Big Boy #4014 moves under power for the first time in over 50 years • The UP is bringing out the 4014, see schedule 🚂

My plans have been changed by the great flood. I have to finish up fence replacement for cattle. A lot of holes to dig yet so skipping the first weekend. Now I plan to see the parade on its return in Rawlins and Laramie. Rawlins is a great little town. If decent weather, will make the trip on the bike up hiway 2, then Casper. So thanks to UP and Mr. Ed and his crew for all of the effort. And to those who said it would never happen with this crew, well, I guess we shall see.

superwarp1 posted:

I’ve stayed out of this thread, deciding to just read along as it progresses but I have to add this.  1309 is a prime example of never schedule any trips until the the rebuild is complete, fully tested, with a full break in run.  Time is a ticking.

It seems the debut of 1309 has been pushed back AGAIN as well. The railroad originally announced the 1309 would be on trains starting this upcoming July 4th weekend. Without any announcement they changed their reservation system to only allow tickets to be purchased starting two weekends later in the month. 

I'm curious about the procedure of setting the timing on these locomotives.  On my 1.5" scale live steam model it took some fine tuning.

This might rile up some folks, or it might make some happy, so here goes nothing...from Trains NewsWire today:

- No. 4014

FORMER OGR CEO - RETIRED posted:

Uh-oh. The 844's April 27-28 runs are now cancelled? And the 844 will now "doublehead" with the 4014 to Ogden on May 4?

Reading between the lines to get "...the REST of the story..."  (as Paul Harvey used to say), what that really means is that the 4014 will be towed by 844 and pushed by a diesel.

Yeah...that will be exciting...

Tell us what you really think Rich.

I’ll start working on my thesis...  

I wish them a good, safe trip. Hope all goes well though it does seem dicey.  Lots of luck for the UP.

Posted 4 hours ago.

4014 gets a "Fresh coat of paint on the Big Boy’s new jacket".

FORMER OGR CEO - RETIRED posted:

Uh-oh. The 844's April 27-28 runs are now cancelled? And the 844 will now "doublehead" with the 4014 to Ogden on May 4?

Reading between the lines to get "...the REST of the story..."  (as Paul Harvey used to say), what that really means is that the 4014 will be towed by 844 and pushed by a diesel.

Yeah...that will be exciting...

You of all people would know that you can't fake it with steam. We'll know if 4014 is working or if she's just along for the ride. 

844 and 4014 are overkill for any kind of a passenger train anyway. It's the equivalent of triple-headed 4-8-4s.

I find it petty that some on this board would wish the UP crew to fail and are actually giddy when they hit a roadblock or potential issue.  In the mobile TV business there is competition but we never wish a bad roll out or show for anyone because it could be you the next time.

The steam program is fairly small and most likely only going get smaller.  The only way it continues is with success and support for all the programs.  I know there are some personal feelings towards the head of the program but there are a lot of other folks involved that have nothing to do with that who worked hard and would love to see their work shine.  There are also a lot of folks that have never thought they'd have a chance to see a Big Boy run again.  I guess the urge to say "I told you so" is greater than "nice job!" or "good luck".  

"It's easier to be critical than constructive."

Radio silence was working well.    This is the last I will comment on this.  Thanks to Gary and Kent for a good thread keeping everyone up to date.  

MartyE posted:

Radio silence was working well.    This is the last I will comment on this.  Thanks to Gary and Kent for a good thread keeping everyone up to date.  

Hi Marty E:

Your welcome and thanks for the support, greatly appreciated. 🚂

Gary: Rail-fan & Model Railroader • Kent S., Littleton, CO

Kelly Anderson posted:

MartyE posted:

I find it petty that some on this board would wish the UP crew to fail and are actually giddy when they hit a roadblock or potential issue.

"It's easier to be critical than constructive."

Hear hear!  I believe that sour grapes also explains some of the pettiness.  The sad part is that those who spew the most hateful comments will be the same ones who will travel to see her in person, and or will be glued to YouTube to get all the coverage they can, and still will not say a constructive word about the whole project.  Such hypocrisy!

And the ones that are most critical are always the ones who say they "know the most" or have "done the most". I'll never understand the egos that fill the heads of some people who are or used to be in steam programs. There is little room for most people out there to keep these historical machines running, but I guess we can't play nice and support one another, which by the way is and was the goal from the get-go. 

Really excited to see the 4014 roll out in about a week! 

On a side note, for those who do not have parking tickets to the Promontory point event never fear. I called them yesterday and they said that the county has given the idea to charter a bus to take people to the event on May 10th. They will have the buses in Brigham City and will take whoever to Promontory. To find out if this goes through you just have to call the front desk.

MartyE posted:

Thanks to Gary and Kent for a good thread keeping everyone up to date.  

Thanks MartyE, Kelly A. And of course Gary.

Despite all the negative responses I’ve tried to get the other side of the story out there for a few years now. 

I am not a steam expert - just a newly retired mechanical test engineer. My guess is that testing will begin in a few days in the Cheyenne yard.  It looks like some of the jacket is being installed/ painted on the top side of the boiler.  

Hopefully both 844 and 4014 will venture out soon to Greeley and back for a test run.  If so I’ll be chasing or parking and taking some video with another OGR member or two. I’ll have my Rocky Mountain Train Show logo on.

After that 4014 and 844 will head out of Cheyenne together.  My guess is that they will go easy on 4014 initially until they develop more confidence in her newly rebuilt systems. 

The questions that I see are;

- has the engine been steamed up and passed its FRA tests/inspections yet?

- will they have a diesel or two along for dynamic braking, pushing etc. 844 should have plenty of power but braking probably better to have a diesel along for insurance. Probably required by corporate   UP on their busy mainline .

Have fun! Enjoy trains!

Thank you!

Guys thanks for the information that you continue to share here. I am in what used to be 611 country and share the disappointment that is felt about steam in many places.

Unfortunately  criticism seems to increase with age and I find that I have to reword or erase things a lot more often. The tendency is not helpful.

We are excited to see what UP is doing and wish them the best. At least they are trying which is a lot more than can be said of most of the others.

In spite of our flawed human nature, and the obnoxious and self-absorbed "photographers" who are convinced they are entitled to get those shots at ANY cost, and the "foamers" and "gerfs", the 4014 and related events will survive and prevail, and we ALL will witness a spectacular show! Life is already too full of tragic news and disappointments, so let us radiate some POSITIVE energy for the success of this project. If nothing else, let us show some appreciation for those MANY man-hours of labor expended by those UP personnel and their sub-contractors to make this possible at all!

Good points RICKO which hit on things I was trying to articulate as well.

Based on evidence not emotion , I believe it's more about show than go for the BB.

RickO posted:

PennsyPride94 posted:

And the ones that are most critical are always the ones who say they "know the most" or have "done the most". I'll never understand the egos that fill the heads of some people who are or used to be in steam programs. There is little room for most people out there to keep these historical machines running, but I guess we can't play nice and support one another, which by the way is and was the goal from the get-go. 

Really excited to see the 4014 roll out in about a week! 

I think this is comparable to the guys that ride their bikes to Sturgis, vs those that trailer it there.

I'd prefer the bigboy pulling the train by itself  ( with a diesel coasting if need be) and leave 844 at the roundhouse to highlight this accomplishment. 

A 9 car passenger train behind these two locomotives isn't much of a HP need.

After seeing 765 pulling 18 passenger cars at full throttle with no diesel or other assistance. It would seem, this UP event will be mostly show rather than go.

I have to respectfully disagree. Yes, would we want to see a Big Boy go up Sherman Hill with 200 intermodals in tow, of course, but is it a reality that that would happen come next week? Of course, not. Just because she's not pulling her maximum tonnage at all times doesn't mean its not something to see considering its a 300 psi engineering marvel that represents a pinnacle for the steam railroading industry in America. I've heard folks say similar things about the Strasburg Rail Road..."Oh its only 4.5 miles, its boring, not real, its only 20 mph, whatever..." and in response I gently remind them it could all easily be razor blades. And, by the way, the assertion that the 4014 and 844 won't be working at all with only nine cars is true but that can also be applied to a lot of other mainline steam locomotives on certain trips they pull. I guess we can't all just be grateful. 

Having said that. After seeing all of the excitement folks experienced watching a cold, dead, pistonless 4014 ( and NKP757 for that matter) being dragged at 25mph, one wonders why the UP doesn't just throw some dry ice in the stack for smoke effect and call it a day.

With all of the "fake stuff" these days ( when is the last time you heard a modern singer actually sing with out lipsynching or autotune?)

Its easy to see how the passionate "know it alls" that have actually been the part as opposed to "look the part" take issue with what is or isn't.

I have to disagree again, the people who incessantly run their mouths about this topic have had nothing to do with the program and run off of hearsay and rumors. Heck they have even been offered Ed's email if they are that concerned about something and I'd love to know if they actually have tried reaching out to offer suggestions instead of blasting him and the program on forums. 

Society today seems less and less interested in the "real deal", rather "good enough" will do

A operating UP 4000 isn't the "real deal"?

On top of that, other steam programs don't have the financial backing of the largest RR in the United States.

I'm still gonna wait and see, its gonna be what its gonna be, and let the chips fall where they may.

MIKE: WELL stated! I also must respectfully disagree with RICKO. His intended realistic and emotion-in-check commentary is, unfortunately, largely overshadowed by his underlying negativity and cynicism which, ironically, are emotion-based! Such a viewpoint detracts from the historical significance of this landmark event, regardless of how it plays out.

To read emotion and negativity into RICKO's post is a stretch.  The problem is the hyper pro BB chorus in here has issue with anything which isn't also 110% hyper pro BB singing in unison.  As I have said before, many singing this chorus could do well to take a page from TrainRoomGary, it all seems to roll right off him and he stays his course.

As to emailing Ed Dicken's, that's just disingenuous to suggest.  Do people really think he is going to take his time all day answering emails from rail fans be they pro, neutral, or against the UP Steam Shop?  He answers to UP Management and no one else regardless of what anyone thinks of him.

TexasSP posted:

To read emotion and negativity into RICKO's post is a stretch.  The problem is the hyper pro BB chorus in here has issue with anything which isn't also 110% hyper pro BB singing in unison.  As I have said before, many singing this chorus could do well to take a page from TrainRoomGary, it all seems to roll right off him and he stays his course.

No one is saying one can't have the opinion of "anti-Big Boy" so to speak the bigger issue lies in those who want to spread rapture and Mayan calendar doomsday fear into everyone about it when they don't know what they're talking about and like I said earlier operating off of rumors and hearsay. 

As to emailing Ed Dicken's, that's just disingenuous to suggest.  Do people really think he is going to take his time all day answering emails from rail fans be they pro, neutral, or against the UP Steam Shop?  He answers to UP Management and no one else regardless of what anyone thinks of him.

Actually he has responded to emails from railfans as well as responded to a good amount of questions on Facebook more than a few times believe it or not so its definitely not that disingenuous as you assert. And you're right, he doesn't have to answer to anyone! LOL! 

"Pro BB chorus"? REALLY? Just maybe, most of us are genuinely looking forward to this UNIQUE historical event, politics and passions aside.

This has gotten ridiculous, so I'm checking out of this thread.  I fail to understand how anyone that's interested in steam can be so negative about getting the BB back on the rails!  Sure, maybe the first time out they'll be taking baby steps, only the people who actually are in the know have that answer to exactly how hard they'll push the locomotive.  However, I will assure you that they didn't spend two years and a ton of money restoring 4014 to let it be towed around by another locomotive for the rest of it's operating career!  Do all the naysayers have the same reaction to all the other steam restorations or is this vitriol just reserved for the BB and/or the UP RR?  I'm pretty happy that at least one class 1 RR still has a steam program!

Gee guys, get a life, how can anyone be so down on something as cool at this?  I'm outta' here, the negativity here is getting pretty boring.

Tinplate Art posted:

"Pro BB chorus"? REALLY? Just maybe, most of us are genuinely looking forward to this UNIQUE historical event, politics and passions aside.

 

+1000 on this.

Not sure what to make of the "pro BB chorus." What the heck does that mean?!

Is that like the "pro ice cream, loyal pet dogs, and cool model trains chorus?"  

gunrunnerjohn posted:

This has gotten ridiculous, so I'm checking out of this thread.  I fail to understand how anyone that's interested in steam can be so negative about getting the BB back on the rails!  Sure, maybe the first time out they'll be taking baby steps, only the people who actually are in the know have that answer to exactly how hard they'll push the locomotive.  However, I will assure you that they didn't spend two years and a ton of money restoring 4014 to let it be towed around by another locomotive for the rest of it's operating career!  Do all the naysayers have the same reaction to all the other steam restorations or is this vitriol just reserved for the BB and/or the UP RR?  I'm pretty happy that at least one class 1 RR still has a steam program!

Gee guys, get a life, how can anyone be so down on something as cool at this?  I'm outta' here, the negativity here is getting pretty boring.

I'm with you, GRJ. I'm mystified about why anyone would be so negative about the UP bringing back the BB. Tons of people have been begging for years for the UP to bring back a BB. Now they are, spending a whole lot of time and money to do so. What's not to like? I also agree that there's no way they're doing this without the intention to have it fully operational. Getting a BB fully operational is the whole point!

Why complain about a Class One railroad that has an active steam program? What a great thing. If people feel the need to whine, they should whine about something else, like NS's attitude toward steam. 

I'm with John also.  I can't figure out why this seems to be a zero-sum 'game' to some - its not like UP's success has an effect on other steam programs...  I'll leave that for others to ponder as I'm also outta here

Wow!  As many know I had a beef with the UP when they tried a money grab on us train hobbyist a while back.. Now however they are trying to do something I believe is a titanic endeavor. Trying to get a 4-8-8-4 back up and running is a mechanical marvel, they seemed to have gotten the 4-8-4 up and running well so I do not see them not getting the Big Boy going as well.  My prayers will be with them next Saturday as they show the world they can achieve their goal.  As we know stuff happens so it would be very prudent of them to put a few diesels behind them if there arises a problem.

I hope they do well and if it is running well I hope they take a trip to Altoona and give the folks there a hand to try to get the 1361 back on the rails which would make my old heart very happy.

Good luck UP crew and may the wind be at your back.

John P

I suppose there are contrary views on every issue, and they should be heard. That having been said, it strikes me as more than ironic that some train folks would be so negative about an event we should seemingly embrace wholeheartedly. 

Todays UP Steam Shop post shows the front in pretty good shape.

It doesn't appear to be steamed up yet and obviously the piston and valve covers are not installed yet.

Probably just out getting chromed or they want to blow all the crud out of the system before they seal it up.

Fire hose is interesting....looks like the tender might be back there too when I zoom at home on the original download.

Hummm...

Yep, looks like the tender is at least near the back of the cab from that shot.

I, too, don't get all the people who'd revel in glee at the thought of UP falling flat on their faces with 4014 in any way. So many people want them to fail. And I just don't get it! I think many people had sleepless nights when 844 didn't suffer a crown sheet failure or rod bearings at speed once she emerged from her most recent shopping.

Frankly, I don't care if Ed worships the devil, hates America and is mean to puppies and kittens. If he can get stuff steamed up and running, the rest fills a 10 gallon bucket of not my problem. I'd bet for the suits in Omaha, they feel the same way.

That said, the only thing I think of with 4014 right now is, "Man, they are cutting this so close!"

But, Ross Rowland did a last-minute rebuild on RDG 2101 (yanked out of Baltimore scrap yard for crying out loud) for the Freedom Train in 1975, with wet paint as it backed up to couple to the train on it's first day on the road. And that went fine.

One thing I think all of us are missing.  I thought this is a celebration of the 150TH aniv of the meeting between UP and CP with a golden spike....

Maybe the 150TH and BB should be two different events.

But UP is running the show....

Dominic Mazoch posted:

One thing I think all of us are missing.  I thought this is a celebration of the 150TH aniv of the meeting between UP and CP with a golden spike....

Maybe the 150TH and BB should be two different events.

But UP is running the show....

There would be no rebuilding of 4014. That’s the whole point of UP investing millions to rebuild it - to celebrate the 150th anniversary and to create publicity for UP during the event and for years afterward. 

I've only skimmed this thread but.....

can we all just stop for a minute and consider what it took to build these beasts years ago, without modern tools and technology. Appreciate 4014 for what it is and enjoy the fact that the UP is willing to take a major hit on the balance sheets to get this locomotive running again.

I for one am looking forward to seeing 4014 under steam and on its own. Now if only LIRR # 39 could get similar financial backing.......(look it up if you are not familiar with one of the last remaining PRR G5's in existence).

RSJB18 posted:

can we all just stop for a minute and consider what it took to build these beasts years ago, without modern tools and technology.

I get your point but I'm now sure how fair this statement really is. We're talking about an America where they were already had TV, building reliable submarines, pressurized airplanes, and around the time of the second run of UP 4000s, nuclear weapons.

They just didn't have computers and computer-controlled machines. In terms of the technology used to create them, it was closer to what we have today than many people realize. and for most of the people in the ALCO plant who built them, I'd wager there were more people who knew what they were doing than in most businesses today...

gunrunnerjohn posted:

This has gotten ridiculous, so I'm checking out of this thread.  I fail to understand how anyone that's interested in steam can be so negative about getting the BB back on the rails!  Sure, maybe the first time out they'll be taking baby steps, only the people who actually are in the know have that answer to exactly how hard they'll push the locomotive.  However, I will assure you that they didn't spend two years and a ton of money restoring 4014 to let it be towed around by another locomotive for the rest of it's operating career!  Do all the naysayers have the same reaction to all the other steam restorations or is this vitriol just reserved for the BB and/or the UP RR?  I'm pretty happy that at least one class 1 RR still has a steam program!

Gee guys, get a life, how can anyone be so down on something as cool at this?  I'm outta' here, the negativity here is getting pretty boring.

Can't say I speak for anyone in this debate, but I will attempt to clarify what I perceive as the stance of the critics, as it appears that there is a bit of misunderstanding on motivations. Then, I will make an observation of my own about the debate as it has played out over these four years.

I think that the reason several of the professional steam-men on this forum (Hotwater, Rich Melvin, etc.) appear to be critical of the program is not that they want the Big Boy restoration to fail per say, but that they take issue with the methods that the manager is using to achieve operability. In their eyes, some of what Ed is doing appears contrary to sustainable (i.e. operating the locomotive for several years) or accepted practice in restoration. The sustainability point leads into what I perceive to be the second underlying concern; that is, that the folks who are critical of the program feel that the original goal will be betrayed. From their perspective (again as I see it) the critics are worried that Ed will not complete an actual restoration and instead use smoke and mirrors to make it appear that the Big Boy is operational, which again undermines the whole point of the restoration. These two above concerns are of course laced with the disdain among some enthusiasts for any form of assistance (e.g. diesels) in operating the steamer, which seems inauthentic. Hence, at least several of the critics are not gleefully waiting for the Big Boy to fail, per say, but feel that the locomotive may not be restored to full operability. 

Now, to the point expressed that UP would not spend all of this money for a static display, I think that is a valid point. However, I would venture that, with the ceremony less than two weeks away, the steam shop might cut a few corners for the Golden Spike runs (i.e. 4014 would not be fully operational), then finish their restoration for excursions this summer. Notice that, in the announcement for the CNW event that Trains reported on, the only firm detail was that UP 1995 would be there. I take that as potentially supporting my above conjecture; UP 4014 would be confirmed when the rest of the restoration work is completed. 

A brief aside: I have followed a lot of these threads over the past four years. The original mega-thread that was started right after the move was infamous for contentious debates on the viability of the restoration. In my estimation, I think that criticism has actually gone down in this thread, comparatively speaking; for example, I have seen only a few comments from Rich Melvin, and almost none (if any?) from Hotwater. This may be because (IMO) there is less openness for debate than on, say, Trainorders, where the criticism is supposedly less muted. 

Now for a statement of bias: I, like many railfans, am excited by the possibility of another operating steam locomotive. However, my limited accessibility to the engine (it's several hours and hundreds of dollars away from a college student in Williamsburg) means that I (and potentially other East Coasties) may not be as hyped for the excursions as we could be. Hence, I am not as passionate or emotionally invested. 

My apologies for this essay; just my two cents.

pittsburghrailfan posted:

gunrunnerjohn posted:

This has gotten ridiculous, so I'm checking out of this thread.  I fail to understand how anyone that's interested in steam can be so negative about getting the BB back on the rails!  Sure, maybe the first time out they'll be taking baby steps, only the people who actually are in the know have that answer to exactly how hard they'll push the locomotive.  However, I will assure you that they didn't spend two years and a ton of money restoring 4014 to let it be towed around by another locomotive for the rest of it's operating career!  Do all the naysayers have the same reaction to all the other steam restorations or is this vitriol just reserved for the BB and/or the UP RR?  I'm pretty happy that at least one class 1 RR still has a steam program!

Gee guys, get a life, how can anyone be so down on something as cool at this?  I'm outta' here, the negativity here is getting pretty boring.

Can't say I speak for anyone in this debate, but I will attempt to clarify what I perceive as the stance of the critics, as it appears that there is a bit of misunderstanding on motivations. Then, I will make an observation of my own about the debate as it has played out over these four years.

I think that the reason several of the professional steam-men on this forum (Hotwater, Rich Melvin, etc.) appear to be critical of the program is not that they want the Big Boy restoration to fail per say, but that they take issue with the methods that the manager is using to achieve operability. In their eyes, some of what Ed is doing appears contrary to sustainable (i.e. operating the locomotive for several years) or accepted practice in restoration. The sustainability point leads into what I perceive to be the second underlying concern; that is, that the folks who are critical of the program feel that the original goal will be betrayed. From their perspective (again as I see it) the critics are worried that Ed will not complete an actual restoration and instead use smoke and mirrors to make it appear that the Big Boy is operational, which again undermines the whole point of the restoration. These two above concerns are of course laced with the disdain among some enthusiasts for any form of assistance (e.g. diesels) in operating the steamer, which seems inauthentic. Hence, at least several of the critics are not gleefully waiting for the Big Boy to fail, per say, but feel that the locomotive may not be restored to full operability. 

Now, to the point expressed that UP would not spend all of this money for a static display, I think that is a valid point. However, I would venture that, with the ceremony less than two weeks away, the steam shop might cut a few corners for the Golden Spike runs (i.e. 4014 would not be fully operational), then finish their restoration for excursions this summer. Notice that, in the announcement for the CNW event that Trains reported on, the only firm detail was that UP 1995 would be there. I take that as potentially supporting my above conjecture; UP 4014 would be confirmed when the rest of the restoration work is completed. 

A brief aside: I have followed a lot of these threads over the past four years. The original mega-thread that was started right after the move was infamous for contentious debates on the viability of the restoration. In my estimation, I think that criticism has actually gone down in this thread, comparatively speaking; for example, I have seen only a few comments from Rich Melvin, and almost none (if any?) from Hotwater. This may be because (IMO) there is less openness for debate than on, say, Trainorders, where the criticism is supposedly less muted. 

Now for a statement of bias: I, like many railfans, am excited by the possibility of another operating steam locomotive. However, my limited accessibility to the engine (it's several hours and hundreds of dollars away from a college student in Williamsburg) means that I (and potentially other East Coasties) may not be as hyped for the excursions as we could be. Hence, I am not as passionate or emotionally invested. 

My apologies for this essay; just my two cents.

Just what part of this restoration could be considered unsustainable for future operation? Both tube sheets new, all new springs, all new crank pins, all new tires, the list goes on.... It’s not smoke and mirrors. This has been a no expense spared rebuild. For anyone to suggest otherwise is being willfully blind to the facts as presented over the last 2.5 years, once the rebuilding of this locomotive began in earnest.

If one were to say, “Well none of that work was really needed, so and so would have not done that much work to put that locomotive back in steam” I would say, just who is being sloppy in that situation? 

Heck, Dan! I'm another country away! But, I am still excited. I certainly won't be there, but I hope for lots of HD video footage. At least some of that, I hope will be taken by capable photographers without crowds of onlookers in the frame. UP really should hire a professional drone operator for video. 

And, if the UP guys are not able to get 4014 fully operational in time, well, so be it. It's certainly not the end of the world. It isn't even a "failure" IMO. It may just take a little more time.

Anyone know if there will be any live streaming?

pittsburghrailfan posted:

….I think that the reason several of the professional steam-men on this forum (Hotwater, Rich Melvin, etc.) appear to be critical of the program ….

I think the only "professional steam-man" on this forum is Kelly Anderson of Strasburg Railroad.

Anyhow, myself and at least 2 other OGR members will be staying at the Marriott Courtyard. I'm making it into a little family vacation. Will be doing other things, too. I'll be wearing a CNJ baseball cap. Say …. hello.

Jim

"smoke and mirrors"? Crikey, mate!  

eldodroptop posted:

pittsburghrailfan posted:

gunrunnerjohn posted:

This has gotten ridiculous, so I'm checking out of this thread.  I fail to understand how anyone that's interested in steam can be so negative about getting the BB back on the rails!  Sure, maybe the first time out they'll be taking baby steps, only the people who actually are in the know have that answer to exactly how hard they'll push the locomotive.  However, I will assure you that they didn't spend two years and a ton of money restoring 4014 to let it be towed around by another locomotive for the rest of it's operating career!  Do all the naysayers have the same reaction to all the other steam restorations or is this vitriol just reserved for the BB and/or the UP RR?  I'm pretty happy that at least one class 1 RR still has a steam program!

Gee guys, get a life, how can anyone be so down on something as cool at this?  I'm outta' here, the negativity here is getting pretty boring.

Just what part of this restoration could be considered unsustainable for future operation? Both tube sheets new, all new springs, all new crank pins, all new tires, the list goes on.... It’s not smoke and mirrors. This has been a no expense spared rebuild. For anyone to suggest otherwise is being willfully blind to the facts as presented over the last 2.5 years, once the rebuilding of this locomotive began in earnest.

If one were to say, “Well none of that work was really needed, so and so would have not done that much work to put that locomotive back in steam” I would say, just who is being sloppy in that situation? 

I was referring to Rich's critique about the removal of the water system from about a week ago. I am unaware if that critique was debunked after it was posted. I agree with the "no expenses spared" point. 

To Tinplate Art: Perhaps "smoke and mirrors" was a little extreme, but it got my point across that the 4014 at Ogden might not be fully operational. Which, as Terry pointed out, is a matter of personal taste. 

To Terry Danks: Trains Magazine might do a livestream (they did ones for 611 in the past) and I'm sure a Youtuber will put one up as well, but I can't speak to the former, since my subscription lapsed about two years ago.