# SWEET SWEET SWEET



## Guest (May 7, 2008)

That thing is haulin a-s, it always amazes me to see something that big move that quick/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/blink.gif 
Nick...


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick, 

Great video, thanks for sharing.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick, 

Great video and U.P. always does it with CLASS! Brute power. Not a dis-easal in sight! I wish Southern Pacific would have let 3751 run last weekend without diesel help.


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick, 

With 80 inch drivers she was built to go fast, could cruise @ 100 MPH all day.. Wonderful engine & needs no helpers!! Got to see her in Topeka, Ks.. 

BulletBob


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Not only does it amaze me that the big thing moves like ****, but the fact that you have a steam boiler with all of it's various controls and monstrous moving parts, move thousands of tons, controlled by two people, and they live to tell about it!


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

I LOVE that locomotive, I've been all over it, in the cab, and seen it run several times. I wish they would repaint it back to the two tone gray scheme, but it was too expensive and difficult to maintain. Did you know that UP 844 (or 8444) was never retired from the active roster list? And that makes the Union Pacific the only Class 1 railroad to never completely dieselize. 

Most of the time when diesels are used in conjuction with steam engines it is for braking requirements only, as mandated by the railroad it's running on. Steam engines don't have dynamic brakes.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

A testimony as to why many of us are Live Steamers!!!!


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## Greg Stevens (Jan 3, 2008)

Gary, 

I think you meant BNSF not Southern Pacific. There is no SP anymore thanks to the Union Pacific. AND, BNSF doesn't have a steam program as yet, so for insurance reasons, the diesel was added as a pilot engine. No one is qualified on the BNSF to run a steamer and no one on the SBRHS is qualified to run on the RR.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Greg, 
I should've known better about the SP. The last time I saw 4449 come through Tehachapi and then Burbank was over 25 years ago and it was SP then. I have trouble keeping up with these damn mergers. I just naturally think of everything in this area as SP. Still in my childhood memories."


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Stevens on 05/07/2008 9:38 PM 
Gary, 
I think you meant BNSF not Southern Pacific. There is no SP anymore thanks to the Union Pacific. AND, BNSF doesn't have a steam program as yet, so for insurance reasons, the diesel was added as a pilot engine. No one is qualified on the BNSF to run a steamer and no one on the SBRHS is qualified to run on the RR.

So....are you saying that when 3751 comes to San Diego next month...it will be in tow???? Or in tow only to where the North County Transit District owns the track starting in Oceanside? I was thinking of go seeing it under steam....hmmmm


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## Guest (May 8, 2008)

ooops found another one for you guys 
what would happen if a rod fell off at this speed? has it ever happend before and what was the results.../DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/cry.gif 
Nick..


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Mike Reilley on 05/07/2008 11:04 PM
Posted By Greg Stevens on 05/07/2008 9:38 PM 
Gary, 
I think you meant BNSF not Southern Pacific. There is no SP anymore thanks to the Union Pacific. AND, BNSF doesn't have a steam program as yet, so for insurance reasons, the diesel was added as a pilot engine. No one is qualified on the BNSF to run a steamer and no one on the SBRHS is qualified to run on the RR.

So....are you saying that when 3751 comes to San Diego next month...it will be in tow???? Or in tow only to where the North County Transit District owns the track starting in Oceanside? I was thinking of go seeing it under steam....hmmmm


Forget all that....it's PULLING as steam excursion...so it will be under power.


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## Guest (May 8, 2008)

/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick, thank you for sharing. I am always amazed at the power of those beautiful beasts. Nick Jr


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Rods generally don't fall off, they just break from fatigue, and most of the time it's the main rod (the one from the piston to the drivers). Alot of times they just tear alot of stuff up, but sometimes on locomotives with longer main rods (like 844) they have been known to come up and punch a hole in the boiler, THAT'S BAD. This rarely happened though because of the weight of the rod.


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## jnic (Jan 2, 2008)

Tell me you weren't driving the car ...


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Posted By nick s. on 05/07/2008 3:12 PM



That thing is haulin a-s, it always amazes me to see something that big move that quick/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/blink.gif" border=0> 
Nick...







I didn't watch this clip the first time I replyed to your thread. 

Simply amzing! It doesn't even look like it broke a sweat. What was your speed as you were pacing it?


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## multiplealarm (Jan 3, 2008)

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
0 to FLYING in 2 1/2 minutes. Love these videos." border=0>" border=0>" border=0>" border=0>" border=0>" border=0>" border=0> 
You know with the pending price of fuel, we should just park the Dash 9's and SD 70's and put these beauties back to work. 
Jeff 
Tallapoosa and Southern RR


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes, side and main rods did break and/or come off. Not often, but often enough to be of concern and often enough that the old "Camel Back" or "Mother Hubbard" type locos were outlawed. When rods came off those engines, the side of the cab was wiped from the side of the boiler along with the person in the cab... body parts were hard to identify afterwards.


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## axdop (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for sharing that, Nick. It's the coolest thing I've seen today! 
-axdop


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## jebouck (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By gary Armitstead on 05/07/2008 9:52 PM
Thanks Greg, 
I should've known better about the SP. The last time I saw 4449 come through Tehachapi and then Burbank was over 25 years ago and it was SP then. I have trouble keeping up with these damn mergers. I just naturally think of everything in this area as SP. Still in my childhood memories." border=0>"




4449 is owned entirely by the city of Portland, Or. Always has been after SP donated her years ago. 
She has been know to run with other roadnames painted on her tender once in a while. Mostly shortlines like "Willamette & Pacific.", etc. 

Her sister roundhouse mate, the SP&S #700 is owned, I believe, by the "Friends of 700". 

jb


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!


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## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

Here is the website of the Oregon Rail heritage Foundation. 
http://www.orhf.org/ 
And here is the story behind Portland's three steam locomotives: 
Facts about Portland's Steam Locomotives 
In the 1950's several of the major railroads serving Portland donated steam locomotives to the City, with the vision of creating a transportation museum. For many years the three engines languished in obscurity at Oaks Park in Southeast Portland, exposed to the elements and receiving minimal care. Starting in 1974 all three locomotives moved to the Brooklyn Yard to be restored by volunteers at the last remaining roundhouse in Oregon. 

It's been nearly 50 years these treasures have gone without a permanent home. These three engines are the most under-recognized part of Portland's cultural heritage even though they have been seen by tens of thousands of people across the country. The SP 4449 and SP&S 700 are part of the rare group of the six largest steam locomotives operating in the world today. All restoration and maintenance has been done by volunteers for over 30 years. 

Oregon Railroad & Navigation #197 
Built in 1905 by Baldwin Locomotive Works as a 4-6-2 "Pacific" type locomotive for the E. H. Harriman rail empire that later merged into the Union Pacific, she's 79' long and, with 200 psi boiler pressure and 76" diameter drivers, is capable of sustained speeds of 80 mph. 

This treasure of the early 20th Century era of steam locomotives arrived in Portland just in time for the 1905 Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition, just 17 months before the Wright Brothers first flew at 9.8 mph, when Teddy Roosevelt was President and 3 years before Henry Ford rolled out his first Model T. She then went on to serve Portland commerce for over 50 years before retirement in the 1950s. Residing as only a display piece in Oaks Park like her sisters since 1958, in 1996 she was moved to the Brooklyn Roundhouse where she is undergoing restoration today by the all-volunteer Friends of the OR&N 197. 

Spokane, Portland & Seattle #700 
Built in 1938 as a 4-8-4 Northern Pacific Class A design, she is close to 111' long, 10' wide and almost 17' tall. With locomotive and tender weighing almost 440 tons and a boiler pressure of 260 psi, her 77" diameter drivers can apply 5,000 horsepower to the rails and exceed 80 mph. It's oil fired, and features design specified roller bearings throughout which was quite advanced for the era. 

This beautiful example of the latter years of steam locomotive development pulled the famous Empire Builder until that train was dieselized in 1947. She continued to faithfully provide passenger service from Portland up the Columbia River Gorge to Spokane until 1954. In 1945 she was honored to pull a "special" of United Nation Delegates. One of the largest steam locomotives still operable today, she is lovingly operated and maintained by the all-volunteer Pacific Railroad Preservation Association. 

Southern Pacific #4449 
Built in 1941 as a 4-8-4 GS-4 "Northern" type locomotive, she is 110' long, 10' wide and 16' tall. With locomotive and tender weighing 433 tons and a boiler pressure of 300 psi, her eight 80" diameter drivers and unique firebox truck booster can apply 5,500 horsepower to the rails and exceed 100 mph. Retired to Oaks Park in 1958 for display only, in 1974 she was completely restored specifically to pull the 1976 Bicentennial Freedom Train throughout the United States to the delight of over 30 million people. 

The only remaining operable "streamlined" steam locomotive of the Art Deco era, this grand Lady of the High Iron pulled Southern Pacific "Daylight" coaches from Los Angeles to San Francisco over the scenic Coast Route and then on to Portland until 1955. She is arguably one of the most beautiful locomotives ever built -- and kept that way by the all-volunteer Friends of the SP 4449.


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## Rayman4449 (Jan 2, 2008)

Absolutely great video of the 3985, thanks Nick!! I need to send you a copy of the DVDs I made from chasing it in 2004. That 6 mile stretch of road parallel to the track we had like in this video has to be the biggest thrill of my life and will never forget it! Long live the UP and their heritage program! 

They did have rods break sometimes and as was said before, the camelbacks were the most dangerous to operate because of that. No way I would have run one of those engines back in the day. 

Speaking of incidents, from the Last of the Giants video series they explained that a Big Boy had a throttle stick open and while they were able to keep the engine stopped, it cut through the rails with it running open in place with the drivers spinning. 


Raymond


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## MarkLewis (Jan 2, 2008)

A wonderful video! Thanks for sharing.

Mark


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## Chuck Reynolds (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike 

When is 3715 coming to San Diego? 


Chuck


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Chuck Reynolds on 05/11/2008 9:43 AM
Mike 
When is 3715 coming to San Diego? 
Chuck




1 June 2008....excursion train from LA to SD and back. The San Diego XYZ Historical Society it hosting a train watch at the Brigantine Restaurant at the corner of Via Della Via and the Coast Highway for $15 each...where you can sit outside on a wood deck and watch the train pass (in comfort).


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