Berkshire President posted:Remember when the 844's tender had one wheel come off the track a few years back, possibly around Pomona?
While the weight of the 844, 3985, and 4014 is an issue, I think the tender winds up being the bigger headache......IIRC.
According to HW and other's in the know, the issue is the drive wheel base, 8 versus 6 axles, not the centipede tender.. From what these people say, the 3985 was able to go places that 844 was not, and by default also 4014.
I don't hold hopes of seeing either 844 or 4014 in Texas, as they haven't had UP steam down here in a long time, 2012 was the last. I was fortunate in that I got to see 3985 up close and alone back in 2004 during the Super Bowl. It was on a siding and Steve Lee was actually walking around it and I got to talk to him for a while. Super nice guy, let me get pictures, and offered to take me into the cab. Unfortunately I had to get to a meeting and they were leaving before I would be done.
