Steam & Excursion > Mr. Peabody's Wayback Machine

"Mr. Peabody, where is the Wayback Machine taking us today?" asked Sherman.
​"Why Sherman, the Wayback Machine is taking us back to an event that involved two steam locomotives running together and that is called Doubleheading" Said Mr. Peabody.
​"You see Sherman, the Union Pacific allowed a group of employees to form the 3985 restoration committee and they restored a Challenger locomotive that was parked on display next to the Cheyenne, Wyoming depot. But this event we are looking at was the historic road trip where the Challenger made a cross country trip for its first official run with the venerable Northern that was already operating. They ran from Cheyenne to Sacramento, California for the Grand Opening of the California State Railroad Museum in May of 1981. That was 35 years ago this month Sherman."   "WOW Mr. Peabody, that is really cool" said Sherman. 
And the crew was the Mechanical Department CMO and his personnel operating the locomotives with Cal Rote, a Cheyenne Road Foreman along to pilot the train, and six members of the 3985 Restoration Commttee to service the two locomotives. They had two cooks from the Cheyenne Derrick diner to cook for them. The Mechanical staff and Cal stayed in sleepers and ate on Mr. Acord's business car while the restoration crew and cooks stayed in the snow plow diner bunk. The trip was a great success and the Challenger was added to the stable of historic locomotives on the Union Pacific upon their arrival back in Cheyenne."
​"And that's the way it was!.... Walter Cronkite... Good Night".
 

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/16 20:08 by Bob3985.

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Love it.
But where is Dudley Doright and the Thundebolt Grease Slapper?

I would've loved to see that but I was only 2 months old :-)

Posted from iPhone

Wisely 844 was the lead engine.  Trailing the 3985 in coal would have been painful.  We doubleheaded with 611 as the lead engine and were cleaning cinders out of nooks and crannies for a month.

It's interesting what I can find in the myriad of slides downstairs. Maybe after my surgery I will recuperate down there and see what else I can dig up.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Good Stuff!  When you are involved first hand in a long restoration, nothing beats the feeling of satisfaction when the old girl runs again - and does it well!

Good memory Bob.  I had been working for UP for just a year in the Salt Lake PR office  when my boss, Dick Tincher,  drove us up to Evanston, Wy. where I boarded the train.  We made a photo runby down in Echo Canyon.    I vividly remember the whistles echoing off the cliffs!   I remember thinking, "Hey, this is going to be OK."
John Bromley



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/16 20:29 by Copy19.

Copy19 Wrote:
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> Good memory Bob.  I had been working for UP for
> just a year in the Salt Lake PR office  when my
> boss, Dick Tincher,  drove us up to Evanston, Wy.
> where I boarded the train.  We made a photo runby
> down in Echo Canyon.    I vividly remember the
> whistles echoing off the cliffs!   I remember
> thinking, "Hey, this is going to be OK."
> John Bromley
​Interesting you mention that photo run John. Evidently I managed to get off and take a photo there as well during our trip west. I found that slide down in the dugeon tonight. The slide was dated 1981 so I figure it must have been the same photo run.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Bob, I hope your surgery is a smashing success, and your basement recovery is to our advantage, photo wise!

Cheers, Dave

And to think it was 40 years ago I moved to Cheyenne from the Chicago area and all that encompassed my career here. Well, I did have good training on the Rock Island because all of us who came from the Rock had good training in how to make things work without the tools necessary.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Whole bunch of us were up on the hill the next morning on a beautiful sunny day, great memories!

Out

Love the pic and story.  Those were some neat days with both of those locomotives working although I never saw them together.  Please pull more slides when you have the chance!

Bob,

We will be keeping you in our prayers with regards to a successful surgery! I was in Ogden when your two steamers came through both ways; it was a fantastic show! Thanks for your part in it...

ShastaDaylight

Great story, very well done! I just plain missed that party back in '81, but a couple of my Kansas Gang Bros were out there on that chase. By all accounts it was quite a show Uncle Pete & his very able steam crew put on...

Posted from Android

Awesome pic Bob, I got the Video Rails "The Battle up Sherman Hill" and I always loved that scene when they shoot, right at sunrise, those 2 heading out and man, how many people actually got up that early just to see them head out, besides fans already on US 30 pacing 'em! I know that was a great event and yeah I wish I was there too, I was only 6, didn't see my 1ST Mainline Steam until 84 with the Worlds Fair Daylight!

Sweet!!!   Hopefully Doc Wonmugs time machine in Alley Opp can do the same thing!   

Phil  

Awesome Photo! And no stUPid Yellow Vests ruining the picture!