Steam & Excursion > 4014 Happenings?

I'm seeing pics and reports on Facebook that UP 4014 was spotted outside the shop under steam with both aux tenders hooked up within the last hour. Anyone know what's up?

Posted from George Foreman Grill



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/22 10:20 by A-1.

Maybe they are just simply finishing the annual inspection of the locomotive, which includes setting Safety Valves on the boiler, orfice tests on each air compressor, etc., and testing anything they have worked on over the winter to see if further adjustments are needed.  In short, they are likely just doing what they need to be doing to properly care for the locomotive.

I take this as a good sign. If they're doing an annual it would seem like they're planning to run this year, or at least to be ready to run.

That's a big if, that was so dumb UP announced that excursion, then a few weeks later pull the plug, don't hold your breath guys!

Be pretty funny if they hooked up and bombed a doublestack over Archer to North Platte just to prove a point...flame on.

Cheers, Dave
 

Hillcrest Wrote:
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> Be pretty funny if they hooked up and bombed a
> doublestack over Archer to North Platte just to
> prove a point...flame on.
>
> Cheers, Dave
>  

I always thought it would be hilarious if a mainline engine just left town unannounced and watch the foamers lose their minds trying to figure it what's happening. 4449 only got to make it a few miles(was still being towed in reverse) on its IMAX runs before the cat was out of the bag.

Posted from Android

ProAmtrak Wrote:
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> That's a big if, that was so dumb UP announced
> that excursion, then a few weeks later pull the
> plug, don't hold your breath guys!

Thank you so much Union Pacific!!!! (my mockery of premature foamer excitement)

Seriously, there's more management dysfunction within UP than I thought, for such a publicity misstep. I've had good impression on how Scott Moore handles things the last several years, and I give him credit for quick damage control. This one doesn't seem to fit in the Empire of Lies category.

A-1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hillcrest Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Be pretty funny if they hooked up and bombed a
> > doublestack over Archer to North Platte just to
> > prove a point...flame on.
> >
> > Cheers, Dave
> >  
>
> I always thought it would be hilarious if a
> mainline engine just left town unannounced and
> watch the foamers lose their minds trying to
> figure it what's happening. 4449 only got to make
> it a few miles(was still being towed in reverse)
> on its IMAX runs before the cat was out of the
> bag.
>
> Posted from Android

That happened a lot in the pre-internet days.  When 2101, 614, 765, and the Southern/N&W engines were running, you had to ask the crew, or have a number for a dispatcher to find things our.  I am talking about one-way trips that were not on the regular schedule of excursions.  Those were fun, cause generally only a hand-ful knew about them.  We had a circle of a few guys we could call and find things out.  You all are lucky today with instant notice on the internet.  Maybe thats why I hate chasing today versus the old days, cause there were less people out.  Sure, the excursions were busy, cause they were all public events, but the one-way trips in and out of towns was more lightly chased.  But they were usually on a weekday as well.
Cheers,
Greg

PS Keeping this Union Pacific Related, I had spent a huge amount of time with 8444 in the spring of 1989.  When it arrived back in Cheyenne from LA and Portland I thought I was done with shooting and could make my video.  About 2-3 weeks later one of the UP crew(Either Bob K, or Steve Lee), called and said they were making a run to Omaha to dedicate the new Harriman Dispatch center.  And, the GP30 844 was being retired and the FEF4 was getting its original number 844 back.  So a buddy and I made the trip to Cheyenne from Ohio, and wound up with one of the most fun shoots we ever did.  There were a handful of fans out each day.  We shot 844 eastbound with 2 different freights over 2 days, a special dinner train for the UP big shots to Valley, then 2 more days of freights back to Cheyenne.  Couldn't have that kind of luck today!  If Interested go to youtube and search Union Pacific Steam Vol 1 and 2 Preview, or go to website(gregschollvideo.com)

UP always would do break in runs , pilot an old timers trains and other things that were unannounced, or just a few knew about.   they were the best often 

The internet shock and awe of 4449's surprise outing was fun to follow. Especially since it happened almost immediately after Amtrak announced it wouldn't do charters any more. The PNW railfan groups on Facebook were loaded with people asking where it was. But I found the best updates on its location were on the groups for the small communities and local papers in the Columbia Gorge. People that normally wouldn't give a train a second glance were thrilled to stumble onto something special like that. The first trip got a late start, and the foamers hadn't been able to mobilize yet. They didn't head back to Vancouver til well after dark. I caught them at Bingen, and paced with only one other vehicle through the gorge. Probably the closest I'll ever get to catching a 4-8-4 doing what it was born to do without a crowd in pursuit. By the second day, the foamers were out in force.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/22 09:53 by A-1.

A-1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The internet shock and awe of 4449's surprise
> outing was fun to follow. Especially since it
> happened almost immediately after Amtrak announced
> it wouldn't do charters any more. The PNW railfan
> groups on Facebook were loaded with people asking
> where it was. But I found the best updates on its
> location were on the groups for the small
> communities and local papers in the Columbia
> Gorge. People that normally wouldn't give a train
> a second glance were thrilled to stumble onto
> something special like that.
>
> Posted from Android


I was sitting on the lead at Lake Yard (Portland Terminal Railroad) A-4 waiting to get the light when I saw a big plume slowly advancing in my direction. I figured since it was a bit wet out that it was a GE radiator steaming away. Low and behold, the '49 being towed for that trip. It was pretty comical to hear the radio chatter. 

And the thing is, she ain't slow either!

Macster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A-1 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The internet shock and awe of 4449's surprise
> > outing was fun to follow. Especially since it
> > happened almost immediately after Amtrak
> announced
> > it wouldn't do charters any more. The PNW
> railfan
> > groups on Facebook were loaded with people
> asking
> > where it was. But I found the best updates on
> its
> > location were on the groups for the small
> > communities and local papers in the Columbia
> > Gorge. People that normally wouldn't give a
> train
> > a second glance were thrilled to stumble onto
> > something special like that.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
>
> I was sitting on the lead at Lake Yard (Portland
> Terminal Railroad) A-4 waiting to get the light
> when I saw a big plume slowly advancing in my
> direction. I figured since it was a bit wet out
> that it was a GE radiator steaming away. Low and
> behold, the '49 being towed for that trip. It was
> pretty comical to hear the radio chatter. 

Damn, and you didn't have a blue mustang handy...

Cheers, Dave