Big Boy 4014 Leaving Nokomis, Illinois

I left work in Lincoln to go chase the Union Pacific Big Boy down to Nokomis, Illinois and barley made it in time. Thanks to all the Union Pacific employees that made this event possible! - Tuesday, September 10, 2024 #bigboy #bigboy4014 #trains #railfans #railroads #unionpacificrailroad #unionpacific

[@Vtarngpb]

Bunch of foamers… 🥱

[@kurtbeckers9174]

Why is there a diesel in the line ? Can the 4014 not handle it anymore?

[@danielmcentee5036]

There is some current safety equipment that the Government requires on all trains to have that can shut down a train in an emergency, and I guess there is no way to address that on the Big Boy. Also some generators and compressors that just make operating the train easier, like air conditioning in the cars.

[@trnlft]

Of course it can! There's many reasons why the diesel is there to help. 1. There's no more water towers so they don't have to stop to get water as much. 2. The brake shoes have to be handmade because nobody makes them anymore and they're expensive so it saves the brakes. 3. The diesel is equipped with the mandatory PTC computer system. They just put the GPS on the Big Boy and a link to the diesel with a monitor so the engineers can see what's going on. Plus, no modifications have to be done to the Big Boy to install the system.

[@Andrewsommerwashere]

Yep, there are a lot of reasons to bring a modern engine along, many so they don't need to further modify the steam engine.