Steam & Excursion > Union Pacific 844 and Freight

I have a friend who is trying to figure out how powerful the 844 is. The gentleman accurately recreated the FEF-3's in Train Simulator 2015 (a PC game) and I don't believe it's powerful enough. Does anyone here possibly have a little more in depth information on how much the 844 is really capable of hauling ? Any pictures of it hauling freight or other hevy loads wouls also be great. Thanks.

Pianoman7 Wrote:
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> I have a friend who is trying to figure out how
> powerful the 844 is. The gentleman accurately
> recreated the FEF-3's in Train Simulator 2015 (a
> PC game) and I don't believe it's powerful enough.
> Does anyone here possibly have a little more in
> depth information on how much the 844 is really
> capable of hauling ? Any pictures of it hauling
> freight or other hevy loads wouls also be great.
> Thanks.

Way too much depends on the grade/terrain. Why not purchase the book "The Mighty 800" by William Kratville, as it should have performance data/information in it.

He's wondering about fairly flat terrain, like the North Platte to Omaha line. I think I might pick up that book, thanks for the suggestion. Have you ever fired the 844 on one of the freight trips ?

Posted from Android

Pianoman7 Wrote:
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> He's wondering about fairly flat terrain, like the
> North Platte to Omaha line. I think I might pick
> up that book, thanks for the suggestion. Have you
> ever fired the 844 on one of the freight trips ?

Yes. I was Fireman when we pushed that stalled freight up Archer Hill, that is on the UP souvenir video/DVD.

Here is a link to​ a previous discussion.  Lots more stuff out there with different search words.

Have fun!

​

Jim Montague
IRVINE, CA
Train and Nature photo Art

The F-E-F class hauled sixty car freights into Council Bluffs at track speed during
their freight days, give you some idea of flat land performance.

Out

Now THAT'S a good answer!

callum_out Wrote:
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> The F-E-F class hauled sixty car freights into
> Council Bluffs at track speed during
> their freight days, give you some idea of flat
> land performance.
>
> Out

Great, thanks ! I ordered the book that Hotwater recommended so hopefully they'll be some good info in there. Do you have an idea as to how heavy those freight cars were ?

Posted from Android

Does anyone know what the 800's were rated for in the Nebraska Division ? This is proving to be more difficult than I had thought. Realist said that 844 pulled a 5000 + ton freight presumably in the late 80's and being that he either has some very good sources, or is Steve Lee himself, he tends to be correct judging from his posts about UP steam. However, sixty 40 foot box cars wouldn't equal anything near 5,000 tons would it ? Did it pulled 5,000 + tons at freight drag speed ?

Posted from Android

Good question though most of the their service was in expedited trains, considering
drive size, 5000 tons at drag speed is not the best service for that locomotive.

Out

Pianoman7 Wrote:
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> Does anyone know what the 800's were rated for in
> the Nebraska Division ? This is proving to be more
> difficult than I had thought. Realist said that
> 844 pulled a 5000 + ton freight presumably in the
> late 80's and being that he either has some very
> good sources, or is Steve Lee himself, he tends to
> be correct judging from his posts about UP steam.
> However, sixty 40 foot box cars wouldn't equal
> anything near 5,000 tons would it ? Did it pulled
> 5,000 + tons at freight drag speed ?

I'll bet if you could come up with an Employee Time Table from, say 1953 thru 1956, you will find the tonnage ratings for 800 class locomotives on the Nebraska Division. Maybe the Union Pacific Historical Society could help, try UPHS.com .

Another good suggestion. Unfortunately I've already looked. They do have a reprinted 1949 UP Employee Timetable, I just can't spend what they want for it. Being the Aspergers filled individual I am, I'll probably buy it eventually, but it's driving me up the wall trying to figure this out ! I'm also OCD. Let's just say Aspergers and OCD is an interesting combo.

Pianoman7 Wrote:
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> Another good suggestion. Unfortunately I've
> already looked. They do have a reprinted 1949 UP
> Employee Timetable, I just can't spend what they
> want for it. Being the Aspergers filled individual
> I am, I'll probably buy it eventually, but it's
> driving me up the wall trying to figure this out !
> I'm also OCD. Let's just say Aspergers and OCD is
> an interesting combo.

Well, you apparently ordered the "Mighty 800" book, which is a LOT more expensive than an Employee Time Table from the UPHS. I really do not see the problem.

I saw where it said over 30 dollars for it and now it says 10. I don't know what's going on. I probably will order it if it's $10. However, even at $10, I didn't pay "a LOT" more for The Mighty 800's. I paid $20.

Pianoman7 Wrote:
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> I saw where it said over 30 dollars for it and now
> it says 10. I don't know what's going on. I
> probably will order it if it's $10. However, even
> at $10, I didn't pay "a LOT" more for The Mighty
> 800's. I paid $20.

Then you got a hell of a deal! That book is probably worth $100, in my opinion.

There were some for $25. One was $60 I recall. I believe they might have recently lowered the price of the Employee Timetable. It wasn't that cheap last I checked.

Posted from Android

It's actually not from 1949. It's from February 29, 1948.

Now while we're on the subject of UP steam, let's talk about the run that you fired where Lynn Nystrom developed a lead foot. Was you're top speed under the century mark ? :)

The UP 844 has pulled freights like the NWF across Idaho all by herself or with other diesel before back in the early 1970's going to a from Portland, Oregon.

Chris

Really, wonder what some of those freights weighed in at ? My two favorite subjects when it comes to UP steam are the rare freight runs, and the high speed runs like Hotwater and Lynn Nystrom's trip from...was it '07 ?