Nostalgia & History > 3985 Pulling Doublestacks

While chasing the 3985 last Thursday, I met a gentleman at a crossing just west of Dix, who had quite a knowledge about the Challenger. We introduced ourselves, and I asked him his name.

Bob Krieger.

Of particular interest was his story of being part of the 3985 pulling 140 loaded doublestack cars across Nebraska and Wyoming, in 1990. I'd like to hear more, and possibly see some photos of that event.

I've noted while searching through Google and this website that Bob has been a member TO in the past. If you are reading this, Bob, I thank you very much for making the chase even more fun and interesting!

Yes, it would be interesting to know what the actual minimum speed was as the train rolled over the top of Archer Hill.

The train was something like 7500 tons, wasn't it? So probably not 140 platforms?

(Edit: one report says 143 "cars", 7657 tons.)

cchan006 Wrote:

> Of particular interest was his story of being part
> of the 3985 pulling 140 loaded doublestack cars
> across Nebraska and Wyoming, in 1990. I'd like to
> hear more, and possibly see some photos of that
> event.

As I recall, one of the fan magazines reported that the stack train pulled by 3985 was the only one that arrived on time that day. I can't remember who the shipper was, but reportedly their president quipped that perhaps UP should look into buying more locomotives like 3985.

> I've noted while searching through Google and this
> website that Bob has been a member TO in the past.
> If you are reading this, Bob, I thank you very
> much for making the chase even more fun and
> interesting!

Do a search for Krieger on here and you'll find he's still an active poster.

It was an APL train, and it was said to have topped the hill at about 35mph.

Someone did a for sale VHS of this event, which I mistakenly loaned to an acquaintance, and I never saw it again. Google it.

Bob

ATSF100WEST......Out

ATSF100WEST Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Someone did a for sale VHS of this event, which I
> mistakenly loaned to an acquaintance, and I never
> saw it again. Google it.
>
> Bob
>
> ATSF100WEST......Out

I think Mark 1 video did a video on it. One time I was talking
to one of the UP crew about this trip and they told me how Mark melted
a camera he had mounted on the engine behind the firebox. They tried to
warn him it would get might hot back there, but he ignored them. Apparently
he burned his hand pretty good when he removed the camera!! I believe someone
is running his company since he passed away a few years ago.
Greg Scholl

I wonder how fast this train would have going as it topped Archer if a Big Boy had been pulling?

NYCSTL8 Wrote:
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> I wonder how fast this train would have going as
> it topped Archer if a Big Boy had been pulling?


35 mph, which is what I think they were rated for. But they could've tacked a few more cars on.

WB Video "Heavy Freight and Union Pacific 3985" covers this very well.

Bob Krieger's handle on here is Bob3985. He's been a frequent poster on here in the past.

A similar event when the steam program contributed to regular freight operations was back in 1996. The 844 was headed west back to Cheyenne. It was approaching Archer Hill when a manifest got stalled. So it coupled onto the rear and it pushed it the few miles remaining to the top of Archer.

Don't want to misquote Bob, but I recall him saying the 3985 pulled the doublestacks through Archer Hill at about 25 mph, and they opened 'er up to 65 mph on flat terrain.

The trigger for his storytelling was my question as to why the 6936 was giving the 3985 a little assist on the early leg of the trip. He thought that the crew wanted to give the bearings a little break in the beginning. Then he went on about how the 6936 can be controlled from the cab of the 3985, and the Centennial really didn't need to be there except as a brake sled, and then the doublestack story came up.

I found one image of the 3985/doublestack on the web at http://www.cardcow.com/images/set191/card00730_fr.jpg

IIRC, some footage of the APL train is on the 3985 DVD that the steam crew sells.

I found another image here:

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1004921478015173523INztQZMkEw

I also found a section of a show from the History Channel on YouTube that shows a brief 10 second shot of the 3985 pulling the stack train. It's about 50 seconds in. BTW, watch to the end as it shows some footage when the 844 shoved a stalled train over Archer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9vdx8WUDRo

I believe the video quotes the speed over the top at 18 mph.

The train was a little over 8400 feet long and we topped Archer at 35 mph as stated. It was an APL train secretly arranged between a gentleman at APL and one in Omaha. It came into town and took 5 GE's off the head end for us to tack on, air test and go. I was the fireman out of Sidney that day so I too stood in awe at Archer to watch the spectacle as 3985 charged the hill.
It sounded like a 747 roaring by with its consist in tow. What an awesome event this was and we were only 30 minutes behind schedule at North Platte tho having done the better over the road time.
Another memory in this ole man's bank.
Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

It was a pleasure to visit with you at Owasco as we awaited the traffic to clear around the maintenance of way window. 3985 looked pretty good. Oh, and that footage I shot of it charging Archer with the double stack train should still be a part of the steam crew's 3985 video they have for sale.
Come back to Cheyenne when you have more time and I can show you around the area.
Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Mark self destructed two small digital cameras on a separate eastbound trip with 3985. Tes he had one mounted right above the firebox. The second was mounted on a flatcar carrying 1243 (UP 4-6-0)for display in Omaha. SOmewhere between Sidney Nebraska and Lodgepole, that second camera fled the right of way. The first one was in meltdown mode not long after.
Bob Krieger
Cheyenne

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Yes, we were returning from a Kansas trip when we got behind a stalled freight just east of Burns, WY. We called the dispatcher to see about backing up to the previous crossover to get around him but traffic there was too heavy eastbound. After a bit I consulted with Steve Lee about helper assist and he said go for it. Well when we talked to the dispatcher he said we couldn't because we were a steam loco, WHAT????
Steve cell phoned someone at the Harriman and soon we were taking out the front coupler and tieing onto the rear end of the stalled freight. I have never heard 844 work that hard and it was awesome. One of our fan videographers captured the whole event all the way to Archer.
The stalled freight had 2 GE's (working) and one SD40-2 (low loader) so that was why the long, heavy freight stalled. We got it up to about 22 mph when the crew called the dispatcher and notified that they were about to run out of time. So we had to stop about Hillsdale and start all over with a fresh crew. At one point the dispatcher called them to see how they were doing and they said 8th run 22 mph. Then he asked what run I was in on 844 and I said 42nd to the sounds of silence on the air.
Jack Wheelihan was firing for me and we did some readings and calculations. We used 52 gallons of fuel a mile, approx 550 gallons of water and based on formula later determined that 844 was producing 4400 hp.
Bob Krieger
Cheyenne

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Bob3985 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It was a pleasure to visit with you at Owasco as
> we awaited the traffic to clear around the
> maintenance of way window. 3985 looked pretty
> good. Oh, and that footage I shot of it charging
> Archer with the double stack train should still be
> a part of the steam crew's 3985 video they have
> for sale.
> Come back to Cheyenne when you have more time
> and I can show you around the area.
> Bob Krieger
> Cheyenne, WY

Bob,

Thanks for the follow up, and nice to hear from you.