Warbird Information Exchange

When this thread came up and I referred back to my photos, I could read the 3985 number to start my research on them. At the time back then I was at a small warning lights only RR crossing in Bracken, Texas within 50 feet of the track. 3985 was making a stream of black smoke as she approached and this made me think it was still coal fired. But due to member Sopwith's question about coal vs oil fired, I pretty much know my answer after further reading which reminded me of the rain of cinders which followed steamers especially under load. I also know now altho coal oil fired they still emit plumes of black smoke for effect for the crowd or when under load when...ahemm...they pour the coals to 'er. Reflecting back, there were no cinders following 3985's passing on people or vehicles awaiting right up to the edge of the track.

When the volunteers decided in 1980 to dust off 3985 and return her to working order she was coal fired and remained that way for almost 10 years till she was modified for fuel oil. Many of her Challenger sisters came equipped oil-fired. The main reason for the conversion being 3985 was starting numerous trackside fires due to coal cinders. They figured a zone of about 50 feet on either side of the track or their most fire prone zone. I dunno what the operating kit was for 3985 back then but it was customary for coal fired steamers to carry an additional water car with fire fighting equipment and personnel. An added benefit or fatality to the coal-fired experience was you no longer would get the rain of cinders...sometimes burning...in your hair and clothes and everything else.

Here's an interesting story that was part of Big Boy's visit to Ogden...

https://kslnewsradio.com/1905305/englis ... s-granted/

Nice and looks a little bit bigger than those we get on this (the right ) side of the pond!

70-80 MPH for the Big Boy as it was designed for freight, the 844 was 100MPH

I've followed this closely every since the first rumors came out that Union Pacific (UP) would extract the 4014 from the Pomona fairgrounds. Few know exactly what it took to get the museum there to hand over the 4014, but they did get a running diesel and a caboose in the deal (beats me why they would want a running diesel as they have almost no track to run it on, and no connection to the rest of the railroad world). I'm sure a lot of coin came with the deal and likely tickets for the members of that group any time 4014 goes anywhere?
Moving 4014 out of the fairgrounds was an epic quest, with panel track across a large parking lot, then to a light rail track and finally to the UP mainline.The Garratt locomotives got pretty big and a few got used in the UK, but yes, nothing the size of a Union Pacific 4000 class...
The 4000s were never designed to run at 80 MPH, that was ALCO's ad copy for what theoretically it could do. I think UP only ever needed them to run about 60, max. they had maximum adhesion around 35.
Out of 25 built, 8 still exist. I've seen all of them but the one in Texas.

Lynn, the Texas survivor is 4884 at the Museum of the American Railroad at Frisco.

Its the largest of the steam locomotives.

Often quoted but I'm not sure it's quite correct; Baldwin made an XA Triplex with a 2-8-8-8-4 wheel arrangement and also the Erie Class P-1 was a 2-8-8-8-2. My late father (a massive UP and Big Boy fan) made a point of stating that others were larger, though maybe not so heavy. Still an awesome piece of kit.