Steam & Excursion > My text to an old friend about 4014 West Colton visit:

He's been absolutely "Nuts" about trains and railroading since we were kids in the 1960's, he's not very "connected" to the modern age of cellphones and communication, but he knows what I'm talking about when it comes to anything Railroad, especially Steam engines like 4449, 3985, and Big Boy.
He's currently living in Colton, Calif, in a motel, his name is Dennis, and I tried to text him what I currently know about 4014 visit to Southern California. He probably won't want to miss this visit for anything.
I don't think he has a car right now, will probably be on foot, or get a friend to take him there, but if I know Dennis, he will make it there somehow.

So I tried to communicate to him what know about it, with some assumptions included.
Your assumptions may vary, mine are speculative.

Here is a copy of my Text to Dennis:.................

Here's the UP Big Boy #4014 scedule so far:

Oct 11th Friday Arrive Colton?

Oct 12th Saturday Depart Colton to Barstow.

Oct 13th Sunday Depart Barstow/Arrive Colton

Oct 14th Depart Colton?

Keep in mind these dates are subject to change, and Security all around the Colton Yard Area will probably be tight.
Plus there will be a big mob of railfans and cars and people all over the place!

They will have to turn the Big Boy (and/or the passenger train) around on one of 3 possible wyes around the area on the 11th,12th,13th or 14th.

Also keep in mind that they have a short train of passenger cars, and they have been taking it easy on 4014 since it was recently rebuilt by UP.
So don't expect to see a Big giant plume of smoke, and it really working hard, like the pictures from the 1940's, when the Big Boys were hauling 100 car heavy freight trains!

But still would be nice to see her, and hear the whistle, I will try to make it there, if possible.

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/19 22:19 by RailRat.

Nice update to an old friend.

Don Allender

ATSFSuperChief Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice update to an old friend.
>
> Don Allender

Love the guy to death,as well as 2 other old friends, who are more digitally connected. Dennis changes phones like we change our socks, but he is way more into railroad than the the other 2 guys.
As a matter of fact, Dennis used to hop on to the the old SP freight trains, going through Highgrove, Calif, back in the 1970's, we though he was crazy back then, but now I'm jealous of his experience.

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

Very nice!  

Obviously, since a formal schedule hasn't been posted by UP yet, anything is a guess, but I've been assuming that the 4014 will have at least one full dead day around Colton from when it arrives to when it heads to Barstow on that Saturday.  Since that weekend is a scheduled trip that tickets are being sold for, I doubt the 'plan' will be for the 4014 to arrive just before it has to do the excursion.   At this point in time, I'd think the plan would be for it to arrive on Wed. or Thurs.    After the weekend excursion, I'd still assume at least 1 dead day and it leaving the area on Tuesday or later, but I still think it could possibly leave that Monday on its next journey. 

-Tom

A nice full consist of 12 or so cars. UP Museum take note for future trips out of Omaha, look how many more seats you can sell using all 7 coaches.

Posted from iPhone

And a non-mind numbing fare.

Out

RailRat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ATSFSuperChief Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Nice update to an old friend.
> >
> > Don Allender
>
> Love the guy to death,as well as 2 other old
> friends, who are more digitally connected. Dennis
> changes phones like we change our socks, but he is
> way more into railroad than the the other 2 guys.
> As a matter of fact, Dennis used to hop on to the
> the old SP freight trains, going through
> Highgrove, Calif, back in the 1970's, we though he
> was crazy back then, but now I'm jealous of his
> experience.

Jealouus you may be, but hopping freights for fun is dangerous and against the law. The railroads got enough on their plates already given they don't make anything, only carry someone elses goods. So you did the right thing!