UP 4014 Latest UP info added 1-31-14

Originally Posted by Laidoffsick:

I knew you were there BigDodgeTrain, I just didnt know who you were. You shoulda said something to me. I'll be down at the club in SD next Thurs and Fri to run trains. If you're gonna be there, introduce yourself please

oh I wasn't in Pomona, I'm watching it on line.

 

are you staying for the meeting thurs the 21st evening? I will be there then. might show up early. I'm one of the few that are doing some remodel work.

Ahhh OK, yeah I'll probably run trains, go eat, and then back for the meeting since I'm the newest member and have yet to attend a meeting.

I will see you then.  

Glad to see they chained it down, hate to see it roll away.  Or were they afraid someone would steal it?

I would have never thought we would see one of these restored.

Jamie

That'd be the first theory--the UP crew says it rolls real easily. Just tug on it with the tractor and 4014 does the rest

---PCJ

Oh yeah, you could see that...they give her a tug and roll she did. 

LET HIM HAVE IT!!! 3985 is a NATIONAL TREASURE as much as 4014.

That she is.

Getting it to roll is the easy part.  Stopping it from rolling is where it gets a little tricky.

Rusty

Guess 3985 is a "Challenged" locomotive?

Nwer challenge:  What is going to happen to the BB if they cannot successfully convert her to oil burning?

The Challenger was "successfully" converted to oil burning, so how difficult could it be to convert the 4014?  The UP Historical society have all the drawings for how the 4005 was converted to oil burning.

that is what machine shops are for.

I could use the cop-out and say that the excessive fuel consumption is what made the oil conversion a failure.

Instead, I'll just say I stand corrected.

Rusty

Now that this is settled,  How long do you think it will take to hop across the parking lot?  One, two weeks?

based on watching the two days live feed was available it will make to the metro link line in the time it takes to do it safely.

So why is "hope" involved?  I don't think the UP folks will simply "hope" it makes it across the parking lot.

I would plan on there being surprises, I would be surprised if there weren't any.

Yes

Great coverage and stills.  Thanks for sharing.

did anyone make it out there today?

Saw Doug's photo by the 4014 with his 4014....pretty cool.

I'm sure he meant "hop"

I'm sure that once it's converted to oil there will be no problems, as the UP seems to always send a diesel out with the steam engines to help with DB and fuel mileage.

 Not to mention the UP passenger set is only about 15 or so cars, plus a couple canteens.. probably what, 2000 tons or less?

Yeah I meant Hop, don't know where the hope came from, maybe hoping we would get back on track with this thread.

Actually it is a bit more difficult to fire the big machines, i.e. 3985, when they are NOT worked sufficiently hard enough to maintain a good exhaust with a resulting draft for the fire. Prior to 2011, many UP executive train sets behind either 844 or 3985 exceeded 15 passenger cars. The Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Days Special has historically been over 20 plus cars, which makes the 844 AND MUed the DDA40X work to full throttle capacity in order to maintain the track speed and tight schedule. 

I noticed in the LA Times report they mentioned that the Big Boy is going to be pulled by the diesel numbered 4014 (I still think they should use the Heritage locos)

In the past  the UP renumbered the 844 to the 8444 to avoid the diesel that used the same number, are they going to have a problem these days having two engines with the same cab number?

Not for at least four more years. At that time, I would suspect that the diesel #4014 will be renumbered.

Based on seniority, the Big Boy will have no problem pulling rank.

I am sure when the time comes the diesel will be searching for a new number.

Also the 4014 was moved another 3-400ft since Thursday, so moving ever closer to the main.

When this starts moving on the mainline, do you think they will borrow a Hollywood smoke generator & put in the stack?

The 4014 was moved another 500' feet yesterday for those staying tuned.

Sorry if this has been asked/answered, I am under the impression it being towed tender first, will it be turned before it heads east on the mainline out of Colton?

Most likely, if it doesn't wind up being turned in the process of getting to Colton Diesel Shop. 

Has any video been posted of the 4014 moving on the panel track, or of moving the panels?

I'm not sure, but then I didn't "search" Youtube to check. The Trains Magazine website had/has a "live webcam" showing the movements done previously, but then it was sort of like watching paint dry anyway!

Somewhere I have pictures I took of the 844 being towed home from Sacramento in 1999. I suspect the 4014 will be looking about the same. I will post them if I can find them. Might help people to know what to expect, it's not going to be very photogenic except from a historical perspective.

If you look at the area on Google maps, there is room for them to curve to the west as they meet the Metrolink tracks. This would leave 4014 facing east (forward) toward Colton.

It is the worlds largest snail. But in UP's defense, they have to be meticulous in shimming the panel track across the uneven parking lot.

Has a Big Boy ever run on the Tehachapi loop?

No.

Sure has.