Steam & Excursion > No. 844's activity after CFD train

I recently came across some information that someone claims that the crew told them that No. 844 will be inactive for the next year following the CFD train this year. This would allow the crew to fully focus on the Big Boy 4014. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

If the 4014 is going to make the deadline of being in Ogden on May 10th 2019, Under steam this would not surprise me.
Steve

Contract it out.....

Posted from iPhone

JMT-844-97 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I recently came across some information that
> someone claims that the crew told them that No.
> 844 will be inactive for the next year following
> the CFD train this year. This would allow the crew
> to fully focus on the Big Boy 4014. Can anyone
> confirm or deny this?

In a conversation my grandson had with one of the crew at Lodgepole, NE on one of the recent runs, he was told that all efforts will be on the 4014, and the CFD train will be the last operation of 844 for the year.

Brian Black
Castle Rock, CO

tehachcond Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> JMT-844-97 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I recently came across some information that
> > someone claims that the crew told them that No.
> > 844 will be inactive for the next year
> following
> > the CFD train this year. This would allow the
> crew
> > to fully focus on the Big Boy 4014. Can anyone
> > confirm or deny this?
>
> In a conversation my grandson had with one of the
> crew at Lodgepole, NE on one of the recent runs,
> he was told that all efforts will be on the 4014,
> and the CFD train will be the last operation of
> 844 for the year.
>
> Brian Black
> Castle Rock, CO

My response to this is why? No. 844 has been back for a year and now they will wait until next spring to operate it, just for the 4014!? Look, I like many, want to see a Big Boy run, but not if it prevents the already operational locomotive from operating!!!

JMT-844-97 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> tehachcond Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > JMT-844-97 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I recently came across some information that
> > > someone claims that the crew told them that
> No.
> > > 844 will be inactive for the next year
> > following
> > > the CFD train this year. This would allow the
> > crew
> > > to fully focus on the Big Boy 4014. Can
> anyone
> > > confirm or deny this?
> >
> > In a conversation my grandson had with one of
> the
> > crew at Lodgepole, NE on one of the recent
> runs,
> > he was told that all efforts will be on the
> 4014,
> > and the CFD train will be the last operation of
> > 844 for the year.
> >
> > Brian Black
> > Castle Rock, CO
>
> My response to this is why? No. 844 has been back
> for a year and now they will wait until next
> spring to operate it, just for the 4014!? Look, I
> like many, want to see a Big Boy run, but not if
> it prevents the already operational locomotive
> from operating!!!

What's left for any "events" for 844 to attend? It is virtually the end of July with no more places to go to, as dictated by the UP Executive Department, so what is the issue with 844 being "put to bed", until next spring?

In 2018, 844 will do the College World Series and Frontier Days,
and that will be all.

With the exception of Frontier Days, there will be no more public
excursions.

Gee, What is the fundraiser for the UP Museum next month?

Realist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> With the exception of Frontier Days, there will be
> no more public
> excursions.

wpjones Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gee, What is the fundraiser for the UP Museum next
> month?
>
> Realist Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > With the exception of Frontier Days, there will
> be
> > no more public
> > excursions.

Certainly NOT pulled by steam!

Jack, he didn't say steam excursions just public excursions.
Steve

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wpjones Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Gee, What is the fundraiser for the UP Museum
> next
> > month?
> >
> > Realist Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > >
> > > With the exception of Frontier Days, there
> will
> > be
> > > no more public
> > > excursions.
>
> Certainly NOT pulled by steam!

wpjones Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jack, he didn't say steam excursions just public
> excursions.
> Steve

Might want to check the overall title of this thread, i.e. "No. 844's activity after CFD train". Thus, in my opinion, his statement is correct, based on the thread title.

It's exactly what I meant. UP is no longer interested in
running foamer steam excursions. They dropped the liability
insurance policy they formerly carried to cover such events
so sponsors did not have to find their own.

IMO, this isn't all bad. Ridership declines as costs go
up. Trips become awkward to organize. Sponsor organizations
face the same old dilemma most organizations do: an aging,
declining membership that is less able to do the hard work
necessary to organize, market, sell, and crew said trips on
top of the substantial financial risk they take on when they
do run a trip. With high traffic levels, photo run-bys are
few and far between and many are poorly organized, anyway.

There is a sizeable hard-core subset of foamers that always
wants trips to run but would not ride one even if threatened
at gunpoint.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/25/17 12:14 by Realist.

I tried to get 844 for display in KSfor the 150th Anniv. and was denied. There is nothing going on at that time. upkpfan

upkpfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I tried to get 844 for display in KSfor the 150th
> Anniv. and was denied. There is nothing going on
> at that time. upkpfan

Where would you propose No. 844 would've gone? It would've been awesome to have No. 844 back in Kansas....