Page 1 of 2
4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 12:56 am
by webenda
January 26, 2014, moved out of Pomona Fairplex, California on way to Cheyenne.
May 2, 2019, restored Union Pacific "Big Boy" 4014 Test Run in Cheyenne, WY
https://youtu.be/MjoMBKWW0ag
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 9:07 am
by healey36
Nice...hopefully we'll be seeing something similar later this year when WMSR completes its 1309 project.
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 1:07 pm
by Roy
It's good to see the Big Boy running again. It'll be even better to see it running sans diesels.
I'm inclined to think this must be a response to the fact that modern American freight diesels are so hideously ugly. I dare say, locomotive builders don't spend a nickel on design, to improve the appearance of these nasty things.
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 5:23 pm
by healey36
Function over form, mate.
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 5:31 pm
by Roy
healey36 wrote:Function over form, mate.
I suppose you could say the same thing about cars and motorcycles, too.
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 6:00 pm
by rex desilets
Roy wrote:It's good to see the Big Boy running again. It'll be even better to see it running sans diesels.
Not certain UP will let any steamer out on mainline rails without diesel backup. Sad.
I'm inclined to think this must be a response to the fact that modern American freight diesels are so hideously ugly. I dare say, locomotive builders don't spend a nickel on design, to improve the appearance of these nasty things.
Design brutalism, Le Corbusier school, although I doubt the manufacturers or railroads give looks a second thought. OTOH, except for attempts at streamlining, I doubt railroads or builders gave any thought to aesthetics, either. Except for some examples (CB&Q come to my mind), steam locomotives are inherently pleasing to the eye.
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 6:56 pm
by J. S. Bach
Roy wrote: ...snip... I'm inclined to think this must be a response to the fact that modern American freight diesels are so hideously ugly. ...snip...
A lot of steam was not all that pretty either. We as historically-minded "train nuts" might think so, but to most everyone else ..........................
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Sun May 05, 2019 9:38 am
by Rufus T. Firefly
J. S. Bach wrote:A lot of steam was not all that pretty either.
True. The overwhelming vast majority of steam is only slightly sampled in model offerings and only slightly more available in the literature.
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Sun May 05, 2019 10:43 am
by webenda
4014 & 844 Double Heading Harriman Wyoming May 4, 2019
https://youtu.be/EqgdZMTkV9Y
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Sun May 05, 2019 11:16 am
by Roy
Roy wrote:I'm inclined to think [restoring notable steam locomotives] must be a response to the fact that modern American freight diesels are so hideously ugly. I dare say, locomotive builders don't spend a nickel on design, to improve the appearance of these nasty things.
rex desilets wrote:Design brutalism, Le Corbusier school, although I doubt the manufacturers or railroads give looks a second thought. OTOH, except for attempts at streamlining, I doubt railroads or builders gave any thought to aesthetics, either. Except for some examples (CB&Q come to my mind), steam locomotives are inherently pleasing to the eye.
You might want to read up on locomotive builder William Mason.
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Sun May 05, 2019 11:47 am
by rex desilets
I have. The exception that proves the rule.
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Mon May 06, 2019 5:22 pm
by webenda
Tranz4mr says, "Saturday we went to Harrison WY, a remote stop on the Union Pacific Railroad about 30 miles west of Cheyenne to catch a scheduled stop of recently restored steam engine 4014. Here is my video."
<
https://youtu.be/BEas9OixdAU >
One frame from Kent's video:
That is mighty low down Kent.
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Mon May 06, 2019 6:07 pm
by Roy
I wonder what they're firing the engine with? I saw almost no smoke.
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Mon May 06, 2019 8:33 pm
by robert.
Fired with oil. Some say it was only running on the front cylinders.
Re: 4014 Rides the Rails Again
Posted: Mon May 06, 2019 10:55 pm
by Roy
Thanks, Robert. Perhaps the wind quickly dissipated the exhaust steam.