UP's Big Boy 4014

 I'm heading up there to see it this weekend. Parking may be a logistics nightmare I fear. 

EricaAnn posted:

Wanted to let everyone know that UP's famous Big Boy 4014 will be in the Chicago area this coming weekend (July 27 & 28) as a part of the Great Midwestern Train Race. It will be traveling from Wisconsin to West Chicago, IL on Friday, July 26th and it's journey will take it through the suburbs of Chicago. Route information can be obtained at UP's website.

I've already mapped out my location for viewing it's passing and have calculated it's approximate arrival time at this location,

OK, I have to ask; just how did you "calculate" its approximate arrival time? I, and some friends, are planning to go to Elmhurst, IL, in hopes of seeing it accelerating westbound on the original C&NW three track main line.

but for anyone out living in the Chicago area that's looking to see the restored Big Boy in person, this is your opportunity!

Yes, lots of good opportunities to view the Big Boy in the Chicago area since there are many places to get to an elevated position.

However, as Steam Fan posted above, the West Chicago area will probably not be a good area to see the engine moving as it will be parked on the siding on the south side of the tracks. It’s actually the same spot/location the Challenger was located many years ago.

The one area that has my interest is according to the UP map; the Big Boy should be taking the new track age around the west side of O' Hare airport. It would be a cool (and very difficult shot without trespassing) to get the Big boy and any of the new, modern aircraft in the same image. Actually, an A380 usually arrives from the west around 6pm or so which is long after the engine had passed pending any long delays.

The other area that should offer a nice view from below is along Irving Park Rd. (RT 19), this time on the south side of the airport. With left hand running it should be an unobstructed view. However, parking along any road around the airport is probably not a good thing... unless 100 of your closet friends do the same thing...

Leaving West Chicago heading west on Tuesday I think, provides mostly backlight situations for shooting, but some cool rural opportunities.

Charlie

Just an educated guess. It's scheduled to leave Butler, WI at 8:00 AM Friday morning and scheduled to arrive in West Chicago, IL at 2:30 PM thus allowing 6.5 hours for the trip. Based on my limited knowledge of the restricted speed zones I'm thinking it will be near my viewing location sometime around 9:30 AM.

I'm trying to get an estimate on when this is coming through Elmhurst on its way to West Chicago on Friday. I'm guessing around 1:45ish maybe. We are about 7 stops from West Chicago. I want to get some great video of this coming down the rails.

There is currently a topic running on the Big Boy, HERE. We are already on page three with all the information you need, and a lot of photos and videos exclusive to that topic. Feel free to join in anytime, especially when you actually see it in person. It's quite impressive. Here's a tease of that topic.

EricaAnn posted:

Just an educated guess. It's scheduled to leave Butler, WI at 8:00 AM Friday morning and scheduled to arrive in West Chicago, IL at 2:30 PM thus allowing 6.5 hours for the trip. Based on my limited knowledge of the restricted speed zones I'm thinking it will be near my viewing location sometime around 9:30 AM.

Don't count on it being on time. While traveling into the Twin Cities and up to Duluth, it was frequently late. On the other hand, for almost all of that time they were at the mercy of BNSF dispatch, and a ton of freight traffic. Monday they were sent over an unexpected alternate route at the last minute, which probably left a bunch of rail fans cursing. I was able to spot it with UP's GPS updates shortly after it happened, as it veered slightly off line. You should keep an eye on their tracking page at all times, but remember it lags between updates. The tweets lag a lot more! 

That kind of information will make you look like a genius to the general public when they inevitably ask questions.

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

There is currently a topic running on the Big Boy, HERE. We are already on page three with all the information you need, and a lot of photos and videos exclusive to that topic.

Actually nothing posted on those three pages of the other thread provide ANY information relative to Friday's  (the 26th) schedule from Butler to West Chicago. It is about 119 miles, and even at a speed of 40 MPH, that is only about 3 hours running time. NOT 6 and half hours, that the schedule allows. So, the important questions are:

1) Where will they be stopping for "enroute displays"?

2) How many stops will there be?

3) What is their normal running speed (out west on the UP main line, they were doing only 40 MPH)? 

Hot Water posted:

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

There is currently a topic running on the Big Boy, HERE. We are already on page three with all the information you need, and a lot of photos and videos exclusive to that topic.

Actually nothing posted on those three pages of the other thread provide ANY information relative to Friday's  (the 25th) schedule from Butler to West Chicago. It is about 119 miles, and even at a speed of 40 MPH, that is only about 3 hours running time. NOT 6 and half hours, that the schedule allows. So, the important questions are:

1) Where will they be stopping for "enroute displays"?

2) How many stops will there be?

3) What is their normal running speed (out west on the UP main line, they were doing only 40 MPH)? 

 

The links are on page one, embedded on the UP Steam Club's email that I pasted in a post. The text is in a different font, so now that yo know where to look, it's all there.

The schedule isn't very tight. When you study it, you'll see they like to start at 8 AM and end around 2:30. They should do better now that they're back on home road. They do stop frequently. When you see the tracking map, the little diamonds are stops. Longer stops will have arrival and departure times. There have been a few unscheduled stops, but again those may have been due to BNSF traffic over the weekend.

The schedule seems to have a lot of padding in it. The trip between St Paul and Duluth should take two and a half hours under normal circumstances They allowed 8.5. Speed up, slow down and occasionally stop. You never know. That's why the GPS is so nice.

I'm just going to stop by and look at it on static display on Sunday the 28th. I don't have time to chase trains on a weekday, I have to go to work .

Odd.  The 4014 will outlast the A380 Super Jumbo!

Lou1985 posted:

I'm just going to stop by and look at it on static display on Sunday the 28th. I don't have time to chase trains on a weekday, I have to go to work .

That will give you a chance to go to the souvenir car.  And really, the crowds are as much the story as the engine.

Kent in SD

Two23 posted:

Lou1985 posted:

I'm just going to stop by and look at it on static display on Sunday the 28th. I don't have time to chase trains on a weekday, I have to go to work .

That will give you a chance to go to the souvenir car.  And really, the crowds are as much the story as the engine.

 

Kent in SD

Kent, there is no souvenir car per se. The Experience baggage car is just a walk through display with the UP's history. At St Paul there were a few vendors in the depot concourse. Not sure if there were any at Duluth, because we didn't go when the public viewing was on.

There was one vendor that looked official, with hats, pins, shirts and a few other knickknacks with the two common themes of 150th Anniversary and the Big Boy. We got hats, pins, and key rings. The place to shop is the Golden Spike Tower gift shop. That's the company store.

The cars at the end of this train are executive cars, with the Kenefick being the president's car. The ones toward the front are support cars and crew quarters. I expect them to drop the exec cars back at Omaha, so the train will be light again when it gets back to North Platte.

UP Big Boy #4014 pulled into Cedar Rapids, IA this afternoon right on schedule.  Thanks to Union Pacific and to Ed's Steam Team for the treat.  She is going to rest here for the night.

Saw the Big Boy this am at the Rochelle railroad park. Fantastic and a great crowd. No arguments and making sure that everyone got their pictures. Great show, thank you UNION PACIFIC for bringing this piece of history back to life.😉

Ray

Here is a clip of the Big Boy that I shot in Wyo. in May 2019:

Ken-Oscale posted:

Here is a clip of the Big Boy that I shot in Wyo. in May 2019:

 

Ah, nothing like the sound of piston rod packings leaking.

Now that the 4014 has come and gone, I thought I'd post my five favorite shots from my two trips out to see it.  Color shots were made with a Nikon D850; black & white with a Chamonix 4x5 and Ilford FP4+ film.  In no particular order:

1. E/B  near Clarks.  NE,  at Hwy 92 overpass.  I waited over two hours!

2. Fremont, NE.  I like this one because it gives a sense of the festival atmosphere and it shows the scale of the engine.

3. Omaha, NE.   Ed Dickens, in charge of the steam program.

4. Omaha, NE   One of the drivers, left side.

5. Omaha, NE   Little Papillion Creek.  Since the train was running on the north track I had to shoot facing south.  Luckily the sky was still a bit overcast and the sun was more or less directly to the rear of the train.  I don't think it came out too badly.

I heard it's coming back in October, and if it does I'll see if I can catch it further west this time.

Ken tin SD

TWO23 amazing photos!

Nice stuff guys! 

The timing was such that I was not able to shoot any meaningful images so I just watched as it passed through the Des Plaines, IL area. What still is hugely encouraging is the amount of people that took time away from their schedule to try and get a look at this engine.

For the people sharing your images, thank you. Maybe we will see this locomotive for many years to come or maybe this will be the last time. Regardless, the images posted here on elsewhere on the net are a great reminder and resource of of what happened in the past.

Charlie

Charlie posted:

The timing was such that I was not able to shoot any meaningful images so I just watched as it passed through the Des Plaines, IL area. What still is hugely encouraging is the amount of people that took time away from their schedule to try and get a look at this engine.

 

I found it fairly difficult to get a noteworthy photo of 4014.  It took a lot of thought and planning.  I think some of the best shots are the ones made at stops along the way that include the crowds.  Those tell more of a story.

Kent in SD

August 7th caught UP 4014 heading west at Weir Mile Marker 272 I think a crossing just Northwest of Julesburg CO.

We jumped ahead while 4014 stopped at Chappel NE.

Caught it again at Lodgepole NE.

On August 8th we chased 4014 west out of Sidney NE to Pine Bluffs WY. OGR Forum member Susan Deats was doing the driving.