# Big Boy locomotive begins California farewell tour



## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

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Big Boy locomotive begins California farewell tour[/b]


Think they will have tours at the Cheyenne shops while it's being rebuilt?


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## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

I had always wished that a Big Boy would be restored and now it is happening. Sometimes you do get what you wish for.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Anyone have any idea of its routing? Will it be coming through the Bay Area?


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Dwight 

Colton Yard to Cheyenne??? Would not think so, but I have been completely wrong before.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

They're taking her thru Utah their most direct route, once prettied up there will be tours....


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Rats!!!!


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## neals645 (Apr 7, 2008)

Why move it all that way when #4004 is already in Cheyenne???


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Need to keep up there Neal..many threads ago it was brought out that of all the surviving BIG BOYS, 4014 was in the best physical condition to under go a successful transformation back into a running locomotive for all to enjoy in the coming years. 

The long trip is worth far more starting with a good subject!! 

Stay tuned!! 

Dirk -DMS Ry.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Here's the map from the UP Steam web page.

4014 map route


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## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By neals645 on 29 Jan 2014 09:55 AM
Why move it all that way when 4004 is already in Cheyenne???


Funny thing about 4004. I was in Cheyenne two years ago. 4004 is in a city park there. Only the side of the engine and tender that face the park are kept up with. The other side that faces a major 4 lane high way looks really bad. (Of course even a Bad looking Big Boy still looks good) Anyway, the one side is all painted and snazzy looking while the other side hasn't seen the stroke of a paint brush in many, many a year. Go figure, I guess the people that keep up with the park only care about the side that faces them and it cost half the money and time to do it that way.


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

I read somewhere that it was unlikely for any of the Big Boys to be restored to operating condition due to the limitations of our modern rail infrastructure. Most important is the minimum radius of curves. Also the limited number of wyes that can handle the length of these giants of the rail. (Where are you going to turn it around?) I'm curious as to what its range of operation will be. I know the Challenger made it to Houston, TX years ago. I saw it in the UP yards in Hearne, TX where it stopped overnight for a scheduled maintenance stop. Can the Big Boy fit into the same facilities? I made a video of UP #844 when it came through Livingston, TX a couple of years ago. 

. 
Would the bridge over the Trinity River support the Big Boy? ..___ . 

Perhaps Livingston would be "out of bounds" for the Big Boy. That would be sad for me. :-(


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## ChrisS (Apr 5, 2012)

its not sheer weight, its axle loading and how that load is spread out. you gotta remember a 4000 is so much longer with many more axles. 
yes it weighs considerably more that 844, but 844 has 8 axles to spread it out, and 4014 has 12....


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

Isn't it the case that an articulated locomotive is more limited by the wheelbase of each section than overall size? So the Big Boy shouldn't be much different than the 4-8-4 in terms of radius. 

Are there really wye tracks tight enough of radius for length to be the limiting factor? In any case, there ought to be turning options beyond switching wyes, since multiple tracks converge in many cities. Or, an excursion route doesn't have to retrace itself, it could just be a loop so the locomotive never has to turn around.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

The 3985 Challenger "remodeled" (in the words of Steve Lee, at the time manager of steam operations for U.P.) its own front end and a couple of coal cars when it entered a curve and the boiler overhang in the curve was more than the distance between the track it was on and the track the coal cars were on. This was out east when it was on 'loan' to a "Santa Clause" train on a RR that had used the Challenger type locomotive (4-6-6-4) in the past, but apparently the tracks had been realigned in the intervening years and brought closer together. Oops!


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## Nevadablue (Nov 18, 2013)

Thanks for the map Jerry. That made me sad however. I keep forgetting that LA is due south of me. The engine won't go by us, sigh... 

On the subject of curves and long engines, wasn't that HUGE diesel they built limited by curves? Seems that the monster couldn't do much but go across the prairie.


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

A............DDA40X 

Is it huge....? 




Dirk


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Bluefield, WV has a wye that was used during the NS steam excursions to turn 611 and 1218. 1218 is the larger locomotive, but actually had less trouble on the wye, due to is being a 2-6-6-4 articulated locomotive. 611 actually made the wye track groan and had to creep over it, as it is an eight-coupled locomotive. I really can't guess at what kind of stresses and eight-coupled articulated will put on the wyes, but the Big Boy probably has a lesser rigid wheelbase than the 844. 844 and 611 are 4-8-4s, but the Big Boy is more like a 4-8-0+0-8-4. I suppose the UP is already reviewing their track data. 

Just a thought, 
David Meashey


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## jjwtrainman (Mar 11, 2011)

I guess I'm one of the few lucky modelers that has to go through Cheyenne on a regular basis. I haven't stopped much other than gas and to see the other Big Boy in the park, but next time I'm through Cheyenne I'll be sure to stop and see if I can't get a photo or two to share.

--James


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

after reviewing some data further between both 844 & 4014, it appears the BIG BOY may have an easier go of it than it's new cousin! 

One has 8 axles - one has 4 ( main drivers ) 
One weighs 540,000 on the drivers - 4014, but 
only 270,000 per 4 axle set, compared to 
266,490 on a 4 axle set, 

too close to call or loose sleep over,.. 

what is also interesting is comparing the driver diameters.... now 

4014 has 68'' drivers 
844 has 80'' drivers 

depending on how much flex the mid joint has, possibly 4014 can turn as tight ,....or tighter even than 844.. 

issues with using a Wye to turn a loco come down to overall tail length of the Wye ...... 

My basic conclusions are that anywhere one can go, the other can follow!!! 

Time will bring reality together for each of us to enjoy our new found hope and dream of having a running BIG BOY hit the rails for our entertainment in the near future.... 

Dirk - DMS Ry.


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## ChrisS (Apr 5, 2012)

How about wishing for a 3985 and a 4014 double header in the future!


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