Steam & Excursion > Thank you Wes. Reply to technical questions regarding 4014.

Good morning Wes,

Thank you for your comments, I sincerely appreciate your interest and respectfully offer a correction to your assessment of the operation of the 4014.

If you’re interested, scan YouTube or you may also review other videos and photos that I have posted online, you will observe in those cab shots that the pressure gauge is at or always very near 300 psi. You may also observe the close to clear stack conditions and that audible characteristic articulated exhaust - yes of course the Big Boy is not operating anywhere near its rated capacity - remember that is not the role it serves with its new second life on the UP. During our 2-1/2 year restoration, we machined so many nice new components such as the beautiful new valve bushings and nicely bored and in one case new cylinder liner with beautiful built-up pistons, excellent new piston rings - with all that great machine work, it is very tight and you would be impressed with how efficient the locomotive is for that technology and not as thirsty as you might think.

Even with the smaller and much lighter consists we couple into, there are several other clear indications of consistent high superheat - TO friends can witness the blue smoke emanating from the live steam ball joints on the front engine. That blue smoke is that high-quality valve oil, and some grease flung here and there, working its way oozing out to the exterior of those heavy duty castings in classic big UP articulated fashion, you can walk up and see that heavy duty oil baked on down to bare metal. The blue smoke indicates that this valve oil is burning in the open air due to the nice high superheat in excess of 650°. If you happen to have a heat gun in hand or be standing close to us while we use ours, that heat gun tells the story of high superheat. This also occurs while drifting, naturally to a lesser extent given the lower steam flow and reduced steam chest pressures - particularly without my favorite dynamic brake to help hold us back on those long descending grades.

I thank you for the attention that you draw to our operation and hope you find this technical correction interesting.

Please feel free to call anytime as I enjoy comparing notes and talking technical. In the event you ever find yourself close to our operations, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly, I would be pleased to provide you and Jack, Callum Out, Bankshotone, CO1309, Proamtrak and many other active supporters on TO a personal tour.

Best regards.

Ed

307-214-3547

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/24 04:01 by EdDickens.

Ed. You are a class act, and you do Union Pacific proud. Thank you and the steam crew for all you do bringing UP steam all around the country. And thanks for engaging here on Trainorders…Well Done!

•Tom Hayden-PNW Seattle area