Love the photo with the boy!

Good to see another steam engine out on the rails.

The boy deserves a 4014 model to commemorate Great pics.

@jhl1963 posted:

The boy deserves a 4014 model to commemorate Great pics.

We've got one!

Wish people would stop referring to Big Boy #4014 as a "beast".  It is not- - - it is a refined piece of railroad engineering that was highly functional. Yes, it's big, but so is an aircraft carrier, another highly engineered and functional piece of equipment.

@mark s posted:

Wish people would stop referring to Big Boy #4014 as a "beast".  It is not- - - it is a refined piece of railroad engineering that was highly functional. Yes, it's big, but so is an aircraft carrier, another highly engineered and functional piece of equipment.

@mark s posted:

Wish people would stop referring to Big Boy #4014 as a "beast".  It is not- - - it is a refined piece of railroad engineering that was highly functional. Yes, it's big, but so is an aircraft carrier, another highly engineered and functional piece of equipment.

Oh boo hoo

OP, glad you got to experience that with your son.

But the Thomas at Strasburg is the real deal.

@RickO posted:

Easy guys. It's only pushed around anyway, kinda reminds me of that Thomas the tank that visits train museums. Its just bigger.😉

@mark s posted:

Wish people would stop referring to Big Boy #4014 as a "beast".  It is not- - - it is a refined piece of railroad engineering that was highly functional. Yes, it's big, but so is an aircraft carrier, another highly engineered and functional piece of equipment.

Really ???

C'mon, the guy had a good time with his son. an I am sure the son will always remember the day.. LET IT GO

Awesome Mike!

It was very interesting watching Ed and the Steam Team thread this million pound needle through all those wires at DUS.

Ok in all seriousness anyone ask or know what’s with the dual beam headlight?

@zhubl posted:

Ok in all seriousness anyone ask or know what’s either the dual beam headlight?

They changed it to the sealed beam, since those bulbs are much easier to obtain.

The company I used to work for, in oil exploration, had Union Pacific Resources from Fort Worth as one of its clients. When I used to visit them they had schematics of the Big Boy in several offices. I used to comment on how cool they were. On a visit after a couple of years their department head gave me a copy. I promptly had it framed and it’s been hanging in my study for the last 30 years or so.  I get to enjoy it every day. The photo is a little wonky but it was the best photo I could take because of the glare from many windows. It’s over 3 feet long.

@mark s posted:

Wish people would stop referring to Big Boy #4014 as a "beast".  It is not- - - it is a refined piece of railroad engineering that was highly functional. Yes, it's big, but so is an aircraft carrier, another highly engineered and functional piece of equipment.

Things like trains and ships capture the imagination of people who see them, people who served on ships called them she (still do), and many of them saw the ship in some ways as a living thing, despite the fact it was a pile of steel and rivets and whatnot. Steam engines particularly caught the imagination of many, the fascination with steam on our model railroads , given many of us never saw them in action, tells a story too. Not to mention that people preserve them, when there is absolutely no practical reason to do so. To kids and adults who let their inner kid have time in the sun, they are a beast, a dragon proudly trodding the rails . (and I proudly state I think that, too).

@mark s posted:

Wish people would stop referring to Big Boy #4014 as a "beast".  It is not- - - it is a refined piece of railroad engineering that was highly functional. Yes, it's big, but so is an aircraft carrier, another highly engineered and functional piece of equipment.

whatever

It's a beast of a locomotive.    Just like a 747 (queen of the skies) is a beast of an airplane

@mark s posted:

Wish people would stop referring to Big Boy #4014 as a "beast".  It is not- - -

Well Mark, in fact the UP 4000 class locomotives were/are "beasts", as they were specifically designed & built as mountain maulers (for the Wasatch Mountain grades eastbound out of Ogden, Utah), thus limited to only 55 -60 MPH. Now the 3900 class Challengers and 800 class Northerns were "Race Horses" for high speed freight and passenger service (I've been on #3985 in excess of 70 MPH, and #844 in excess of 90 MPH).

it is a refined piece of railroad engineering that was highly functional.

Yes,as a mountain mauler, but NOT for high speeds.

Yes, it's big, but so is an aircraft carrier, another highly engineered and functional piece of equipment.

Yes, and also built for high speed, i.e. in excess of 35 knots!

Big Boy was designed to run at speeds up to 80 MPH.

My objection to the term "beast" is that it implies ugliness - I do not find 4014 to be ugly. I note that the majority of commentors appear to be on the younger side, so do not have a refined perspective on how great the 4000's were. A shame, but time marches on.

@mark s posted:

Big Boy was designed to run at speeds up to 80 MPH.

Absolutely TOTALLY not true!!!!!!   That was an ALCO advertising claim. They were limited to under 60 MPH, and rarely exceeded 55 MPH.

My objection to the term "beast" is that it implies ugliness - I do not find 4014 to be ugly. I note that the majority of commentors appear to be on the younger side, so do not have a refined perspective on how great the 4000's were. A shame, but time marches on.

The speeds you cite might well be limitations imposed by the topography and grades where they were employed, not the limitations of the machinery.  To quote Wikipedia (yeah, yeah, I know questionable source), "It was designed to travel safely and smoothly at 80 MPH"

It should be noted that Big Boys had 68" drivers, UP Challengers, 69". Really, a rather modest difference. Driver size typically implied top speed potential.

But, I am done.  Big Boy is a slow "beast", comparable to a compound mallet of WWI vintage. You fellows win. 

@mark s posted:

The speeds you cite might well be limitations imposed by the topography and grades where they were employed, not the limitations of the machinery.

Actually is WAS the machinery limitations why the UP limited them to 55 MPH. By the way, please note that currently #4014 RARELY reaches 60 MPH.

To quote Wikipedia (yeah, yeah, I know questionable source), "It was designed to travel safely and smoothly at 80 MPH"

Again, they simply quote the ALCO advertisements.

It should be noted that Big Boys had 68" drivers, UP Challengers, 69".

But,,,,,,,,,,there is a LOT more machinery on the 4000s than there is on the 3900s!

Really, a rather modest difference. Driver size typically implied top speed potential.

Besides driver diameter, the overall rotating machinery MUST be a limiting consideration.

But, I am done.  Big Boy is a slow "beast", comparable to a compound mallet of WWI vintage.

Pretty much.

You fellows win.

Thanks.

If Union Pacific limited Big Boys to 55 MPH, why is it NOW going 60 MPH?

@Hot Water posted:

They changed it to the sealed beam, since those bulbs are much easier to obtain.

Makes sense figured it was something along those lines. Now is this the same size bulb that 3985 and 844 would use? If that’s the case I wonder if those bulbs would also get changed out?

@mark s posted:

If Union Pacific limited Big Boys to 55 MPH, why is it NOW going 60 MPH?

It rarely does 60 MPH!

UP keeps it under 60 MPH to preserve the machine/historical artifact.  If UP 4-12-2's could do 60  MPH with all the rotating "machinery" they had. it really isn't a stretch of imagination that a Big Boy with 15 more years of steam locomotive design/counter-balancing experience could achieve 80 MPH, if pushed. But not in the mountains.

Great pics everyone!  Thanks for posting

@mark s posted:

UP keeps it under 60 MPH to preserve the machine/historical artifact….

LOL!  And the moon is made of green cheese.

The real reason they keep it under 60 is because the diesels can’t shove it any faster. 😉

Rich,

Does the 4014 ever venture out on its own ???

Thanks

@Ron H posted:

Rich,

Does the 4014 ever venture out on its own ???

Thanks

How much did Rich pay you to toss that softball?  LOL!

I know literally nothing about #4014’s past or present capabilities.  What I do know from the pictures in the OP is that Mike and his son had an awesome time visiting with her (which I believe was the point of the thread). Glad to see it and I miss the days of when my sons were of the age to have such a great outing.  

Thanks for posting the pics, Mike - it looks like it was a wonderful day with your son.

@Rider Sandman posted:

I know literally nothing about #4014’s past or present capabilities.  What I do know from the pictures in the OP is that Mike and his son had an awesome time visiting with her (which I believe was the point of the thread). Glad to see it and I miss the days of when my sons were of the age to have such a great outing.  

Thanks for posting the pics, Mike - it looks like it was a wonderful day with your son.

BINGO!

Thanks for the kind words, everyone! This thread went "off the rails" a little bit - I definitely did not intend to ruffle feathers with my word choice and I think it was clear I meant no disrespect to #4014.

Seeing the Big Boy is a memory I'll cherish for the rest of my life!

Mike0289   4014 is memory to cherish....  thanks 4 the pics.  My OGR image is when they had open house in 2019 while rebuilding Big Boy what a day with my granddaughter.....     off the rails a lot...      Rick

@Mike0289 posted:

Thanks for the kind words, everyone! This thread went "off the rails" a little bit - I definitely did not intend to ruffle feathers with my word choice and I think it was clear I meant no disrespect to #4014.

Seeing the Big Boy is a memory I'll cherish for the rest of my life!

I apologize to you, Mike. It is the only unfortunate part about the OGR forum ... a man posts a photo of his little boy with a locomotive, and instead of a little friendly comment, or a "like," or even just skip the topic ... some need to disrupt it from behind their keyboards.

Perhaps the most successful part of this whole UP 4014 story is how it brought out the people, of all types, including Moms and Dads with their kids of all ages. Really couldn't believe it. I hope that some of all this new enthusiasm that was created will spark interest in other steam engine restorations around the country. They need our support.

I live not far from Steamtown in Scranton Pa, and somewhere we have photos of my very young sons and I in front of their UP 4012. The "Big Boy" was a big thing with my boys after that. As grown men now, they still enjoy steam engines, though not as much as me. lol

Hope to see more photos of you and your boy. And, yea .... she is a beast. A big, cool, powerful beast.

Jim

Need more comments like CNJ Jim     

@Ron H posted:

Rich,

Does the 4014 ever venture out on its own ???

No. Always has diesels shoving it.

One note on the claimed speed of the Big Boy, etc.  It is very , very common for marketing people to use extreme numbers when promoting their product. So could a big boy hit 80MPH? Maybe, on flat, level track not pulling anything, so they may not be lying. Also, saying "it was designed to cruise at 80mph" may not be a lie, they could have made it strong enough to do that,designed to allow it to safely go those speeds, but it doesn't mean it actually ever used that. The interestate highway system was designed for 80mph speeds, the curves, grades and banking were designed to allow those kind of speeds, and that was with 1950's cars that quite frankly were primitive compared to what we have on cars today..yet speed limits are well below that  , for much the same reason. Highway may be able to handle 80mph speeds, but that is a theoretical, practically with traffic levels, how bad many drivers are, etc, limits are set much lower.

My brother is a broadcast engineer, had been his whole career. He was in charge of testing out the proposed standards for over the air digital hi def tv back in the early 90's.  With digital over the air transmission the signal pattern is sharp, it cuts off once you hit a certain distance. With old analog transmissions, the field pattern from the tower would vary, it was like this amorphous blob that changed depending on time of day, atmospherics, etc.  Those selling advertising on the station would use a field pattern that basically showed an area that could be covered by the signal, if things were right, would be much larger than the actual field pattern for homes that could receive in routinely (in other words, they used the max range in all directions ever seen). Practically the real signal pattern was much smaller....they weren't happy when they saw the over the air pattern for digital, couldn't really fudge it.

I am just glad the poster enjoyed it, it should be. It is the same way with 4014, I don't care whether it is really pulling the full load, if the diesel is helping, doesn't matter, a beautiful engine in on the road operating, somehow surviving the finance types lack of any kind  of heart and the like. I admire it as much as I admire any other steam engine running,  appreciate the enthusiasm of those involved, whether it is through the UP program or any other. Among other things, nice to see enthusiasm and things done for the love of doing them (yeah, I realize that the UP program has marketing at its heart, but I hope some of the people involved with it also love steam...). We live in a world full of a lot of not nice things, this is one of the really nice things that brings joy.

BINGO        I wonder is the 765 pushed too???

It still boggles my mind that people will argue with Hot Water over steam engine details and specifics.....even though he's personally operated many himself.  He's possibly the best steam engine resource walking the planet....and I don't care what you read or watched on YouTube.

Also, it's fine if YOU don't like the term BEAST for a steam engine......but it's utterly absurd to expect other people to change their nomenclature or vernacular to appease you.

@R2D1 posted:

BINGO        I wonder is the 765 pushed too???

Only on long deadhead moves where they have to stretch the coal mileage.

@Rich Melvin,

Theoretically, can the Big Boy move out just on its own?  I can understand UP wanting to not stress the old girl, but I was just wondering.