UP 4014 January 2017 Update

N&W Class J posted:

trainroomgary posted:

1. "Thus, they can NOT turn wheel profiles, even on diesel units."

Gary: Rail-fan

Gary he was referring to Cheyenne not being able to turn wheels on diesels, not the UP system itself.  

Hi Chris / I already said: "Got it.........." 

This video tells the story, did you watch the video?

Gary: Rail-fan

Hi: Kelly Anderson

There is a lot of helpful information at your web page.  Strasburg Rail Road Mechanical Dept.

Gary: Rail-fan

trainroomgary post:

Hi Chris / I already said: "Got it.........." 

This video tells the story, did you watch the video?

Gary: Rail-fan

Sorry, misinterpreted your earlier answer, and yes I've seen the video some time ago.  Very interesting process to say the least.

Casey Jones2 posted:

We visited the Greenbay museum in the late 60's and 4017 was stored outdoors...Probably been stored outdoors for 40+ years before being drug inside.  

I checked with the National Railroad Museum reps at the Mad City show yesterday. The building in which the 4017 is now housed was erected around the locomotive in 2001. (The locomotive itself wasn't moved.)

So it looks like my memory was faulty. It was outdoors when I first saw it around 1990. 

And, yes, it was likely outdoors for 40 years in Green Bay. 

I still wonder why they didn't just pick 4004 over 4014. It was 9 blocks from the shop. Obviously I know it was in a park and it probably would've been trucked out or however but I bet it would've been cheaper probably. Supposedly 4014 was picked for "other" reasons as has been said by Hotwater and a few others over on TO. I would think the city of Cheyenne and the residents would rather see the 4004 operating again instead of just "sitting" in a park considering how important it was along with the railroad to the city but maybe I'm wrong.

Something else to remember, Union Pacific, DIDN'T OWN any of the Big Boys that still existed. Some of the owners may not have wanted to give them up, even if UP had felt that they were better candidates for restoration. UP couldn't just decide which one they wanted, and go take it. IIRC, Pomona was not exactly enthusiastic about losing the 4014, and there were some meetings held to discuss it, before it was decided to allow the 4014 to leave.

Doug

So, does UP have TITLE to the 4014?

I believe they do, I can't imagine the UP doing this without being the sole owner.

The Restoration • The Union Pacific 4014 • Brief History

In late 2012, Union Pacific announced that it was interested in obtaining a Big Boy and restoring it to operating condition.

On July 23, 2013 Union Pacific announced that it has reacquired 4014 from The Southern California chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in Pomona, with the goal of restoring it to service.

On November 14, 2013, UP 4014 was moved from its home at the museum, on temporary track, on to the adjacent parking lot, with plans to take it to Union Pacific's rail yard in Colton, California before its move to Cheyenne. Union Pacific personnel carried out the transfer of 4014 from its display to the cyclone fencing at the northeastern edge of the Fairplex property at several feet from the Metrolink track by attaching tethers to a front end loader, allowing the loader to pull the steam engine across the parking lot.

On the morning of January 26, 2014, UP 4014 (recently re-numbered on the U.P. active locomotive roster so as to avoid confusion with an EMD SD70M diesel locomotive presently using the number 4014; SD70M renumbered UPP 4014) was pulled out of the Los Angeles County Fairplex by the Southern Pacific liveried diesel locomotive UP 1996 (part of UP's Heritage Series of locomotives). UP 4014's destination for restoration to full operating condition was the Union Pacific Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming under the guidance of Heritage Fleet Operations director Ed Dickens. On February 2014, UP 3105 (née Missouri Pacific 6027), an EMD SD40-2C, UP insulated boxcar 453665 and bay window caboose UP 24567 (née Rock Island 17149) took No. 4014's place in the museum. On May 8, 2014, UP 4014 arrived in Cheyenne. On August 12, 2016, the UP steam crew announced work on 4014's restoration had begun. Part of the restoration includes converting the locomotive to use no. 5 oil instead of coal.

When 4014's restoration is completed, the engine will join the railroad's never-retired 4-8-4 #844 and the 4-6-6-4 Challenger #3985 in excursion service and will officially be "the world's largest operational steam locomotive," displacing the 3985. Union Pacific hopes to return the Big Boy 4014 to active excursion service between 2017 to 2019. The restoration includes a plan to convert the locomotive to oil firing. 

The Final Objectives.

Heritage Fleet Operations Director: Ed Dickens.

Plans for operating the locomotive include the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad in May 2019 and the 75th anniversary of Union Pacific 844 as well. The restoration officially began on August 11, 2016, after the 844 finally completed its overhaul.

Gary: Rail-fan

MJV1988 posted:

I still wonder why they didn't just pick 4004 over 4014. It was 9 blocks from the shop. Obviously I know it was in a park and it probably would've been trucked out or however but I bet it would've been cheaper probably. Supposedly 4014 was picked for "other" reasons as has been said by Hotwater and a few others over on TO. I would think the city of Cheyenne and the residents would rather see the 4004 operating again instead of just "sitting" in a park considering how important it was along with the railroad to the city but maybe I'm wrong.

From the Trains 2014 S.I.P Big Boy On The Road To Restoration.  Question:  Why choose No. 4014 from all other Big Boys?  Answer:  Mechanical condition.   UP's Ed Dickens says he considered other survivors of the Big Boy class but No. 4014 soon became the front-runner because its boiler barrel is in excellent condition.  "There's some pitting, but overall it is in extremely good shape," he says.  "The interior of the boiler is like a time capsule.  I could see writing on the steel and as I worked my way inside it during an inspection, I could see a fusible plug that looked like it had been removed yesterday, but it hadn't been."  The 300-psi pressure vessel that constitutes the Big Boy boiler is its most critical part.  If you don't have a good boiler, then you don't have a viable engine.  The locomotive's years on display in a relatively dry climate means No. 4014 has had little damage from rust and condensation over the years.  "On a lot of museum or display locomotives, you see moss or grass growing out of the jacket," Dickens says.  "That's not the case here.  The engine is also largely intact, down to nozzles for the injectors."  (Quotation marks are theirs.)

An excerpt from the article titled "Where The Boys Are" by Jim Wrinn in the same Trains S.I.P. concerning No. 4004: "The locomotive was flooded in 1986 when heavy rains caused ponding in the park and enough water accumulated to almost cover the 68-inch drivers.  Small parts have been removed for use on UP's active steam engines."  (Quotations are mine.)

So if Trains magazine's assessment of the effects of climate on boiler integrity is to be believed, clearly 4004 resides in the wetter of the two regions.  Personally I have no opinion as I have little idea what they're talking about.  I'm just quoting a source.

Several years ago i was taking a tour of the Strasberg RR shops and there was a very large  driver from a steam engine on their wheel lathe. I asked about it and the shop man said that it was one of the UP drivers they got to work on. A long way from home !!