Steam & Excursion > 844:"The most awesome experience.."

Guymon obviously loves UP Steam:

http://www.gdherald.com/articles/2006/05/06/news/news05.txt

The schools in Tyrone and Hooker, Oklahoma turned the kids out to see this go by too. At Tyrone, they got a call when it left Liberal since the weather was cool and misty and the kids walked three blocks to the ball diamond. A great surprise to them was that the Union Pacific was kind enough to stop the engine at the ball diamond for one minute. My daughter works at the school and called me when they left, "We got smoke on us and everyone is excited.". The Hooker kids had to walk more like 1/2 mile to get there along with many towns folk. They slow rolled through at about 10 mph as my wife told me.
This was my first time to see this too and everyone in the panhandle is very pleased.

BNSF take note: You could have the same kind of priceless PR with a beautiful Burlington O-5b as your steam flagship :) Anyone getting pictures 844 racing across the high plains of NM.? That would be a sight to see.

OKTrainboys Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BNSF take note: You could have the same kind of
> priceless PR with a beautiful Burlington O-5b as
> your steam flagship :) Anyone getting pictures 844
> racing across the high plains of NM.? That would
> be a sight to see.


It would be nice to a Burlington O5b but, per your statement, you would be allienationg those that are ATSF,Frisco,GN,NP and SP&S fans by having the Burlington O5b as the flagship. It would be far better to have the ATSF 3751, Burlington 5314 and SP&S 700 run the system rather than one engine
Ch

The UP is to be very highly commended for the public spirit they
are showing by running the 844 now. What an amazing thing: a
Class 1 railroad operating 2 of its own big main-line steam locomotives
on the rails *at speed* in the 21st Century!
Ahhhhhhh......

Should the BNSF run a Burlington O-5b all over the system? Not at this time.
"Nikon1" is right: use the 3751 and the 700, both of whom have very professional
crews and are very well-maintained locomotives. The money to restore and operate
these awesome, magnificent mechines does not grow on trees! (Steve Lee replied to
someone who asked what his locomotive burned for fuel - coal or oil -and said, "Money!")

Margaret (SP fan)

No argument from me for ATSF 3751 or SP&S 700. The point is that a class one RR like BNSF should run, and take good loving care of, a mainline, fast, modern steamer. The RR's stock price is certainly fine as of today and the PR and historical significance are certainly warranted of the effort. That's all.....

MargaretSPfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The UP is to be very highly commended for the
> public spirit they
> are showing by running the 844 now. What an
> amazing thing: a
> Class 1 railriad operating 2 of its own big
> main-line steam locomotives
> on the rails *at speed* in the 21st Century!
> Ahhhhhhh......

Oh, if only they did still run the 844 *at speed*. Now, I believe, she's restricted to a sedate 60mph. I remember her as the 8444 and screaming along at 90 mph and more. Standing at a crossing and hearing that whistle, then the roar as she blows by in a whirl of 80" driving wheels, the earth shakes and a 10 year old's perception of the world is changed in a pounding heartbeat and a flash of yellow.

THAT was awesome!

Edit: I am, of course, delighted the UP still runs such a spectacular steam program. No matter what speed it now runs, thanks again to the UP for still providing a chance for such an awesome experience.

OKTrainboys Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BNSF take note: You could have the same kind of
> priceless PR with a beautiful Burlington O-5b as
> your steam flagship :) Anyone getting pictures 844
> racing across the high plains of NM.? That would
> be a sight to see.

BNSF could buy some steam from China too.

Geep

Not quite restricted to 60 - they'll let her go at least 70. While waiting for it to depart Guymon yesterday, the DS asked how fast they'd be going. The response: "Oh, about 70." Audible sigh from the fans around me at the realization we'd never be able to keep up. Today was more of the same between Tucumcari to Santa Rosa - very fast running, probably 70ish, I'm guessing.

I'll try to get pictures up tomorrow - right now I'm still trying to recover from the trip and scrounge up dinner. Three cheers for UP's Steam Program - it's one heck of a show.

Nathan
http://www.drgw.net

---

Very Nice Photo==of 844. Thanks.....VERNON FROM MISSOURI

I heard from some people riding the train from Hutchinson to Pratt that the GPS showed them going 79.

Waybiller -

That is some of the most heautiful, touching, evocative prose I have ever
read about anything!

I get goosebumps when I read it!


Waybiller wrote:

----------------------------------------

> I remember her as the 8444 and screaming
> along at 90 mph and more. Standing at a crossing
> and hearing that whistle, then the roar as she
> blows by in a whirl of 80" driving wheels, the
> earth shakes and a 10 year old's perception of the
> world is changed in a pounding heartbeat and a
> flash of yellow.
>
> THAT was awesome!

---------------------------------------

jasonw Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I heard from some people riding the train from
> Hutchinson to Pratt that the GPS showed them going
> 79.

75 was the max they got her up to at least when I was chasing it...

MargaretSPfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Waybiller -
>
> That is some of the most heautiful, touching,
> evocative prose I have ever
> read about anything!
>
> I get goosebumps when I read it!

Thank you Margaret. Watching the 8444 as a child was, quite probably, the reason I got into the railroad industry as an adult.

jasonw Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I heard from some people riding the train from
> Hutchinson to Pratt that the GPS showed them going
> 79.

I don't doubt that at all! There were times during the chase when I was driving 80 and I couldn't gain any ground on her! How ever fast it was, she was smoking!

Cheers!
billnict

Hey Jim...or anybody else...

What's the nature of the maintenance on 844 this week? Is there some equipment/tools down there that they don't have in Cheyenne? What does the crew typically do on a layover that far from home?