Steam & Excursion > 844 on blocks

A friend sent this to me from the drop table at the Georgetown RR saying the wheels
have been trucked to two different shops for lathe work.

Pic 2 is a close up of the drop table.

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I realize using two shops may save time and it's probably no big deal to measure things precisely but all the same, wouldn't it be better to have all done at the same place on the same machine so there's no doubt they match?

This happens regularly to vehicles with shiny new wheels in Texas . . .

RailNet802, owevaaaah

kk5ol Wrote:
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> This happens regularly to vehicles with shiny new
> wheels in Texas . . .
>
> RailNet802, owevaaaah

Wow, is the neighborhood that bad where she is sitting? Jacked up and all wheels stolen? How much on the black market for a set of drivers now? "I will buy that for a dollar!"

I had the same question on the lathe turning also, why two shops ?

Posted from iPhone

I would think that two shops are being employed in order to get the work done quickly. Each shop likely has staff and capacity issues. Doubling them up gets the work done in half the time, assuming no unforseens. One thing is for sure. These UP steam guys don't mess around. It also helps to have some of the best horse power around--cash horsepower. Money+power/suitable motivation=results.

Hey look, a Lionel 4-0-4

Getting the size the same should be a 'no brainer' to any machinist qualified to twist the knobs on a lathe...I still wonder why no pics of the flat spots? Seems like you have to swear a blood oath of secrecy to get near the bunged up drivers. At this rate I almost expect the wheel shops to send everyone home but the most trusted and necessarily people. Drivers being shipped under tarps by cover of darkness, with a couple of black SUV's leading and following? lol.

If (is there any question) there are any 'important' folks at UP involved reading, I personally thank you for your commitment to the steam program and your obvious dedication to 'the show must go on!'. And I am even OK with it if you paint all your locomotives armour yellow for the next 150 years, especially if you keep these two 'dark iron horses' roaming the rails while you are at it!

Is there anything you Southerner's won't put on blocks in the yard?........

CPRR Wrote:
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> How much on the black market for a set of drivers now?

I'm just waiting for that white Econovan to pull up asking me if "I'm looking for a new set of drivers?"

OK, seriously, nice job UP Steam Crew. It's good to see some good ol' American ingenuity to get the job done.

Boy you cant park anywhere these days . Police have any idea who stole the wheels . Everybody if you see a Chevy with these call the cops. We need to put a stop to this type of thing.

I am assuming they have solved the problem of the trailing diesel so this won't happen again. Deep pockets or not, I am sure this incident brought frowns to the faces of the "higher ups" at UP and maybe it has them questioning the continuance of the steam program! That would worry me!!!!

Yes. Never put the old hot water heater on blocks, it makes the satellite dish wobble

Inthehole Wrote:
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> Is there anything you Southerner's won't put on
> blocks in the yard?........
>
> CPRR Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > How much on the black market for a set of
> drivers now?
>
> I'm just waiting for that white Econovan to pull
> up asking me if "I'm looking for a new set of
> drivers?"
>
> OK, seriously, nice job UP Steam Crew. It's good
> to see some good ol' American ingenuity to get the
> job done.

What caused the flat spots in the wheels to begin with?

TomPlatten Wrote:
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> I am assuming they have solved the problem of the
> trailing diesel so this won't happen again. Deep
> pockets or not, I am sure this incident brought
> frowns to the faces of the "higher ups" at UP and
> maybe it has them questioning the continuance of
> the steam program! That would worry me!!!!

These two photos I believe show the beginning of the end of the UP subsidized Steam Program.

mustraline Wrote:
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> Yes. Never put the old hot water heater on
> blocks, it makes the satellite dish wobble
>

LMFAO

JLY Wrote:
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> These two photos I believe show the beginning of
> the end of the UP subsidized Steam Program.

If that's the case, why fix the 844? Just limp it back to Cheyenne and call it quits.

Probably a dumb question, but why couldn't they have a panic button/kill switch in the diesel or the steam engine whereby a crew member riding there, could hit it and instantly disengage the diesel in the event of a stuck throttle impulse or whatever caused the damage to the 844?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/12 11:10 by masterphots.

There is a kill switch.

That's like asking why don't they just put a Harris DPU box in the cab of the 844 and run it that way.

I believe I saw something on a previous thread that the diesel helper unit is normally unmanned!

Matt,

Great comment. Remember the movie Apollo 13? When things were bleak and impending catastrophe was a possibility, flight director Gene Kranz said he thought it would be their finest hour. Dedicated men that have vision, will and a belief in things greater than themselves rise in the face of adversity. This can be one of those times. As a UP shareholder I will be writing Omaha expressing my support for the program and those that are involved in it. I suggest others do the same.

Ken Britton
Bedford, TX