Steam & Excursion > Popular Mechanics' article about Big Boy Restoration

Popular Mechanics Magazine published an extensive article today, "Why the Big Boy 4014 is Such a Badass Train."

https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/infrastructure/a27966255/big-boy-4014-badass-train/

 

<puts on foamer hat> It's not a train, it's a locomotive! <removes hat>

:D

nice to see coverage in a more mainstream magazine.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

To us these mislabels count but to 99.9999999999999999 % of the general public they don't. Facts are that thanks to the Big Boy's rebirth and the 150th. anniversary celebration of the Golden Spike the Union Pacific Railroad received a TON of positive national media attention and that's what they and their investors relish.

   I say way to go UPRR  !!!

    Ross Rowland

Thanks for sharing the article. Go UP!

I somehow missed the part of the trip where it pulled into Promontory, though I can understand why its journey there wasn't an easy one...

It would have had a tough time even if the track was in, couple of those curves didn't look real friendly.

Out

Especially with a puny 7000 horsepower!  

I have met foamers and model railroaders who do not know the difference between a "train" and a "locomotive."
From time to time I will send a friendly email to a reporter noting the difference: The response is always positive!
 

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

What’s the rule book wording that includes locos as trains....related to “anything displaying markers, moving on the rails..” is a ‘train’...?

W.

i agree withyou Ross.

wcamp1472 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What’s the rule book wording that includes locos
> as trains....related to “anything displaying
> markers, moving on the rails..” is a
> ‘train’...?
>
> W.

According to the GCOR:

Train
One or more engines coupled, with or without cars, displaying a marker, and authorized to operate on a main track. A term that when used in connection with speed restrictions, flag protection, and the observance of all signals and signal rules also applies to engines.

Sooo. . . There are times when the Big Boy is  a "train!"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/19 14:12 by portlander.

EXACTLY...
An engine by itself CAN be a “Train” ....  “ with or without cars” ....(can be a train.)

FRED may be redundant on a set MU’d.. & without cars...

​W.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/19 16:59 by wcamp1472.

If the experts posting on this website interpret "locomotive" and "train" distinctly and precisely, a locomotive should not be discussed on "train"orders.com.

I suspect Popular Mechanics' use of the term "badass train" was chosen because its readers are believed to better relate to "train" than "locomotive".  However, when a TV reporter from a small-town CBS franchise station stated "steam roller" instead of "steam locomotive", it's most likely caused by lack of knowledge.

Can't wait to read how this site nit-picks how CBS News Sunday Morning reports on the 150th celebration and Big Boy #4014 tomorrow.
 

RailGiants Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the experts posting on this website interpret
> "locomotive" and "train" distinctly and precisely,
> a locomotive should not be discussed on
> "train"orders.com.
>
> I suspect Popular Mechanics' use of the term
> "badass train" was chosen because its readers are
> believed to better relate to "train" than
> "locomotive".  However, when a TV reporter from a
> small-town CBS franchise station stated "steam
> roller" instead of "steam locomotive", it's most
> likely caused by lack of knowledge.
>
> Can't wait to read how this site nit-picks how CBS
> News Sunday Morning reports on the 150th
> celebration and Big Boy #4014 tomorrow.
>  

As of 5:30 pm EDT on 06/16/2019, this site has been nothing but complimentary toward the CBS News Sunday Morning coverage of UP and the 150th Anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike. While there will always be exceptions, the vast majority of TO members contributing to the Steam & Excursion forum are people who are genuinely interested in not only the preservation of steam locomotives but their technological aspects as well. Chill out, relax and learn from those people. Don’t denigrate them. Trust me, you’ll be a richer person if you’ll simply change your attitude.

Posted from iPhone

Nit-picking is OK.

Most of us can separate the wheat from the chaff.....

Most of us appreciate accuracy and re-direction towards the facts...
i learn something new, like hot-well Feedwater boiler supply schemes, every day that I log onto TrainOrders.

A lot of things, like the rest of the ‘net, I skip over the majority of entries......
i can separate the clinkers from the coal....on a loco, I pull the clicker from the rear corners of the grates...soon, under a good draft,  they disappear..

​W.

Another misuse of rail terms...a TRACK contains 2 rails on ties, usually.
TRACKS denote more than one TRACK.

So there.

Abqfoamer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Another misuse of rail terms...a TRACK contains 2
> rails on ties, usually.
> TRACKS denote more than one TRACK.
>
> So there.

If you want to be nit-picky...

Use of an ellipses is not correct there, since the first part introduces by statement the second part. A colon is to be used.

{Another misuse of rail terms: a TRACK contains 2 rails on ties, usually.} (Not sure if the a then becomes capitalized.)