Western Railroad Discussion > 4014 and its routes

Lots of people are complaining about where the 4014 is going on the UP in its travels.   Remember this is the largest locomotive to run on its track in ages.   You are basically looking at a self propelled High Wide Heavy Long load here.   The track dimensions and loading gauge and weight restrictions wont let it run all over the system.  When it was originally built it was not expected to go anywhere on the UP.

Thank you
Jim

Anytime somebody has a complaint about the Big Boy, I want them to walk into their bathroom, look at themselves in the mirror and repeat, out loud, "It's 2019 and there is a Big Boy operating on a railroad mainline" about 5 or 6 times, however many times it takes to realize what that statement means.

As a kid, I probably wore out the Pentrex 'Last of the Giants' VHS tapes I got for Chirstmas from watching them so much. Knowing that in just over a month, one is going to be operating in my state is amazing and you bet I'll be there to see it!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/19 08:41 by arizonaBNSF.

Its Train Orders some people on here are nothing more than trolls who think there comments are relevant and need to be followed.  I would like to see it come down the UP where I live but hey if it doesn't I will travel to see it run if possible once.  I think we have just witnessed a great happening the kind of which in the steam world will never happen again is my thought. Ed and company did something that everyone didn't think would happen the way it did.  The amount of time the steam crew spent on getting it back under steam had to be immense and home life had to suffer.  I feel we owe them a large thank you from all here on Train Orders. Boyd in Chiloquin

Relax guys 4014 cannot come in everyone's back yard.  I'm 86 I have seen the Big Boys across Utah and Wyoming never dreamed 4014 in 2019 would be in my back yard.
I live in American Fork, between SLC and Provo, two  miles from the main line.  You bet I'll see her pass through.
Blaine in American Fork, Utah

I've been told the problem with routing the "Big Boy" is the tender and not the locomotive.  It can go anywhere a coal train can go.  However,
the centipede tender has to navigate the curves.  This may explain some of the routing decisions.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Could be worse, the news release out of Age of Steam is that the 643 will have to be dismantled and moved in
pieces because it's too heavy to be moved on the Ohio Central!

Out

Boys-enjoy the UP 4014-rare opportunity-!   Looking forward to its September 27, 2019 trip out of Cheyenne, WY.  What a time everyone will have in October and November.  Let the fun begin-!

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jlcKS Wrote:
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> Lots of people are complaining about where the
> 4014 is going on the UP in its travels. 
>  When it was originally built it
> was not expected to go anywhere on the UP.
>
> Thank you
> Jim

Huh??????

It's going to be fun watching the chase from Casa Grande to Tucson - most of it will be along the I-10 - with the train on the wrong side for the flow of traffic on the interstate, and with a service road that in places is one way (again in the wrong direction). Also the underbrush is pretty well grown in, so getting in good pacing shots will be next to impossible. I'm in Tucson now, but sadly will be in Seattle when Big Boy comes through; otherwise I'd be set up off the service road just south of the Twin Peaks exit - nice little curve there.

jlcKS Wrote:
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 weight restrictions wont let it run all
> over the system.  

With what era of weight restrictions?  When built it may have had weight restrictions on many mainline but with current 315,000 pounds standards I will guess these are not in effect anymore.  Is the 315,000 per carload or per axle?  If it is per axle then I think it will be just fine on weight restrictions.

Sneebly



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/19 12:09 by Sneebly.

Sneebly Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jlcKS Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>  weight restrictions wont let it run all
> > over the system.  
>
> With what era of weight restrictions?  When built
> it may have had weight restrictions on many
> mainline but with current 310,000 pounds standards
> I will guess these are not in effect anymore.  Is
> the 310,000 per load or per axle?  If it is per
> axle then I think it will be just fine on weight
> restrictions.

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, in the railroad industry has "310,000 pounds per axle"! The C&O railroad had some steam locomotives with 80,000 pounds per axle loading, and was pretty much the maximum EVER. Even today's modern diesel locomotives try VERY hard to not exceed 70,000 pounds per axle on six axle units. Some of the heaviest four axle freight cars approach 72,000 pounds per axle, and that's about it. Where did you come up with "310,000 pounds standards"?


> Sneebly

I thought I had read that the industry was trying to get to 315,000 from either 268,000 or 286,000 standards with better roadbed.  I guess that was per carload,  that is why I put the ? at the end.  HEre is what the UP has to say on the issue https://www.up.com/aboutup/reference/maps/allowable_gross_weight/index.htm



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/19 12:10 by Sneebly.

Do the Combat Railfans still hang out at Shawmut?

TIA

The issue with 4014 is the engine wheel base length, not the tender. 3985 could operate on two legs of the wye at Tower 55 in Fort Worth. 844 can not operate on any of the legs at T55 which makes possible only straight through moves possible.

Posted from iPhone

Who was complaining about the route?   Is this the last journey for the 4014? I doubt it. The 'trolls' just want to see the next trip near their house. that's all. I love trains, But I'm not traveling hundreds of miles out my way to see one.

I just want the UP to lay rail into town so it'll show up here!

Out

displacedneb Wrote:
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> The issue with 4014 is the engine wheel base
> length, not the tender. 3985 could operate on two
> legs of the wye at Tower 55 in Fort Worth. 844 can
> not operate on any of the legs at T55 which makes
> possible only straight through moves possible.

I'm pretty sure that 844 has indeed used legs of the Tower 55 wye. Maybe you missed it.

bmarti7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jlcKS Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Lots of people are complaining about where the
> > 4014 is going on the UP in its travels. 
> >  When it was originally built it
> > was not expected to go anywhere on the UP.
> >
> > Thank you
> > Jim
>
> Huh??????

Read up on things then you would not have even posted. It seems many posting on here know little about what is being discussed a good book or internet serch on the questions some ask would tell them more result in less people speculating instead of doing any reserch.  Someone posts a weight per axle and thens says I thought I read it somewhere? REALLY?   Jack for one when he posts on here knows and is one of a very few many are just trolls.

amen
I am ambulatory disabled and still made it to Utah and Wyoming to enjoy that even as best I could and it was 
worth the work and pain to see 4014.  Just sitting by the engine in Evanston and watching all the local
school kids show up in amazement was worth the trip.

arizonaBNSF Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anytime somebody has a complaint about the Big
> Boy, I want them to walk into their bathroom, look
> at themselves in the mirror and repeat, out loud,
> "It's 2019 and there is a Big Boy operating on a
> railroad mainline" about 5 or 6 times, however
> many times it takes to realize what that statement
> means.

I didn't have to look at myself in the mirror when I seized the moment to catch the largest operating steam locomotive in the world between 2008-2010, and posted reports about it here on TO. 3985 didn't generate the irrational enthusiasm 4014 has, so chasing it was relatively civil, including pacers allowing chasers to pass safely so many people could share in the enthusiasm. Even the Circus Train crowd was relatively tame.

I applaud those who traveled the distance to catch the 4014 this year, and posted reports here on TO. If anything, they should be the one criticizing the whiners, but I don't see them do that because they let their actions speak for themselves.

> Knowing that in just over a month, one is going to be operating in my state is
> amazing and you bet I'll be there to see it!

Good luck. I've caught trains along the Sunset Route in Arizona before, and am aware of many great locations.