Western Railroad Discussion > Big Boy into my hometown!

Here’s the lead thread from a 3-day chase of UP’s world-famous Big Boy. My chase partner for day #1 was the same elderly (age 96) gentleman I took for a cab ride in the Smoky Valley’s ex-Santa Fe 3415. That was on July 4, over in Abilene, KS. Although not necessarily a railfan, this man is a true history buff generally speaking. He was eager to see this massive tea kettle in action. Galen Prestwood could remember making a pass through Wyoming back in the ‘40s and he vividly recalls seeing a UP 4000 Class 4-8-8-4 in action.

But I have another, more personal reason to celebrate chasing the 4014 into my home town of Manhattan, KS. Here’s the story: ( Big Boy big-bad-luck! (trainorders.com) ). As usual, we’ll move right on down to the captions for this thread>>v

1. A diversion right away: On the drive down US hwy 24 eastward I spotted an eastbound train at the NW 25th St crossing at Menoken on the west side of Topeka, KS. UP 2750 East appears to be sitting here crew-less, even though the headlight is bright...

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My grand plan was to find any ol’ spot east of the station stop at Lawrence, KS. Then I would haul buns back to Manhattan using the 4014’s time spent at both Lawrence & Topeka to give myself enough time to claim a spot to park. This maneuver would also cut down the chances of suffering a second car tire catastrophe. I was told 2 years ago it was an absolute circus at S Manhattan Avenue! Close to train time you had to park & walk from up to 4 blocks away...

2. & 3. We found a nice spot in Lawrence, KS. A little photo lined formed. Sorta. But nobody got in anybody else’s way. The Big Boy is just a coupla shakes away...

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4. In images #2 & #3 you can see the Big Boy’s headlight approaching N 9th St in Lawrence, KS. It was cloudy & overcast, but what can you do? Here’s my official lead shot of the 4014’s second pass across my home-state KP. My first posted shot, I should say...

Insert about 90 very rapid highway miles right here!

5. After a hi-speed, Kansas Turnpike-assisted dash home to Manhattan I saw that my plan was good. The parking area was still mostly empty. It was even being used for a local Driver’s Ed program. Go figure... Galen & I had plenty of time to run to a quick shop and stock up.

6. OK... About the bright yellow awning in the corner of the parking area in Manhattan: Yes, sports fans, it’s supposed to be standard Union Pacific Canary Yellow. The plethora of ‘UP 4014’ logos plastered all over the flat-black pick ’em-up truck should start giving us a picture. And if your eyes are sharp they will pick up that same “thangy” from this thread: ( Caption this contraption! (trainorders.com) ). After a pretty animated conversation with TO member ‘Bob3985’ I am pretty well assured that Union Pacific has no official affiliation with the entity producing this scene. Now, about that bull-horn in the link: It was used for crowd control. Apparently a local fan decided to provide unsolicited assistance to the UP Police in the form of, er... umm.... crowd control. He used that “thangy” to cover more area. The bull horn was indeed put into use to warn onlookers up to half a block away to move “at least 25 feet away from the track”. And some of those half-a-block away actually did heed the bull-horn commands...

BTW: The identical color coordination from across the main line is totally coincidental! Although I dare say the awning’s “proprietor” probably took it as a good sign...

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7. & 8. Back to the business of railfanning -with a camera-. Looks like the bull horn worked. The crowd was reasonably well behaved. Here are 2 approach shots. You baseball fans might like to know that some of my earliest “little League” baseball was played just over the fence to the left. In the mid-1960s “Griffith Park” was a regular baseball field, complete with lighting for night games. From the now-long-gone grandstands you could watch baseball while spotting Union Pacific trains on the south side & Rock Island trains on the north. Look closer: I’m the 10 year old kid playing 2nd base (in those days).

9. There’s my chase partner, Mr Galen Prestwood. He told me he didn’t mind just sitting in the car, which was about 30 feet from the track. But the “little kid” in him climbed out to welcome the 4014 anyhow... :^)

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10. 11. & 12. I was also able to find a good spot out on Rosencutter Rd on the SW corner of Manhattan. At this point I handed Galen off to his daughter and I got on the road to Abilene. Watch the Western forum for “Big Boy into my 2nd hometown!”
(All photos taken September 2, 2021)

Thanks for looking!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

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#11 is really nice Lance. rods down, nice exhaust haze going on from the twin stacks and no DDP's. The rest of the series tells real the story of what UP is doing...putting on a show for the masses, from all walks of life and all ages. Thanks for the views.

KC

I see the Big Boy lettering on the smokebox comes and goes in your pics.    Did you "fix" that in post?    I really hate that lettering there it just looks so stupid.    But Omaha likes to play "Lionel Lines" with their equipment, at least that one is an easy fix.

ATSFSuperCap Wrote: > ... lettering on the smokebox comes and goes ...

...mostly goes. I'll get a whim and leave it up there once in a while. But in most "compositional" situations I'll erase it right away. I really don't like it, but I suppose it's better than flags & shiny baubles plastered all over the place...

Lance/199

Just a beautiful machine. Great shots. Thank you.

Looks like Galen had a fun day! It’s awesome that there’s still people who possibly saw this very engine back in yesteryear still around to see it today.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/07/21 15:14 by mg8711.

It may not be the Wabash Cannonball, but 4014 certainly looks great in Manhattan. From a KSU alum, thanks for sharing 4014 in my adopted hometown!  

 

Nice shots and nice story !

Very Nice series and narrative!

Larry

santafe199 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ATSFSuperCap Wrote: > ... lettering on the
> smokebox comes and goes ...
>
> ...mostly goes. I'll get a whim and leave it up
> there once in a while. But in most "compositional"
> situations I'll erase it right away. I really
> don't like it, but I suppose it's better than
> flags & shiny baubles plastered all over the
> place...
>
> Lance/199

Thanks for this!  And a lot of nice shots too!  You really got the people filter working well on several occasions!

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

I love photos 11 and 12, Lance. 

Great shots, Lance!

RC Lundgren