Steam & Excursion > UP 4-8-4 plus 4-8-8-4 at Sherman Hill

Wyoming's steep Sherman Hill; Union Pacific RR; largest engine ever built plus a smaller one; 1940's top photo and 2019 bottom photo by Ryan Slaton of 4014 plus 844!

---

Very nice. Note in the original 1940s/1950s photo, there is no steam "leaking" out of the right sides of either locomotive.

The "leaking" steam will make these locomotives the opposite of Shays.  Only photograph the fireman's side!

John Meixel
Longmont, CO

Why does it "Leak" anyways??

Posted from Android

Mike Keithly
Kimball, NE

One difference is the black and white photo was shot in the summer when it is warm, the color one in the spring when it is still cold outside

Open cylinder cocks can vent steam, and there are six cocks in this photo. The front cylinder piston rod packing of the lead locomotive in 2nd photo had a leak that was later fixed. The steam by the cab of that 4014 engine is normal and in many later photos. Steam by the rear 844 locomotive might be from the lead loco, normal venting, or a small leak. Not to worry. Repairs are made whenever necessary. 4014 minor work is underway as we speak. Both engines are in good hands at all times. Watch for both locos to operate flawlessly in the future. Meanwhile, watch UP 844 and UP 4014 on youtube; there are hundreds of videos taken in the last several years.

Spikes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Open cylinder cocks can vent steam, and there are
> six cocks in this photo.

None of which are open.

The front cylinder piston
> rod packing of the lead locomotive in 2nd photo
> had a leak that was later fixed.

No it wasn't. Plus both sides had piston rod packing leaking. The "problem" wasn't "fixed" until their return to Cheyenne. The eventual cause was determined to be; the piston rods were not properly ground all they way through their travel through the piston rod packing.

The steam by the
> cab of that 4014 engine is normal and in many
> later photos.

No, it is NOT "normal" as the current manager totally re-piped the original Wilson Blowdown Separator system.

Steam by the rear 844 locomotive
> might be from the lead loco, normal venting, or a
> small leak.

Nope. The piston rod packing was also leaking on both sides of 844.

Not to worry. Repairs are made
> whenever necessary. 4014 minor work is underway as
> we speak.

I see you are continuing to drink the coolaid.

Both engines are in good hands at all
> times.

Right.

Watch for both locos to operate flawlessly
> in the future.

Believe me, I'll be "watching"!

 

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Spikes Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Open cylinder cocks can vent steam, and there
> are
> > six cocks in this photo.
>
> None of which are open.
>
> The front cylinder piston
> > rod packing of the lead locomotive in 2nd photo
> > had a leak that was later fixed.
>
> No it wasn't. Plus both sides had piston rod
> packing leaking. The "problem" wasn't "fixed"
> until their return to Cheyenne. The eventual cause
> was determined to be; the piston rods were not
> properly ground all they way through their travel
> through the piston rod packing.
>
> The steam by the
> > cab of that 4014 engine is normal and in many
> > later photos.
>
> No, it is NOT "normal" as the current manager
> totally re-piped the original Wilson Blowdown
> Separator system.
>
> Steam by the rear 844 locomotive
> > might be from the lead loco, normal venting, or
> a
> > small leak.
>
> Nope. The piston rod packing was also leaking on
> both sides of 844.
>
> Not to worry. Repairs are made
> > whenever necessary. 4014 minor work is underway
> as
> > we speak.
>
> I see you are continuing to drink the coolaid.
>
> Both engines are in good hands at all
> > times.
>
> Right.
>
> Watch for both locos to operate flawlessly
> > in the future.
>
> Believe me, I'll be "watching"!
>
>  
Thank you for this rather sobering review.  It's scary.

> Thank you for this rather sobering review.  It's scary.

It's interesting, but I don't know if it's scary.  There are hundreds of photos from the 1940s & 50s showing big UP steam power leaking steam from 3 or more places that it shouldn't be coming from.  Not saying that's ok, only that it didn't seem to concern people much back then and probably shouldn't now. 

Take care,

Mark

mamfahr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > Thank you for this rather sobering review. 
> It's scary.
>
> It's interesting, but I don't know if it's
> scary.  There are hundreds of photos from the
> 1940s & 50s showing big UP steam power leaking
> steam from 3 or more places that it shouldn't be
> coming from.  Not saying that's ok, only that it
> didn't seem to concern people much back then and
> probably shouldn't now. 
>
> Take care,
>
> Mark

In the bitter cold of Wyoming, many very small "leaks" would have been amplified by the very cold temperatures. Remember that the UP used steam operated cylinder cocks, so even when the cylinder cocks we closed, there would still be a small amount of steam from the steam supply lines to those cylinder cocks. Then there is the steam exhaust from the Elesco Exhaust Steam Injector (or the Worthington Feedwater system on those FEF locomotives so modified) cold water supply turbine, as well as the "tell-tail" steam exhaust just forward of the rear cylinder, both on the Fireman's side. Then there is the Wilson Blowdown Sludge Remover, which exhausts steam skyward just forward of the cab, with the sludgy water being discharged right under the Engineer's side, below the cab.