UP Roundhouse & Steam Shop Tour 6/4/15

During my visit Ed said something to the effect that they are working on their water treatment options. Frequent blow downs are also going to be part of the protocol.

My sources say that the pressure is on to get 844 rolling, so 4014 is second in line on the work priority list.

And there-in lies the difference between the current manager's thought processes and the entire rest of the industry!

Frequent Blow downs are also going to be part of the protocol! Yeah ya think? The 1st thing that I noticed when the pictures were posted of the deposits from the boiler!

Yes, I hope the leader has learned something, as well as, his followers. They can only follow as they are lead.

 There are several Boiler Training Classes around the country, and possibly some that have/do locomotive boiler training. Might be a good class for all of them to attend!

In my opinion, it is all designed to discredit the previous crew, i.e. Steve Lee. It is all "make work" stuff, so as to look good for the totally clueless management in Omaha.

Nice collection of Locos.

If Ed would just follow the established standards and practices that the other successful steam operators use and stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room, he wouldn't have to give it another thought.  The fact that he seems to think he has to come up with something different or "special" just shows how clueless he really is.  How hard would it be to just say "Hey we tried something different that looked good on paper, but it just didn't work out.  Now, back to the old way"?  No matter how talented some people think Ed is, (Like many, I don't) he does NOT have the chops to just go this stuff alone on changing what has worked on this equipment for decades and decades.  He might some day be the best steam operator in the nation (not likely), but for now and the foreseeable future, he's just a little league baseball coach that got picked out of the crowd to manage the New York Yankees. 

Well said Bob, you hit the nail on the head.  Just say hey I/we tried something new and it failed miserably and now we are going to have to fix things and get back to what we know works.  Stuff happens, folks understand that, what they don't understand and won't accept is finger pointing and deflecting.  The former crew under Steve Lees' leadership always had steam operating, year in and year out with out fail and IMHO were the pinnacle of steam operations.  There was never any whining or b*#@!ing or excuse making....they simply got it done...period. 

     Now I understand with different folks there are and will always be different ways of thinking and different ways of working a problem, that's normal but when it comes to industry standards they must be followed, there is a reason they are "standards".  The former crew had and has IMHO a very good reputation and the proof was in the pudding as the say as steam always operated year after year.  Maintenance was performed, repairs/rebuilding was done in the off season or over the course of a few years as was the case when the 844 received and entirely new firebox, cab insulation, new wood ext.  They didn't keep things running on a wing and a prayer, nor with bubble gum and bailing wire, but with dedication, hard work and a genuine love for what they did.

       So I hope that when operations resume that they do indeed perform proper blow downs, washouts and for gods sake get the water treatment back on track and use what is supposed to be used, don't damage the 844 anymore/again by failing to do this....she is just too fine of an engine to do this to with too much history behind her, and (I hope) a ton of bright future in front of her.

Kent I do wish to say thank you for sharing your photos and information, I do appreciate it and your time.  Lets hope things improve out in Cheyenne and that UP Steam will rise up from the ashes.

The willingness to say "That looked promising, but it doesn't work" is the difference between many successful and unsuccessful businesses. Admitting that a new strategy or product doesn't work gets things back on track. Trying to pretend that it does work and everyone else is too much of a Philistine to get it leads to corporate collapse.