UP 844 Steam Update w/ Video

excellent!

No. 844 Prepares for Frontier Days Debut

UP’s Living Legend No. 844 continues to pass its exams as it readies for its big return to service at Cheyenne Frontier Days July 23. No. 844’s engine was successfully test fired June 16, and a full steam test was completed on June 17.

Congrats / Ed Dickens & The Steam Shop Team.

Click on screen shots to enlarge.

Wait...What is the diesel doing there?

smd4 posted:

Wait...What is the diesel doing there?

Gary

Who knows..my guess would be to pull her out of the shop to light her up.

Well that is good to see.  I must admit for the past 3 years I have been convinced that this wouldn't happen, and I'm happy to say I was wrong.  It looks like she will indeed make her debut for Frontier Days after all.  Thanks for posting the link/video. 

Me too. Things looked rather bleak for a while. I'm very glad though that those passengers who were hoping for steam on the head end are now getting their early Christmas wish!

smd4 posted:

Wait...What is the diesel doing there?

Maybe the diesel is for backup braking or dead weight for loading or both?

So where was the tender refurbished and repainted??

The good news is progress is being made. I wish I could afford  tickets.

I "have no dog in this fight" over the UP steam program. But that vid of 844 under steam, even without all her cladding is just beautiful!

Go UP!

"All the neat tools and cool stuff we’ve built will apply to the 4014 project....."

Never mind that Ed's statement "All the neat tools and cool stuff we've built" sounds like how a 12-year-old would phrase it, if these things (whatever they are) also prove useful for the 4014, that's great. Begs the question of how the previous steam team managed to do the work without "all the neat tools and cool stuff," but whatever works for this team now, fine.

breezinup posted:

"All the neat tools and cool stuff we’ve built will apply to the 4014 project....."

Never mind that Ed's statement "All the neat tools and cool stuff we've built" sounds like how a 12-year-old would phrase it, if these things (whatever they are) also prove useful for the 4014, that's great. Begs the question of how the previous steam team managed to do the work without "all the neat tools and cool stuff," but whatever works for this team now, fine.

Hmm. Wonder if they sent some of the work "odd house"? 

May have sped up the process.

She passed all the steam tests with flying colors.  Great job steam team.  Now maybe we can read without all the negative comments on the engine, team and delight in seeing it run again.

Sounds like good news to me, not concerned about who accomplished it. NOW, IF we could only get the lovely PRR K4 1361 in running order !!

But she has not been on the road. YET.  That should be the real test.  

smd4 posted:

Wait...What is the diesel doing there?

I would think just as a safety feature just in case of there's not enough Air  pressure to apply the brakes.

Anyway It's  a beginning . 

Ed Dickens, Union Pacific’s senior manager – Heritage Operations, said the locomotive reassembly is nearing completion. “We’ve gone from a boiler to an operating locomotive in a matter of weeks.”

With a successful hydrostatic inspection of No. 844 under their belt, the team confirmed the unit’s pressure vessel is sound. “There were no issues with the hydrostatic inspection,” Dickens said. “The inspectors present were very pleased with the professionalism and craftsmanship exhibited by the staff. It was a nice end to that part of the work.”

The team has moved on to testing No. 844 with steam. When the locomotive reached full pressure, Jimmy Thompson, boiler maker, was the first person to blow the whistle. “The whistle came to life,” Dickens said. “And at that moment the City of Cheyenne could hear – No. 844 is back.”

Gary

Gary

I'm glad they got one outta the three going! 

 Excellent News, let's hope the break in runs have no major hiccups

Al

According to the guage in that video, it was only at half of its operating pressure. 

RickO posted:

According to the guage in that video, it was only at half of its operating pressure. 

Correct, however,,,,,,,sooner or later they MUST exceed 300psi in order to test/set the three safety valves, per FRA regulations.

Hot Water posted:

RickO posted:

According to the guage in that video, it was only at half of its operating pressure. 

Correct, however,,,,,,,sooner or later they MUST exceed 300psi in order to test/set the three safety valves, per FRA regulations.

Thanks for the info, I was also wondering about that.

Once they've brought the locomotive to full operating pressure, does it need to be inspected again?

When the safety valves are doing their job, are they, "popping off"?

Dominic Mazoch posted:

When the safety valves are doing their job, are they, "popping off"?

Yes.

Most folks think that the "safety valves" are to prevent the boiler from exploding. That is NOT true. The safety valve/safety valves provide an audible warning that the Fireman is exceeding the maximum working pressure of the boiler, and thus is potentially over stressing the running gear machinery. Thus, the purpose of the safety valve/safety valves are to limit the horsepower of the machinery. Throughout history, the safety valve/safety valves have NEVER prevented a catastrophic boiler explosion due to low water! Anyone who thinks that those 2, 3, or 4  3" to 4" diameter holes in the top of the boiler are capable of preventing a massive explosion, are dreaming.   

Time to admit that Ed does know what he is doing and stop negative comments about the crew.

Are those straps around the boiler to the dome only temporary until it gets properly attached?

Good to see her out and moving.  Can't wait till they put more pressure into that boiler and have her moving without a diesel behind her!

ironlake2 posted:

Time to admit that Ed does know what he is doing and stop negative comments about the crew.

Sorry, but the current manager does NOT know what he's doing! Many members of the current crew do. That is why additional contracted workers came in to complete the job. Also, 844 STILL hasn't made a successful main line test trip yet.

Excellent

With all due respect Jack, I can understand you having an axe to grind against him and his show, but please try to keep the same argument against him out of this post. I posted this video and article to show to all of the UP steam fans that regardless of the dis-function the 844 is back and hopefully steaming again for many years with or without Ed.

PennsyPride94 posted:

With all due respect Jack, I can understand you having an axe to grind against him and his show, but please try to keep the same argument against him out of this post. I posted this video and article to show to all of the UP steam fans that regardless of the dis-function the 844 is back and hopefully steaming again for many years with or without Ed.

If I may, Jack wasn't blindly grinding an axe.  Someone else posted something that demanded a response, where seeing a locomotive run would stop the negative comments against Dickens.

I'm sure that if someone hadn't posted something like that in the first place as bait, this thread could have gone without any comments against Dickens.

On another note, I'm still cautiously optimistic.  I've followed Flying Scotsman's trials in getting back to the main line to know that sometimes an early steam test isn't the last word in getting her up and running completely!

Hot Water posted:

Dominic Mazoch posted:

When the safety valves are doing their job, are they, "popping off"?

Yes.

Most folks think that the "safety valves" are to prevent the boiler from exploding. That is NOT true. The safety valve/safety valves provide an audible warning that the Fireman is exceeding the maximum working pressure of the boiler, and thus is potentially over stressing the running gear machinery. Thus, the purpose of the safety valve/safety valves are to limit the horsepower of the machinery. Throughout history, the safety valve/safety valves have NEVER prevented a catastrophic boiler explosion due to low water! Anyone who thinks that those 2, 3, or 4  3" to 4" diameter holes in the top of the boiler are capable of preventing a massive explosion, are dreaming.   

I think you are confusing the issue.

A boiler explosion is not necessarily caused by an "overpressure". It can be caused by an undesired opening (ex. - crack) in the boiler allowing the steam to suddenly lose pressure by venting to the atmosphere where it immediately expands causing the explosion.

Eddie,

I am fully aware he's not blindly doing so. And in fact I'm one of his supporters on here that believe he deserves every right to speak his mind. He's contributed at lot to the program and is passionate about his work and most of all wants to see it succeed.

The only point I'm trying to make is to look at this situation in an optimistic light and not a pessimistic one. It is easy to look for the negatives and sometimes when it comes to this topic that's all we hear.

Hot Water posted:

Also, 844 STILL hasn't made a successful main line test trip yet.

Yes ..... lets not give up hope, everyone!!  There is still plenty of time left for the UP Steam Program to fail before Frontier Days. 

I know of a museum or two that keeps their operable steam tractors un-jacketed for ease of inspection and certification. Those only run two or three times a year, though.

For 844 to be at this level of operation compared to previous information is an accomplishment, for sure. There must have been a large surge in manpower and resources very recently.

  Nice to hear a UP steamboat whistle again........

Al

The white you see on 844 is insulation that is ready to be covered by the sheet metal. 

I really know nothing about this project.  I am passionate about letting all opinions have a voice.  Trying to exclude folks who do not agree with you from a conversation seems to me to be a very bad idea.

Opinion.

How serendipitous that the 844 comes back to life and the Lionel models shipped about the same time

bob2 posted:

I am passionate about letting all opinions have a voice.  Trying to exclude folks who do not agree with you from a conversation seems to me to be a very bad idea.

And yet, it's very common online anyway...