Steam & Excursion > Coal burning 3985

A coal burning UP 3985 on the point of a Denver-Laramie excursion, 18 June 88. I remember at a photo stop hearing a "snap, crackle & pop" sound ... there was fire around me! UP had a MOW truck following the train due to the amount of fires set by 3985; IIRC it wasn't long after this that the UP converted her to burn oil.

Regards,
Burlington John

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My Dad and I drove out to see that excursion. My 11th Birthday and first time seeing 3985. We had a great time. Thanks for the memories.

Here is thread from a few years back with some audio my dad took that day.

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3606621,3606621#msg-3606621



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/17 22:31 by shay2305.

Ah yes, that was the last trip in coal. I remember it well as we had all sorts of issues with the coal we were delivered and used that trip. I believe you caught me firing the loco in this photo. Thanks for the post.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

I had heard that the 3985 set fires in California but I hadn't heard that it did it back in coal burner territory. So, did they set fires back in the old days? Did UP and the other railroads have to do anything to prevent setting the midwest on fire?

wingomann Wrote:
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> I had heard that the 3985 set fires in California
> but I hadn't heard that it did it back in coal
> burner territory.

She "set fires" every time she operated over Sherman Hill, and everywhere else she travels to, when still a coal burner.

So, did they set fires back in
> the old days?

Well, yes and no. Not much vegetation was able to grow near the main line on the UP on the grades, like Sherman Hill.

Did UP and the other railroads have
> to do anything to prevent setting the midwest on
> fire?

Again, not much was able to grow near the railroad tracks, back in the old days, on coal burning railroads. Plus, they have reasonably extensive weed control back then.

On the SP in California before the conversion from coal to oil, it wasn't uncommon for locomotives to set adjacent wheat fields on fire.