Big Boy Rumor

It was built in sections through the years and those 7 stalls are actually the last seven that were built. 

If only there was a way to rebuild a couple sections.  Guess that is a lost art.

What's this?  Chopped liver?

 

http://ageofsteamroundhouse.com/

 

Rusty

They could rebuild the entire thing if they wanted to, it's just more money and the right company to do the work.  It does bring up a good question, where will they store a 4000 if this happens? 

They can store the Large Lad in my basement; a few scoops of coal now and then,

and I'm sure my heating bill would go down!

Another question has been, will a 4000 even fit inside the steam shop with the tender still attached? The old roundhouse is, and has been, only used for storage of equipment, while all the "work" is done in the steam shop which is also were all the tools, machinery, drop pit, and steam power plant is located.

Well I guess I can try some guesstimations.  In looking at the photos here...(in the middle of the page) http://www.rgusrail.com/wyuproundhouse.html

 

The 3985 is inside minus her tender with the rotary parked in front...also appears to be 10-15 feet behind the rotary.

The rotary is 52' long and the 3985s tender is just shy of 40' ? Which is a difference of about 12 feet. 

So to me in this really rough way of estimating That rotary and the 3985 as they are positioned in there are very close to what the length of a 4000 will be as the 4000 is about 11 feet longer than the 3985.  What do you think?....does that sound close to making sense..? Or did I really zoom past something?...

The current turntable in Cheyenne was reputedly built to handle a Big Boy. The remaining stalls appear as long as the turntable?

 

http://www.rgusrail.com/wyuproundhouse.html

The Union Pacific roundhouse, turntable and machine shop... in Cheyenne, WY.

 

The 126 foot diameter continuous span turntable and control house were built in 1941. They replaced a smaller turntable from 1911 and were designed to accommodate the massive 4-8-8-4 Big Boys. 

 

A 4000 will fit on the TT but just barely, there is about 3 feet of overhang on either end.  The remaining stalls are too short.  If you follow the link and look at the picture you will see on your left the 7 stalls that remain, but on the right you will see the old stalls that were extended to house the 4000s.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/c...railroad/7035145475/

PLEASE BRING THE BIG BOY BACK I have longed to see and experience the train that changed America! Built by American hands, and tough as the people who built it...

Even IF UP did bring back a BB, most people today would NOT KNOW the diffence between it and 3985, or even 844!

Maybe a triple header would help them see the difference...

Absolutely correct! I can't tell you how many times members of the public have described, or inquired about, UP 3985 being "The Big Boy", when ever she was on display. Even at train shows, whenever a big articulated is out running on a layout, many folks refer to it as a "Big Boy", regardless of whether it says B&O, Northern Pacific, N&W, or UP on the side of the tender.

It's time to educate the public.

Agreed! Wonder if we could also educate them to use their turn signals while driving?

Probalby not as all they would have on there mind would be to get to see the big boy before it leaves town.  Massive traffic congestion.

Ya mean put down the cell phones?...quit texting...eeesh what a calamity that would be for these folks. I'm stunned some of them can get out of bed without the phone glued to their ears.

We are assimulating ourselves into the BORG!

Educating the public????  Almost as unreal  as a live steam Big Boy!

 
"No one in this world, so far as I know-and I have searched the record for years, and employed agents to help me-has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people."

 

          -- HL Mencken

Boy you've got that right.

How much was this project going to cost?  San Diego just raised a million bucks for a bronze statue if the famous "Kiss" photo of WWII fame.  It was considered in such poor taste that several members of an art review board resigned in disgust.  $43 million is apparently slated for something that looks a lot like a statue in the TV show "Raymond" to me.  That may actually be taxpayer money - not sure; don't care.

 

In comparison, preserving this monument to American ingenuity and skill would take chicken feed.

 

Opinion.

Oops, sorry for the thread drift ...

OK...we're all done here.