Steam & Excursion > UP 3985 Service in La Grande. 9/23/2005

After crossing the Blue Mountains west to east, the 3985 is serviced in La Grande.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/15 21:59 by PNWfan.

---

---

---

Interesting flags

I see this photos and think to myself "Look at all the old UP steam guys who don't know what they're doing!  They're not servicing the engine, they're hurting it!"

Then I spit out the Kool-Aid being served in Cheyenne these days and regain my mind...

They need to put up a flag pole in front of the steam shop and raise a larger version of the flags on the front of 3985. The way things have been run there....it almost amounts to  piracy.

It's almost painful to view photos such as these, knowing that this is what we once had.  And it wasn't all that long ago.

And look at where the UP Steam program is now.

 

Is it difficult to keep those flexible joints in good repair and leak-free?

filmteknik Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is it difficult to keep those flexible joints in
> good repair and leak-free?

No, they receive lubrication from the mechanical lubricators.

Thanks for posting!  Captured in the first 2 pictures is retired UP engineer Bruce Rollins (Derby Hat) (AKA, "BR", "Tennis Shoe Rollins"). BR passed away recently. He was a student of steam power. Owned 2 steam tractors and ran one occasionally in the Imbler,OR  4th of July parade.  He was the proverbial "charactor".
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/15 09:03 by bluesman.

coach Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I see this photos and think to myself "Look at all
> the old UP steam guys who don't know what they're
> doing!  They're not servicing the engine, they're
> hurting it!"
>
> Then I spit out the Kool-Aid being served in
> Cheyenne these days and regain my mind...

And according to dl, those guys were drunk or hungover or both 24/7. Amazing they got anything done at all.

CA_Sou_MA_Agent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's almost painful to view photos such as these,
> knowing that this is what we once had.  And it
> wasn't all that long ago.
>
> And look at where the UP Steam program is now.
>

I'm very grateful for the opportunities I got to see the UP 3985 in 2008 and 2010.

Mismanagement in the Ed Dickens degree happens a lot in society, from organizations small to large, public or private sector. Most of the time, the mismanager is weeded out before he or she can do major damage, although the parasite moves to another organization to suck different blood. They often congregate in agencies and companies that are stale, or on the way down, so their "damages" aren't noticeable, because of bankruptcies or other events that "eliminate" the host.

It's interesting that UP has this mismanagement problem in a group that's responsible for publicity, the UP Steam program. Maybe they should have listened when he was fired the first time. The fact that he was brought back in shows total disrespect to the previous crew who made UP steam glorious. They are already paying for that disrespect with a "steam program" with no running steam locomotives. I hope they (specifically Ed and the bosses above him responsible for the mismanagement) get embarrassed some more, and if they try to cover it up by "eliminating" the steam program, let the chorus of anger get louder around the world.

I'm with ya on that, I only had 4 chances on seeing UP Steam, I want more, but not with Ed around!