UP 4014 Latest UP info added 1-31-14

Great News, hopefully be heading East soon, I can hardly wait to see her in Utah

 

Ed Dickens?  Any relationship to the author?

Meanwhile, 3985 is waiting for her 15 year inspection.....

Meh the 3985 is yesterdays news, the Big Boy has more all around awesomeness

It may be "yesterdays news" to YOU, but to some of us, not to mention hundreds of thousands of fans world wide, the loss of UP 3985 will NOT be forgotten.

And the Big Boy ain't nowhere near done, yet. 

 

Awesome happens when it moves under it's own power.

 

Rusty

WOW-CHRIS-THANK YOU-to see a real big boy on the move again-its a national treasure

that symbolizes everything great about the us.the sf f7 is fantastic too-what a sight

to see.thank you joe

Moving ever so slowly,  Looking forward to the videos of it moving to it's home base this winter.

move about a foot and lube something behind the right front cylinder.  what would that be?  has happened several times.

how much panel track did they put down.  looks like they may run out soon.  has moved about 50 feet, i think.

They're greasing the flanges, I believe Ed said there is a hump there in the track and the weight was coming off the front engine causing the wheel to raise/bind a bit. 

The parking lot at the Fairplex is really uneven and lumpy, can they do anything to shim under the panel track?

Look closely,,,,,they already are.

they put down a few hundred feet move the big boy and then move the track and use it over.

 

the big boy has officially left the rail giants museum never to return again.  this is very exciting to watch the big boy move slowly across the parking lot.  history in the making.

i am impressed by this:  that front loader gives a little yank and she rolls right along creating slack in the tow line.

UP just published this on Facebook "Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014 was successfully moved 1,200 feet this morning"

Pretty impressive, was not expecting that much

It was very impressive.  They took it slow and she is 1200' closer to life.

and they are not done for today yet!

 

The webcam is still up, there taking up the panel track from where they began and are repositioning it behind the 4014 to continue the move.  That will most likely continue tomorrow.

I was on the live webcam about an hour ago with my Legacy 4014 sitting on one of the rods. Had to leave to get something to eat, be back later and will post some pictures.

Been watching off/on since about 11:00 CST.  Very, very impressive and it certainly looks like a lot of work.  Great job to everyone involved!

 

Everyone have a nice evening.

 

Ken

hey hotwater  in the video it says and shows replaced new bolts on rear coupler in video the crack with a bolt in it means nothing looks to be on same part as coupler rig what gives cause you would know

Sorry, I have no idea exactly what you are referring to, especially since I have not been following this whole thing anyway. When 4014 finally gets on the move to Cheyenne, then it might become of interest for me.

Here's a few shots from this afternoon after it had been moved, and they were waiting for more track panels to be brought in.

 

I took my Legacy 4014 in for a few glamour shots!

 

Good one Dennis. Suddenly 1:48 seems small.

It's Doug, Elliot...but that's OK...I've been called much worse! It looked like Z scale when you stood back to look at the "big picture".

I'm sorry Doug, I've known your name for a while too.  I just don't use it often enough, and my brain gets cob webs. Got the first letter right.

They replaced all the bolts on the draft gear, I see the crack your referring to...they must not be concerned about it at this point.

Doug excellent photos...sure was nice to see her rolling.  It must have been something in person.  Thanks for the pics.

I saw you show up and place the scale big boy on the real one,  the guy from trains magazine thought what you did was pretty cool.  He talked about it of a while.  When you moved the scale unit to the front he said "I have to now and get another picture".

 

Thanks.

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

Some more pix for ya:

 

Wow more great photos, thank you.

Once they get to the Metrolink rail how do they transition from the temporary track to the mainline?

I believe they are going to actually cut metro links rails and tie in that way.

Maybe I missed it, but any idea when it will be moving up Cajon Pass?

 

Bob

Probably in December, since they will be spending some time at the Colton Diesel Shop to service the driver axle journal boxes (done while over a diesel pit), then put all the rods and valve gear linkage back on (so that all the mechanical lubricators will function while being towed). Having all the rods on, without the pistons being in place, will maintain rotational balance of all the running gear, but eliminate the "pumping of air & compression" of the pistons & valves.

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?

NO

Absolutely not...they have other things to worry about.

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.

 

That area of the parking lot is pretty flat, as they get closer to the drag strip area it gets really bumpy, should make for some interesting videos.

Yeah it looks like it gets really bumpy out at that end of the lot...they are gonna have the work cut out for them down there...and a ton of shims.

 

 

I was wondering , when the Big Boys were sent to their various locations, did any (or all) of them go under power? For the diesels of the era it must have been a real chore to more that much dead weight.

 

Any pics of them being towed?

Well the 4014 was towed to Pomona.....go here and scroll down about half way or alittle more and there is a photo of it.  Just along for the ride over Cajon.

You understimate the diesels of the era.  A Big Boy dead-in-train is just another freight car (or several) as far as the locomotives are concerned.

 

Rusty

Just a photo of the work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Somewhere, I believe, there are photo op pictures of the 4012 move on a PA viaduct

 

If you go to www.rrpicturearchives.net and type in  big boy move  in search, it will display several pictures of the 4012 move from Vermont.  Boston and Maine motive power repainted  in the Guilford colors are utilized

Here is a photo of the 4012 in tow on the Tunkhannock Viaduct.

And with Boston & Maine boxcars in tow, nice.

Yeah I love that photo.

That's a great photo. Being a "bridge troll" I love that viaduct, too.

The steam crew is making great progress as they are down by the beginning of the drag strip.  I am wondering how they will negotiate the Metrolink platform that is right there on the eastern side, seems like an awfully tight radius there either way.  It's going to be interesting to watch.

Another more complete video for the initial move, for some reason I can insert it here but just click on the link. 

 

 I'm guessing with Thanksgiving next week, they will rap up work this week and go home for the holiday?

I'm guessing so.  The move on to Metrolink is not going to be until December and they have the 4014 down by the beginning of the drag strip.  Here's a photo I found.

 

 

They will go home for Thanksgiving, a well deserved rest.  They have been working 7 days a week for many weeks.  They are a great group to work with.  Upon their return they will continue with the movement and prep of 4014 to get onto the MetroLink track.

I hope they have good security for the locomotive over the holiday.

Yes they have very good security.  In addition to Fairplex security, they have the Union Pacific Police with the 4014 at all times.  There is also a fence around it. 

chain in the lower right corner is cool!

That's good to hear, being at the north end of the complex alone, the security is definitely needed.