# Carla and Gary's Excellent 4014 Adventure! (pt.1)



## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

_*Presenting...*_




















Yep, that's us, a point of view that you don't usually see. We're bundled up for an evening that started cool and got finger-numbing cold. Carla (aka SWMTP) took my picture and I took hers and she spliced them together. (Which you observant folks have probably already noticed. There are NOT two 4014s.)

(And here's a side-note about the Big Boy's numbering. A U.P. railfan who I talked to said that she was already back on the U.P. roster -- as U.P.P. 4014. The extra "P" stands for "passenger.")

When we arrived about 9PM, there were only a hundred or so folks milling around, and maybe that number again huddled in their cars, waiting for something to happen.










People quickly began to crowd against the back corner of the fence, trying to get a glimpse of the track work going on. A U.P. crew was cutting out a curved section of Metrolink track, and splicing in a new section which came into Fairplex property and right up to 4014's tender. We could occasionally see some smoke, a raised ditcher arm, even some sparks flying from the track being cut.










A young lady named Shelley Hunter was the "official" photographer from the Rail Giants Museum. With her yellow vest, she was able to go behind the fence and around the Big Boy at will. She tweeted several pictures of the track work being done -- here's one.










Meanwhile, in an attempt to get a better angle, SWMTP & I drove around to a rail crossing at Fairplex Drive, maybe 100 yards behind the work site. About a dozen railfans were already there. Thank goodness for SWMTP's long lens; here are a couple of the shots she got. (If you look closely into the murky background at the right-hand corner, you can see 4014's tender.)

















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Then a pickup truck comes through the crossing, leading a giant orange spider made of metal struts. It looks as if it were designed by Rube Goldberg. Railfans inform me that this implausible device is a tamper, and it's going to pound the ballast down to a solid foundation.










It's about 12:30 Sunday morning, and finally the track is ready. Here's Ms. Hunter's view of it, shooting down the track from the back of 4014's tender --










The parking lot crowd has increased -- at least a thousand people. U.P. crew walk up and down the length of 4014, making a final inspection of the drive train, and of some external power cords and air lines they had strung as well.



















On the tender, a worker fuels up a generator that they're using to power marker lights and cab lights.










The track was ready; 4014 was ready. Finally, the 4014 foreman picks up the radio and calls "We're ready when you are." But it seems they're not ready down the track. 

Two diesels are waiting to couple to 4014. The first one will couple up to the tender and pull her out of the Fairplex. When there's room, another engine will hook onto the front of 4014 and give pusher service. Besides this, U.P. has to bring in the new donated consist -- a refurbished SD-40, a caboose, and an insulated boxcar. All of this has to be done, and the old rail re-laid, before MetroLink can resume regular Sunday service. Apparently, it's turned into an Inglenook switching exercise as they're trying to juggle all this.

Many of the U.P. and "Rail Giants" crew took this time to take group pictures.




























It's now almost 2 am, and U.P. 1996 has arrived. It makes its way gingerly across the new track, accompanied by cheers. 



















Slowly, it approaches 4014, ready to couple up. About two feet away, the engineer of 1996 give his engine a little surge, and the crowd holds its collective breath...










CLUNK! Nothing, Nada, no couple. 1996 backs away and the crew examines the 4014's coupler. Finally, somebody gets out a honkin' big wrench. It looks like they've loosened something.










A second try, and finally, success. The engineer of 1996 gives a big 'thumbs up' and the crowd goes crazy.










Next step was to pump air from 1996 into the brake lines of the Big Boy. You could hear the air creaking through pipes that hadn't felt pressure since 1961. Crewmen walk along the engine, gently tapping the air lines with hammers to clear obstructions. Then the air gauge which had been jury-rigged in 4014's cab sprang to life, showing pressure for the very first time. But suddenly there's another problem -- an air leak from the forward brake coupling! UP crew swarmed all over the fitting, and in a few minutes it was cleared.



















It's 2:30 am, and finally the moment has arrived. 1996 first gives the Big Boy a gentle shove, so that they can clear the chocks from the 68-inch drivers. Then, very slowly, 1996 starts to pull the steamer backwards. 










4014's foreman's radio crackles -- "That's it, easy.."










"..just a slow walk in the park.."










"..just a steam engine.."










"..walk.."










"..in the park."










*To Be Continued..*


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Great reporting! 

Jerry


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## jwalls110 (Dec 12, 2012)

Gary thanks!


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Carla and Gary for great reporting on a historical move!


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Yep..frankly the best yet on Our 4014 to get a moving feel for such an important undertaking and endeavor!!!! 

Great photos and narrative!! THANKS 

Dirk - DMS Ry., S. AZ.


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

Neat group of pictures! Thanks for showing us.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Fantastic pics and commentary! Thanks so much for posting it. 

Did they remove the lagging from 4014's boiler? 

The "Big Boy" chalked on the smokebox door is a great touch. In case anyone hasn't seen it, the Big Boy got it's name when someone at ALCO chalked "Big Boy" on the first one out of the factory. Someone at the UP has done a good job of replicating that original hand lettering.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Great pics and info 

thanks


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Best photo essay of this move I've seen. Great job Gary and Carla!!!


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Carla and Gary.
Excellent pictures









Tommy Mejia








Rio Gracie


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Gary that was great!.


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## Alan in Adirondacks (Jan 2, 2008)

Thank you Gary and Carla. Great pictures and I really like the commentary! 

I had a chance to see 4014 in mid-December when they were laying track panels to reposition the engine for this move. In talking with Ed Dickens at the time, the final positioning of 4014 must have ended up exactly as he described it based on Gary and Carla's photos. Ed is a hands-on manager of the heritage steam operation. He was swinging the maul driving spikes with the best of them. 

Thanks again for the pictures. 

Alan


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Great stuff Gary!!! I could feel the excitement as I read through it!! Thanks to Carla and you!!


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Posted By Ray Dunakin on 29 Jan 2014 08:11 PM 
Fantastic pics and commentary! Thanks so much for posting it. 

Did they remove the lagging from 4014's boiler? 

The "Big Boy" chalked on the smokebox door is a great touch. In case anyone hasn't seen it, the Big Boy got it's name when someone at ALCO chalked "Big Boy" on the first one out of the factory. Someone at the UP has done a good job of replicating that original hand lettering. Ray, they removed the lagging when she was stored, that's one of the reasons she was chosen. He boiler sufferred the least amout of damage over time. 
Thanks to Carla and Gary best photo series I've seen.

John


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Condensation tends to collect between the lagging and the outer shell of the boilers, making for a "juicy" coating on the outer boiler plates. This is not good for the boiler, as the rust can cause issues during the decades such locomotives are on display. Most steam locomotives originally had asbestos lagging, thus creating another concern for the viewing public's health. I believe that the steam locomotives currently restored to service (or newly built, as the Leviathan) use fiberglass for lagging.

Yours,
David Meashey


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Carla for the photos. I know you were behind the camera and thanks Gary for posting.


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## Dave Crocker (Jan 2, 2008)

Great reporting Gary and as always great photos Carla.


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## neals645 (Apr 7, 2008)

Thanks, Gary & Carla, for capturing this historic moment and sharing it with us!


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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks everybody, for your very kind words. We always feel appreciated when we get such a great bunch of comments!









Ray's question about the lagging, and the responses it got, were especially interesting. Carla asked one of the Museum staff the same question, and got basically the same answer. However, the staff guy said that the lagging had come off in 1994, which means that the engine sat there for more than 30 years before anybody thought about it!

And I just posted 'The Big Boy Adventure Continues Pt.2', or sumthin' like that -- showing 4014 and her escort in the light of day. For those who understand U.P protocols better than I do, There's a shot of a blue placard with several badges hanging off of it. Seems to me that this must be the modern equivalent of a 'blue flag', warning everybody not to move the engine until a problem/task has been cleared. But I'd sure appreciate some discussion vindicating or refuting my guess!









It was a lot of fun, and we were happy we did it. But golly, it seems a lot harder to pull all-nighters than it did in my 'school days.'


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Gary..Thanks again for fabulous effort..get some rest! 

When I first got a glimpse of the cab shot by the Engineer..with all the badges flying in the wind. It reminded me of working at a mine. On maintenance days the mill would shut down. Each person performing work on a piece of equipment put their personal lock on a breaker box..locking it out 
.in an off-line condition. Until every lock was removed that box coild not be turned on again. 

So sure..."SAFETY FIRST" is what this is all about...very important!! 

Dirk


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

SWMTP and you have done it again, Gary.... What a great photo story of the event!!!!!!! 

Thanks so much..


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

What Great Pictures. Thanks for posting them.. 

A train show is not complete unless I get to see you two. 

JJ


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