel" provides, beyond PTC, and if intermittent or continous. 

Is it possible to run without ANY "support diesel"?

 

Ah yes, what former poster Juniatha used to call the "Panic Diesel."

Steve Lee explained it years ago.  Since the UP is an active railroad and not a "tourist line" for lack of a better term the lines have to be kept fluid and active as the shippers always come first.  The diesel's there as a back up to keep the train moving just in case the steam locomotive fails. 

In fact though the reverse was true on one occasion, the diesel failed, as in failed to shut down, and pushed 844 down the tracks causing flat spots on 844's drivers!  

[BaltACD]

JC UPTON

Please remind us of the various functions the "support diesel" provides, beyond PTC, and if intermittent or continous. 

Is it possible to run without ANY "support diesel"?

Anything is 'possible', however possible and UP protocol are likely two very different things.

[JC UPTON]

Please remind us of the various functions the "support diesel" provides, beyond PTC, and if intermittent or continous. 

Is it possible to run without ANY "support diesel"?

[kgbw49]

Go west, young man.

Big Boy heading west as God and Otto Jabelmann intended:

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/860760/

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/860759/

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/860787/

[kgbw49]

4014 Highball!

(~six minutes of pacing in Wyoming - 2023)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KlU745GzUQ

 

 

 

[Overmod]

Anyone else note 844 on the board?

E7B assigned to the stock train?

Boxpok outside main?

[Paul of Covington]

kgbw49

Running a 9000 out of Council Bluffs:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8YhtAYraQc0&pp=ygUadW5pb24gcGFjaWZpYyBzdGVhbSAxOTUwcyA%3D

 

   Thanks, kgbw49.   I don't think I had ever heard a three-cylinder locomotive running before.  Weird.

[kgbw49]

Running a 9000 out of Council Bluffs:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8YhtAYraQc0&pp=ygUadW5pb24gcGFjaWZpYyBzdGVhbSAxOTUwcyA%3D

[kgbw49]

Here is an all-color snippet of UP steam on the Kansas Division in the 1950s including a 9000 Union Pacific, several 3800 Challengers, FEF Northerns, a 7000 Mountain and a 3200 Pacific really making time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfNGCrqPTsU

 

[kgbw49]

Some incredible color film of Big Boys and other steam:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VDdakciBQVE&pp=ygUcdW5pb24gcGFjaWZpYyBiaWcgYm95IDE5NDBzIA%3D%3D

[kgbw49]

Here is Big Boy 4014 in the 1950s in regular operation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK1hiEkDGog

 

 

[kgbw49]

Here is a 15-inch gauge 4-12-2 "almost" Union Pacific type that is under construction at Merrick Locomotive Works in WI.

First one is a running gear test.

Second one is near completion.

You will note left-side-mounted air pumps, two cylinders and rectangular tender with six-wheeled-trucks as differences to the 9000s.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MUiF0WHnl_U&pp=ygUUMTUgaW5jaCBnYXVnZSA0LTEyLTI%3D

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PcI5UcW1T0k&pp=ygUTd2hpc2t5IHJpdmVyIDQtMTItMg%3D%3D