UP 4014 Latest UP info added 1-31-14

So glad to see it moving again and to see that they are using one of the heritage engines. I hope when it moves to Wyoming they use several more

Thanks for posting the video Matt!

Great pics and video Matt, thank you.  Amazing thing to see a 4000 moving down the rails.

I talked to one of the guys from the Preservation Group and they said the 2022 announcement is something Fairplex is pushing and may not be a done deal (I'm still upset with Fairplex management over the Citrus Empire matter). The word I heard on the restoration is that UP is shooting to get the restoration completed in time for the 150th anniversary of the the Transcontinental Railroad completion which is consistent with their 3-5 year restoration estimate. My impression is that the Big Boy, if completed on time, will figure prominently in an anniversary ceremony.

 

Stupid question of the day:

 

Why do they drag them backwards like that?

It's amazing how quickly them hobos climbed about the 4014 for a ride, they were all over it

Not stupid!  That is the way that 4014 just happened to pulled from the display site. They may turn it while in Colton Yard, prior to departing for Wyoming in April.

When the locomotive was pulled onto the UP main from the Metrolink track, it was then oriented frontwards, the plan all along. 

Didn't have a choice, that's the way it was facing. Unlike our models, they can't just pick it up and turn it around. They need a "place" to turn it such as a "wye" or "ballon" track, and they used the "wye" under the 605 freeway to turn it.

 

They have 2 options to turn it while at West Colton, there is a wye track at diesel service, but I'm not sure it will fit on that as it does dead end and the curves are tight. The also have a balloon track off the mainline down towards Pepper Ave. Since it was pulled into the yard facing east, it's facing the correct direction to depart when it's ready.

Correct. However, it was towed forward to Colton and is forward-oriented for it's trip to Cheyenne this spring (assuming they don't turn it around somewhere.) There is/was no turntable at Colton and Doug's right about the wye and the balloon track -- very sharp. Colton is an ex-SP facility that's relatively new (post-steam). Aerial photos of the area seem to indicate it was built in the late 1960's.

Hmm, the way I understood it from the UP videos on Youtube, they spent considerable time in the parking lot turning 4014 around so it would be oriented properly for the trip.

 

The videos I've seen of the 4018 move show the locomotive being towed backwards.

 

Most every video I've seen of a "display" steam locomotive being towed, the locomotive is being towed backwards.

 

Figured there had to be some sort of technical reason for it, because having to tow all of them backwards like that seemed like too much of a coincidence.

Need to justify a business trip that coincides with the path she's taking

I think it is just a matter on how it sits, I saw they tow the 844 back from Sacramento in 1999. It was towed forward with the rods removed

Thanks Matt! Those videos are amazing. Nice work finding places free of the crowds!

When 4014 was pulled from the RailGiants Museum it was pull out tender first because that was the way it was sitting.  It was then moved across the parking lot tender first for the same reason.  It was aligned with the MetroLink track in as few moves as possible which left it being removed from Fairplex tender first.  When it crossed over to UP track, it was pulled into Colton smoke box first.  It will be pulled into Cheyenne smoke box first.  Just in case anyone is wondering, the covered grain hoppers are there to meet the Federal requirement for working brakes.  Everyone, and everything, arrived in Colton safely.

The Diesel, boxcar, and caboose made the return trip from Covina to Fairplex and are now sitting on the same temp track where the 4014 was.  This train will be moved into the RailGiants Museum after the Winter National Drag races are completed in mid-February.  The MetroLink track crew did a great job, and completed all of the rail movement in plenty to time for the move.   Without them the move could not have taken place as smoothly as it did.  Our thanks to them.

Another video I came across.

 

I notice in both the videos posted, the eccentric crank, eccentric rod, and other associated valve gear components have NOT been reinstalled. Without them, the mechanical lubricators will NOT be operating. I therefor suppose that will be corrected while in Colton?

awesome video

 

thanks!!

4014'S MADE IT ON YAHOO'S FRONT PAGE!!! 

 

(I didn't know "Big Boy" was chalked on the smokebox, in reference to how the class got its name.)

I only have some experience working around 3 relatively small locomotives who's mechanical lubricators only lubricate the pistons and valves (all three use hydrostatic lubricators for their air compressors).  What all would the lubricators service on a large modern locomotive such as a big boy?  C&O Allegheny #1601 is on static display in the indoor museum where I work, and I've studied her during my lunch hour a couple times and can't seem to remember where all her lubricator lines run to, but I know she has a lot of them.

The eccentric cranks on the fireman’s side of 4014 which are the only ones that drive the mechanical lubricators for the axil bearings have been installed and are working. 

The ones on the engineer’s side are not needed for the trip to Cheyenne.

Look again

 

You can see they have the L2 (correct description?) lubricator hooked up.

 

Good close-up in this video at about 1 MIN and 15 SEC.

 

 

Yep they sure are hooked up..good video.

All those guys standing in the coal bunker...

 

Did the UP change it's mind and gonna fuel the 4014 with Soylent Green?

 

Rusty

Good find, Chris. I think the guy who shot the video had hopped over the fence I was leaning on when I shot my first video. Very good coverage of the trip.

Thanks to those posting videos and pictures. Enjoyed the Trains magazine video feed. The Giants museum guys had the BB looking good and showed the care it has received over the years, the UPRR flag unit and the SP heritage unit both looked great.

 

When K-Line produced their 1:64 O gauge  BB years ago, as I recall, it didn't have piston rods, who would have known, now its prototypical.

Was it mentioned how the RH Eccentrics are removed yet the LH ones are in place? I see the LH Nathan Lubricators are working, including the BB's unique chain drive on the front engine which I believe run off the Eccentric motion. But the RH Lubricators are not hooked up. 

Just curious.

The right side mechanical lubricators are for valve oil (sometimes referred to as Steam Oil), and since the locomotive will NOT be working steam, nor are the valves and pistons even in place, they are thus not required. The left side mechanical lubricators provide machine oil to all the driving box pedestal liners and crossheads. 

Thanks Hot!

 

I never knew the lubrication chores were split like that.

Would this apply to non articulated locomotive as well?

 

Yes. The machine oil can NOT be mixed in with the thick, high temperature valve oil, which is only used for lubrication in the valves, cylinders, and the Worthington Hot Water Feedwater Pump (which is obviously steam driven). Thus there is always separate mechanical lubricators for machine oil and valve oil. The air pumps have their own lubricators, split between machine oil (for the air side) and valve oil (for the steam side).

Thanks for the lesson Hot.

Good videos, thanks for sharing.

Yeah this guy got some very good footage of the move.  I'm glad everything went so smoothly.

So are we!  It was great that so many people came out to participate in the move.

Well it's stashed away in the yard over at West Colton. We went right by it last night when we were putting our power away. It's not in the service area yet, just stored in an old MOW track at the south end of the yard close to the main entrance....with a security guard posted right next to it. My guess is the guys can't play with their new toy until they go clean up the mess and put their other toys/tools away at the fairgrounds. I'll try to get some pictures tonight when I go on duty.

A ton of video is up on YouTube covering Sunday's move. When viewing this one, what do I see at about 12 minutes in? Me! I'm the nut job standing behind my red Nissan pickup with the lid open taking video over the fence. Good thing I didn't do something stupid on camera.

 

I thought that was you when I watched that video the 2nd time I wasn't gonna call you out though!

Well right place right time....

One I'd like to call out is the clown that ran across a 2-track grade crossing when they moved 4014 west across Citrus to hitch up with the rest of the train. The second track was open and he crossed as the consist passed without being able to see the tracks to the west. Fortunately a Metrolink train wasn't coming from the west or he'd be toast. I caught him on film. Initially, I didn't post the video to YouTube but I'm thinking this guy should stand out as "what not to do while rail fanning." When I saw this guy, I had visions of an incident that happened at a commuter rail station where a woman walked past a parked train (signals were going) right into the path of an oncoming express -- killed her instantly.

 

 

 

It never fails to amaze me at what these folks do around and on the tracks.  I remember that woman she was hit and flew right at the camera man that was there filming....horrifying to see with out any question.  I always wonder when people will learn....seems like never.