I waited with baited breath for every day of the 4014 restoration, wondering why, when it was corporately funded and staffed (ha-ha) it was taking so long. As an engineer, I couldn't condone what happened to 3985 and , to some extent, 844, so I consoled myself with Ed' and his crew being meticulous to a fault. When it was announced 4014 was being converted to oil firing, I thought; "That's a good idea - coal is so filthy and destructive, it'll mean 4014 will last longer still." But oh, the howls of rage and self interest! I remember one fan said he could never look at 4014 ever again, because it should be COAL! (Changes in the law in Britain might make ALL our steam engines illegal - hasn't happened yet, but it might. If burning coal without fluid beds, flue filters, special ash treatment and so on becomes law [and it still might] that would mean up to £1 million modifications to each British steam loco or........£100,000 to make them oil fired. Guess what is going to happen? As for the diesel, so many crocodile tears have been wept about diesels being in steam hauled consists, the whining gets irritating. Many, not all, of our mainline steam excursions have a diesel, usually in trail at the rear of the train and very often a 'preserved' (no longer in routine use classes) loco. They are usually there to provide dynamic braking and train heating PLUS; the built in 'get you home' service on failure of the steam loco. Because the locos are not in use 24/7 for two or three weeks in a rotation, they tend to suffer 'cycle' failures and be less reliable. Also, in Britain, for the most part, tender engines are not permitted to run tender first on the main line. They have to run at 75mph to stay out of the damn way and, if there is no turning facility (mostly a 'Y' nowadays) at their destination, the diesel has to 'head up the train' on the way home. All perfectly logical, but the howls of anguish are always loud and piteous. I wish they would shut up. We all love steam locomotives and we must always count ourselves lucky there are ways of running them. You Americans are particularly lucky a massive - impossible for purely volunteers - project like 4014, is funded and fully endorsed by the railroad Big Boy belongs on. I have never heard Ed' Dickens lament the conversion of 4014 to oil firing, auxiliary tenders, head end power cars and A FECKIN' DIESEL (even numbered 4015!) It is the way steam engines - which are dirty, oily, temperamental, thirsty astonishingly heavy on manpower - MUST be operated today. Stop whining, count blessings and watch the pretty engine!
Running all over the country on coal would be the next thing to impossible. There is nothing wrong about using No. 5 fuel oil. ( used motor oil.) Is a standard way to operate. Lots of steam locomotives were built that way originally.
Well thought out and well worded. This is true on so many levels, we all need to consider ourselves lucky. Anything can change at any given minute and everything will go away with the blink of an eye. Let's take solice in the fact that a locomotive nobody thought would ever see itself under steam again has beaten all odds to live again more than 60 years later.
Wow. I appreciate your knowledge of British steam locks and the environmental regs, that you all got to deal with. Why are steam locos driven from the center? It seems like a maintenance nightmare. Also, you seem to have some insight on two particular locomotives (US). What happened with them? I was kind of saddened when Big Boy was converted to burn oil. However, I was happy to learn that this was not UPs first rodeo, and actual converted an SP* loco back in 1950s and she's still going strong in SoCal! Union Pacific purchased Southern Pacific in the 1980s. So, technically SP converted their loco.
@@daleeasternbrat816, and, if I'm not mistaken, one of the Big Boys, # 4005, was converted to oil burning (somewhat unsuccessfully) in 1945. It was eventually converted back to coal. So there is some historical justification for oil conversion of one of these behemoths.
As far as the diesel is concerned, like I always say with a career in the fire service, it’s better to have the extra equipment and not need it, than to need it and not have it. Especially in this situation. Hats off to crew!
Damn, a low water situation on a steam locomotive is always scary to say the least, especially with an injector that isn't working properly. Glad the crew had that diesel at their disposal, absolutely agree that despite what "steam purists" might say, it is absolutely necessary for mainline operations in this day and age.
I wouldn't say absolutely necessary, but certainly convenient to have. It would be plenty possible for UP to set tank cars of water on sidings along 4014's path as insurance against situations like this. Where the diesel helps is being able to move the train off the mainline if there is an actual problem.
This shows how difficult it is to run steam when 99.9% of the steam infrastructure was removed from all the lines. My hat is off to UP and the other roads that take such pains to preserve some traveling steam motive power.
I feel a great pain in my heart thinking about the huge backstep they took removing steam infrastructure, 100 years of progress gone in a matter of a few years
It’s no surprise if this ever happened on occasion or out of the blue but the railroad companies along with the UP that had great steamers back in the day did it just do it for themselves though they go to these pains because it’s also part of what the public wanted to see him besides think back to the time when the 844 helped a stalled diesel freight up a gradient that video gave inspiration show dedication to the steam era. Plus looking at the video with the big boy she probably lost a lot of water because of her injector overflow system. 3985 had one of those to and it was used to wash oil out the chest cavity in one of her piston cylinder.
I remember climbing around on this sleeping giant when it was on display at the LA county fair grounds in Pomona CA. It was beautiful back then but to see it come back to life through restoration and flying down the tracks is just breath taking thank you so much for bringing this magnificent mechanical marvel back to life. wow!
the fact they were able to keep going by using the diesel is a result of great planning and foresight by Ed and the steam crew. They are to be applauded for their efforts!!!
When 4014 visited SoCal in late 2019 we asked Ed about the diesel helpers. He mentioned contingencies such as mechanical problems or needing to conserve 4014's water and/or fuel.
The lack of Dynamic Braking is a real problem for modern steam locomotives, hence the helper Diesel to lend it's Dynamic Brakes for smoother ride and contribute to train control. Dynamic Brakes can absorb a lot of momentum without taxing the engine or train brakes. Plus addl. helper-power is rarely available these days to push up grades.
It's a result of following the rules UP and the FRA set forth for steam operations, one of which is they are required to have dynamic braking. Also, the diesel is carrying the PTC equipment for the time being. If you take notice, the trucks on the diesel have been painted silver from the normal gray, also the anti glare panel on the top of its nose has been painted green like they were decades ago. It would be my guess UP 4015 has assumed a permanent role on the steam crew from now on.
This might sound a bit over the top here, but with the size of that boiler the big boy is the last locomotive I would want to deal with a low water situation with. Must have been pretty scary. Props to Ed and the rest of the crew for handling it well. Critical thinking is a crucial skill in railroading, and it's not something you can teach. Good instincts are learned through years of experience, and Ed has it covered. Nobody here was ever in any real danger here with the train is his hands.
In a for-real low water emergency, the crew would have to kill the fire and bottle up the remaining steam and water. Like so there would be no danger of explosion, but it also would not be able to proceed any further than being shunted onto a siding by the diesel helper until a tanker of water arrived so the fire could be safely lit again. If the fire was out long enough it would fall out of steam, and need not only the water tankers but a very large air compressor or boiler car Howard Fogg to power the oil burner during steam raising as oil-fired engines cannot start from cold without an external supply of steam or compressed air to run the fuel pump and burner.
Hubby and I went to see this magnificent train at the whistle stop in Bunkie on Monday. We saw them working on the engine, replace a fitting (?), and water spilling out of what we assumed was the overflow valve. Thanks for this video and explanation, helped us novices understand what we saw.
Thanks for the detailed, knowledgeable description Fan Railer. I saw a big steam blow from the fireman's side by the exhaust injector in another video and wondered if something had gone wrong.
It's normal for a few seconds when they prime the injector, but the overflow should die way down once the injector actually picks up. If it does not pick up, you will continue to see a lot of water and steam come out the overflow vent.
Next year they need to consist the big boy and dd40ax, the largest locos from both eras, running together, both those engines together would be nearly 200 feet combined
DD40XX is no longer in service after wreck and death of engineer just out side Avondale La. Hit a dump truck engineer was in john and supervisor was at the throttle. FRA wrote the UP up the engine had never undergone safety modifications in the front end the nose and caved in. They repaired it and now on display some where. No long run.
@@arthurhouston3 UP is housing their Centennial in Cheyenne at the same shop that houses 4014, 844 and 3985. It has been out since the accident, several times actually. The reason it hasn't been out recently is because it needs an overhaul. UP has not stated publicly whether or not they will perform the work needed, but unlike 3985 it hasn't been retired from the active roster yet.
I remember asking Ed Dickens two years ago in Barstow about having a diesel as an emergency for the 4014. That guy was really cool in answering my question in not only as an emergency but, it also acts as a counter weight since 4014 is “top heavy” which I did not know about that. It made more sense when going down hill on the Cajon Pass with two diesel locomotives for one steam locomotive.
The good thing about firing with oil is you can safely "drop the fire" when faced with a low water situation. There was no risk of boiler damage here but a major pain in the ass for UP management and I'm sure Mr. Dickens felt the pressure (pun intended). Injectors are great until they start acting up and then they can quickly become a house of cards tumbling down. My experience has been coal or wood-fired locomotives since 2000 and I've been through some situations that make for great stories around the roundhouse stove but were not so funny at the time.
I was wondering why they didnt stop in Livonia on Sunday, it's just a shame that that was why. You always hate to see a steam loco have issues like this but Union Pacific's foresight in having that "life raft" in the form of a SD70M is why i have such respect for them. Glad they managed to avoid further problems and I hope their day in Shreveport today will allow them the chance to fend their worries.
Thanks for all the information! Got to see the Engine passing in Maringouin LA on Monday 8/23. Being a mechanical engineer, I appreciated the scope of designing and operating this piece of machinery. Definitely a thing of beauty!!!
Thanks for the explanation, I knew there was a water problem at Livonia when she was heading South, didn't know what it was or why they changed the schedule for the return trip, makes sense. And yes, she was puking water constantly on the fireman's side, plenty of photos of her, and there's notable water escaping no matter what the speed. Great video.
The crossing at 14:35 to the end was 70th St. east of the airport. Most everything else in this video was along LA 1 or old LA 1 between Shreveport and Natchitoches on down to Alexandria; of course, this trip was the reverse direction. I have been on that road many times. The old T&P follows US 71 from Alexandria to Lebeau then turns east and crosses the Atachifilaya River at Melville. This route has very little grade in it.
Very Appreciative for Union Pacific to invest time, resources, and crew to keep this classic mode of transportation going. Thank you! These steam engines always cheer me up! "I think I can to I know I can" I am sure many remember the classic story about the train. ps- thanks for rendering this amazing video footage. This took time, editing and a lot of TLC! Thank you for thus as well!
Terrific camera work! Thanks so much since it was way too far for us to go and conflicted with the start of the school year! My kids used to climb on 4014 when they were babies and Big Boy was still in Pomona. Love seeing it run!
This is a great video! It's cool you were able to get some pacing shots like I did! The first pacing shots I ever got of Big Boy (or any steam engine for that matter) and a dream come true that I never would have expected! This might sound silly, but at around 5:27 and beyond, the lighting was just beautiful, with how it filtered down through the clouds and trees and around Big Boy, almost looked heavenly haha. Then the sunset shot at the end was great! Of course I understand why the diesel has to be there as back up, and for dynamic braking, though it is such a visual detraction, aesthetically incongruent with the rest of the consist. If a diesel has to be there I wish it could be a vintage contemporary, like an F-unit or E-unit, if available. Though I suppose Union Pacific probably doesn't want something old backing up something else that's old. I had heard that Big Boy had to be pushed into Fort Worth because it ran out of fuel. When I watched it in Mexia, TX it did not seem to be leaving under its own power, unlike how it came in, but I don't know why. Later on when we followed it to Hearne, TX, it seemed back up and running as normal, so not sure what the deal was there.
Thanks for the explanation, hadn't heard anything about except comments in passing on a couple of other videos like this. I didn't know the details until now. Great video, too
An absolutely gorgeous mechanical monster! Let's hope the future UP brass keep deciding to fund her operation - a big bit of the continents history that future generations needs to see and appreciate.
And this makes up for the time that a freight train stalled on Sherman hill and the 844 was used to get it going again. th-cam.com/video/RU9uEwSGp9M/w-d-xo.html
Baron Harkonnen's coach leaking from the movie "Dune" comes to mind. Now, 4014 just needs a Doof Warrior up front as it rolls into small town America. Children cowering from the whistle will see the next level of WOW!!!!
Fan Railer thanks for the blow-by-blow description of how all this happened, Thanks for the education, keep up the good work. Cheers from San Francisco
Seem to me that Union Pacific could strategically position empty tank cars along the route and fill them with water over several days to prevent over taxing the small town municipal water supplies they get water from.
Or fill tank cars at some of their maintenance shops and attach them to mixed freights in the area to be set out on sidings along 4014's planned route. That way in an actual low water situation, there would either be full tank cars waiting for them, or they could park the 4014 on a siding and send the diesel escort to fetch them from a nearby yard.
@@renegadeoflife87 That’s one of the most impractical things I’ve heard in a while. They can barely get a crew called for this thing out of the pool to pilot it every day, and you think the railroad is capable of staging dozens of water cars across the system in advance? Good luck!
This would require way, way too much work. It would be a logistical nightmare and would add extra unpaid weight to UP revenue freight traffic. Like it's been said already, situations like this are what the diesel is for. Having a diesel backup engine full of fuel and in the consist makes infinitely more sense than trying to anticipate the whims of a thirsty steam engine and staging water tanks along the route.
Excellent video, thank you for posting so quickly and your detailed explanation on how and why things happened. This is another reason for hauling the tool cars along as well.
What kills me is the ignorance of some "railfans". The Union Pacific handled this situation absolutely perfectly...with the well being of the locomotive at the forefront of their mind. Some people just dont understand that if the water level drops below the crown sheet, its GAME OVER. the ONLY way to save the locomotive from a catastrophic explosion that would easily LEVEL a city block would be to dump the fire. And without diesel assistance to shove it to safety, the main line is jammed. These machines are old and VERY cantankerous at times. The railroad doesnt have the recourses for the steam locomotives that it did 70 years ago, when they were able to beat the living hell out of them and then repair it in a weeks time.
Thanks for this :) All Union Pacific staff must be proud of what the company has done to restore this magnificent engine; good PR & I hope folk respond by supporting them.
Andd to think some railroads had water pits between the rails and a loco could take on thousands of gallons on the fly with a scoop in seconds. I sure wish I could have seen those days.
I was on 3985 as a "guest conductor" back in the early 2,000's. She needed a new "O" ring-(Ahhh! those da---m O rings like Space Shuttle) bane of our existence. Limped slowly through Plantersville, TX (Home of Texas Renaissance Festival) Ring machined in Houston. Ran great to Bay City the next day!
The Reading 2101 had a similar thing happen when she was operating excursions for the C&O. Instead of being denied water or anything. She wasn't operating with a extra water tender. She pulled into Terra Alta West Virginia with less than 6in of water in the tender.
I once heard one of them being moved dead at the museum in St. Louis. It was so neat to hear all the valves working, a sound you could never hear when it was under steam.
its not often the desial engine has to push 4014 it mainly is there for extra breaking but will be used for emergencys like this. other than that the deisal is jsut for dynamic braking and power supply to the cars
Thats a big old loco Shes a beauty. Have all the water towers and troughs been demolished? We in the UK have to double bank all our steam locos with a diesel just incase of problems also
We saw her in Luling southbound, a beautiful, majestic sight! I find it hard to believe they could not get water? This does not sound right! Livonia is a major train yard. There is the DOW Plaquemine Refinery, just south, they could supply all the water needed. They could stop several places and get a little water.
Yea something seemed off to me when I heard that too, but that's the best info I have to go off of at the moment. If I find out anything more credible, I will update the description.
@@FanRailer I am not questioning UP Steam folks, they are wonderful people! I guess what I am saying, if you need 8-water stops, then schedule 12, just to be sure. And to say one can't find water in large quantities with all the refineries and such. Anyway, as long as no harm comes to Big Boy and her crew, then things work out perfectly. We loved seeing Big Boy up close in Luling!!!!
I didn’t know big boy was going to be coming close to where I lived today. (The stretch from poplar bluff MO to Scott city Mo) I only found out because my dad mentioned that there was a lot of cars lined up near the tracks and if there was anything going on. Turns out it was Big Boy. I was so excited because it’s my favorite steam engine. And I was looking at the times to get a good judgment on when I needed to be at the tracks. I got there maybe 30 minutes before and it was amazing. There was a group of trees that obstructed my vision aways away from me. But it just made the view cooler. Hearing the crossing gates close, seeing the smoke by the trees, and just seeing it emerge and hearing the whistle. It was amazing and I’m so glad that I didn’t miss it, but with how close it was that I could have potentially missed the opportunity.
In my books itself, within the last 30 years only two Steam Locomotives have traveled the rails in the state of Louisiana. Southern Pacific 745 back in 2005 and Union Pacific 4014 in 2021. I have seen both locomotives in person. And are awesome to see. 745 is currently going under a FRA rebuild and we know about 4014.
yup and Steve ran into the same problem in California which put #844 and #3985 out of service. Low water is a problem and it needs to be fixed or Big Boy can't run.
Poetry in motion mechanical beauty beyond comprehension. Good thing there was a EDM. Is this the same engine that was static in Laramie WY back in 2008?
Yea, due to the current climate with steam ops and PTC compliance, UP will only ever run their steam on their tracks. You'd have to travel out west to see this in action. www.up.com/forms/steam-trace.cfm If you go to this link and look at the map, the red lines are all of the potential tracks that might see UP steam on them.
@@williamhelus3522 I'm waiting for next Thursday when she pulls into Salina, KS. I live just 40 minutes north, so seeing her again will be a real treat. From what the my daughter's grandpa has said, he wants to see it that day and run to Colorado to catch it Tuesday when she runs through Greely to have his dad watch it. They're super big railfans. His dad isn't getting any younger so it'd be a good treat for them since he's now 84.
So the black tender car behind the steam locomotive is fuel oil and water? The two yellow tender cars behind the black locomotive/tender and in front of the diesel locomotive are water for the steam locomotive and the remaining cars?
Generally correct; the yellow cars ahead of the diesel are additional water for the steam locomotive. The passenger cars have their own water reservoirs.
The SD70 is also there to provide PTC. They havent figured out how to get 4014 to provide the data needed for PTC so they use the diesel for that. Good video of a cab ride I just saw here shows the PTC unit installed. Of course if you run low on water and the crown sheet gets a little warm........😐
My gosh, thanks for this video and the explanation. Although I don't understand all the descriptions, I surely thank you for giving us them. I wish I could live on UP 4014 Big Boy, I can't get enough of her. I know, it's Big Boy, but she's such a beauty I just can't help calling him a her! Lol. Thanks again
Fan Railer or fans, did 4014 take a trip to LV Nevada late 2019 or early 2020 (northeast Vegas)? I was driving late one night on I-15 heading to Searchlight and saw the whole area north of the Sheet Rock Plant & Pilot Truck Stop lit up and a lot of CCSD & Nevada state Troopers check points in that whole area. A day later I got the treat of my life, a UP Ole Steamer like Big Boy 4014 was 12 miles out, steaming into north LV NV. I just assumed it was a filming crew making a movie, just can't remember the exact date. TY for the upload!
So great to see it restored and operational, despite problems. I grew up in LA area and climbed on it while it was on static display at the Pomona (Los Angeles County) Fairgrounds while I was in my teens. (My sons enjoyed exploring it also) Understand mechanical problems can happen with any equipment, so great they had a back up. The Wife and I were privileged to ride on one of the excursion trips while it was in the Los Angeles area in October 2019. It was paired with 2 Diesel helper engines and 23 cars, amazing trip.
I was also there in Barstow that year! Was a early Sunday morning from Long Beach, CA to get to Barstow before 8 am to beat the crowds: totally worth it. Then went way ahead to the Cajon Pass and recorded going through the passage and bridges in that area. I recently went to Cheyenne, WY to see if it was out of the steam house but wasn’t on the track. Crossing fingers it will come back to Southern California again.
@@FanRailer I don't follow much UP BB, but do they allow passengers on board? I wouldn't mind paying for a round trip and a waiver of liability if need be. Would probably have to travel like a Hobo, basic hygiene items, sleeping bag, freeze dried packaged food, sleeping bag, butt pad, water and piss jug. :o) TY again.
I always thought the coal car was actually a tank car full of water on the new Big Boy runs. I am a train enthusiast and all love for the old schools but the sound of that diesel makes me want to kiss the sky lol.
I have to wonder if the guys at U.P. have thought about installing permanent transfer pumps on those Aux tenders that keep the main Tender full. Could operate them underway.
I visited Denver during a PCS since I was passing through and went to a museum that had a Big Boy train and the museum manager told me that this train was actually touring the US omg this is epic
It was cool that the starboard, I don't know what they're called, traction bars, wheel bars, whatever they're called were running in sync. I wonder how often that occurs? It's probably not as rare as I think huh?
The term you're looking for is "side rods". In an absolute perfect scenario, the orientation of the side rods of each engine unit with respect to each other should never change, but events such as wheel slippage when accelerating will cause them to change. In actuality, if you watch extended pace videos of the 4014, you'll see that the front engine unit spins every so slightly faster than the rear engine unit, so that over an extended period of time (10-20 min or so), the engine units will slowly slide in and out of synch with each other.
Marvelous and magnificent video friend, Big Boy #4014 is the Star and Queen of UP's rails and every time she comes out is the big event, the big party. Like 2232 and greetings from Argentina.
These are vintage, dating back to when UP ran passenger trains on their trackage. 1930s to 50s cars, I would wager, as there are some heavyweights mixed in with lightweights (6 axle vs 4 axle cars). The UP takes good care of them though, so you'd never know their age just by looking.
75,000 gallons isn't that much water. My not-all-that-large swimming pool is nearly 25,000 gallons. The locals couldn't spare three swimming pools of water?
Not all at once. And the chlorine in a swimming pool is corrosive, it would eat the boiler alive if you tried to use that as your water source. They would have needed to set out tank cars in advance and fill them slowly over several days so as not to stress the town's water system.
Pretty sure that if you run low or out of water you can have a boiler explosion. I’m glad that they have a diesel to assist. People always ask why they have a diesel trailing the steam locomotive(s) or pushing the consist from behind. One reason is this exact situation when the steam locomotive runs low on water. Another is to provide dynamic braking in which steam locomotives do not have at their disposal.
That is correct. If you are careless and run the tender bone dry, once the water in the boiler falls below the highest point in the crown sheet, the sheet is now exposed to the hot steam on the boiler side and the fire on the firebox side. This can cause the sheet to experience a structural failure, suddenly and violently venting the pressure inside the boiler into the firebox. That is a boiler explosion. Nobody survives those.
@@geomodelrailroader that wasn't a boiler explosion. It was a failure that occurred with 10 or so of the boiler tubes. Happened in 1999 in Sacramento California at Railfair '99.
Thanks. I hope they keep working out issues and come back in cooler months when all that steam is more visible. Makes you wonder if steam technology had kept developing all this time where would it be now.
They had a condensing locomotive in South Africa. The reason why steam fell out of fashion is the long lead time to fire the locomotive and having to go around lubricating everything.
Well, the first one would have... 4000... by the time 4014 came along, it was "no big deal". Remember, UP was AWASH in steam locomotives and the War was in full swing. They had FREIGHT to move !!!
i know that "clang clank clang clank" of the driving rods is normal . but it still sounds like a bad bearing to my ears (im an auto mechanic) . however.... they say "a loose wheel bearing is a happy bearing" if you tighten them down more than finger tight.... as it heats up and expands.... its enough to cause the rollers to lock up causing MASSIVE carnage
I thought that the tenders were filled while they were in Addis. I saw the FD had a five inch hose connected to a hydrant which was then connected to a pump in the back of a truck. Addis has enough water to fill the tenders. I did not see 4014 leave Addis, but I would think they were full. Livonia is a weeny!
They WERE refilled in Addis, but as explained, with the lengthened running distance, injector problems, and extra down-time spent trying to repair the problem, they ran low enough on the tank water to cause concern.
Sure glad they took care of the problem. I love mechanical engineering and Steam locomotives, Piston airplane engines, and internal combustion engines are, to me, the finest examples of such technology. Once I get into college, I'm going to study more of this. I'd love to help bring Steam power back to the forefront; surely with today's technology and using all the research of the past, we can do it!!
I waited with baited breath for every day of the 4014 restoration, wondering why, when it was corporately funded and staffed (ha-ha) it was taking so long. As an engineer, I couldn't condone what happened to 3985 and , to some extent, 844, so I consoled myself with Ed' and his crew being meticulous to a fault. When it was announced 4014 was being converted to oil firing, I thought; "That's a good idea - coal is so filthy and destructive, it'll mean 4014 will last longer still." But oh, the howls of rage and self interest! I remember one fan said he could never look at 4014 ever again, because it should be COAL! (Changes in the law in Britain might make ALL our steam engines illegal - hasn't happened yet, but it might. If burning coal without fluid beds, flue filters, special ash treatment and so on becomes law [and it still might] that would mean up to £1 million modifications to each British steam loco or........£100,000 to make them oil fired. Guess what is going to happen?
As for the diesel, so many crocodile tears have been wept about diesels being in steam hauled consists, the whining gets irritating. Many, not all, of our mainline steam excursions have a diesel, usually in trail at the rear of the train and very often a 'preserved' (no longer in routine use classes) loco. They are usually there to provide dynamic braking and train heating PLUS; the built in 'get you home' service on failure of the steam loco. Because the locos are not in use 24/7 for two or three weeks in a rotation, they tend to suffer 'cycle' failures and be less reliable. Also, in Britain, for the most part, tender engines are not permitted to run tender first on the main line. They have to run at 75mph to stay out of the damn way and, if there is no turning facility (mostly a 'Y' nowadays) at their destination, the diesel has to 'head up the train' on the way home. All perfectly logical, but the howls of anguish are always loud and piteous. I wish they would shut up.
We all love steam locomotives and we must always count ourselves lucky there are ways of running them. You Americans are particularly lucky a massive - impossible for purely volunteers - project like 4014, is funded and fully endorsed by the railroad Big Boy belongs on. I have never heard Ed' Dickens lament the conversion of 4014 to oil firing, auxiliary tenders, head end power cars and A FECKIN' DIESEL (even numbered 4015!) It is the way steam engines - which are dirty, oily, temperamental, thirsty astonishingly heavy on manpower - MUST be operated today. Stop whining, count blessings and watch the pretty engine!
Running all over the country on coal would be the next thing to impossible. There is nothing wrong about using No. 5 fuel oil. ( used motor oil.) Is a standard way to operate. Lots of steam locomotives were built that way originally.
Well thought out and well worded. This is true on so many levels, we all need to consider ourselves lucky. Anything can change at any given minute and everything will go away with the blink of an eye. Let's take solice in the fact that a locomotive nobody thought would ever see itself under steam again has beaten all odds to live again more than 60 years later.
Wow. I appreciate your knowledge of British steam locks and the environmental regs, that you all got to deal with.
Why are steam locos driven from the center?
It seems like a maintenance nightmare.
Also, you seem to have some insight on two particular locomotives (US). What happened with them?
I was kind of saddened when Big Boy was converted to burn oil. However, I was happy to learn that this was not UPs first rodeo, and actual converted an SP* loco back in 1950s and she's still going strong in SoCal!
Union Pacific purchased Southern Pacific in the 1980s. So, technically SP converted their loco.
@@daleeasternbrat816, and, if I'm not mistaken, one of the Big Boys, # 4005, was converted to oil burning (somewhat unsuccessfully) in 1945. It was eventually converted back to coal. So there is some historical justification for oil conversion of one of these behemoths.
Amen To That! People are so whiny when it comes to things like oil conversions.
Union Pacific deserves out thanks for their continued support of keeping 4014 running.
Yeah. They didn't cheap out. Which is admirable.
They certainly do. It is such an iconoclastic locomotive that is a serious piece of heritage.
As far as the diesel is concerned, like I always say with a career in the fire service, it’s better to have the extra equipment and not need it, than to need it and not have it. Especially in this situation. Hats off to crew!
No shame in having a diesel on stand bye
Wouldn't it also power the passenger cars?
@@badwolf5245 yes, that is one of its main jobs.
Damn, a low water situation on a steam locomotive is always scary to say the least, especially with an injector that isn't working properly. Glad the crew had that diesel at their disposal, absolutely agree that despite what "steam purists" might say, it is absolutely necessary for mainline operations in this day and age.
I wouldn't say absolutely necessary, but certainly convenient to have. It would be plenty possible for UP to set tank cars of water on sidings along 4014's path as insurance against situations like this. Where the diesel helps is being able to move the train off the mainline if there is an actual problem.
The two tanker cars behind the the tender are filled with water. The train has to be stopped to transfer the water to the tender.
This shows how difficult it is to run steam when 99.9% of the steam infrastructure was removed from all the lines. My hat is off to UP and the other roads that take such pains to preserve some traveling steam motive power.
I feel a great pain in my heart thinking about the huge backstep they took removing steam infrastructure, 100 years of progress gone in a matter of a few years
It’s no surprise if this ever happened on occasion or out of the blue but the railroad companies along with the UP that had great steamers back in the day did it just do it for themselves though they go to these pains because it’s also part of what the public wanted to see him besides think back to the time when the 844 helped a stalled diesel freight up a gradient that video gave inspiration show dedication to the steam era. Plus looking at the video with the big boy she probably lost a lot of water because of her injector overflow system. 3985 had one of those to and it was used to wash oil out the chest cavity in one of her piston cylinder.
What a magnificent machine! I really hope I get the chance to see it in person someday.
Got to go see it here in Jefferson City yesterday. Might get up and go watch it leave later this morning. He's a beaut!
Check out UP Heritage Tour. Has a schedule of stops.
I remember climbing around on this sleeping giant when it was on display at the LA county fair grounds in Pomona CA. It was beautiful back then but to see it come back to life through restoration and flying down the tracks is just breath taking thank you so much for bringing this magnificent mechanical marvel back to life. wow!
What a great job overcoming the challenges of running a steam locomotive a long distance in the modern times! Kuddos to the BIG Boy crew and the UP.
the fact they were able to keep going by using the diesel is a result of great planning and foresight by Ed and the steam crew. They are to be applauded for their efforts!!!
When 4014 visited SoCal in late 2019 we asked Ed about the diesel helpers. He mentioned contingencies such as mechanical problems or needing to conserve 4014's water and/or fuel.
The lack of Dynamic Braking is a real problem for modern steam locomotives, hence the helper Diesel to lend it's Dynamic Brakes for smoother ride and contribute to train control. Dynamic Brakes can absorb a lot of momentum without taxing the engine or train brakes. Plus addl. helper-power is rarely available these days to push up grades.
It's a result of following the rules UP and the FRA set forth for steam operations, one of which is they are required to have dynamic braking. Also, the diesel is carrying the PTC equipment for the time being.
If you take notice, the trucks on the diesel have been painted silver from the normal gray, also the anti glare panel on the top of its nose has been painted green like they were decades ago. It would be my guess UP 4015 has assumed a permanent role on the steam crew from now on.
This might sound a bit over the top here, but with the size of that boiler the big boy is the last locomotive I would want to deal with a low water situation with. Must have been pretty scary.
Props to Ed and the rest of the crew for handling it well. Critical thinking is a crucial skill in railroading, and it's not something you can teach. Good instincts are learned through years of experience, and Ed has it covered.
Nobody here was ever in any real danger here with the train is his hands.
In a for-real low water emergency, the crew would have to kill the fire and bottle up the remaining steam and water. Like so there would be no danger of explosion, but it also would not be able to proceed any further than being shunted onto a siding by the diesel helper until a tanker of water arrived so the fire could be safely lit again.
If the fire was out long enough it would fall out of steam, and need not only the water tankers but a very large air compressor or boiler car Howard Fogg to power the oil burner during steam raising as oil-fired engines cannot start from cold without an external supply of steam or compressed air to run the fuel pump and burner.
Hubby and I went to see this magnificent train at the whistle stop in Bunkie on Monday. We saw them working on the engine, replace a fitting (?), and water spilling out of what we assumed was the overflow valve. Thanks for this video and explanation, helped us novices understand what we saw.
Excellent description of difficulties faced by the 4014 Crew and a terrific video to compliment that. Thank you for sharing and have fun down there!
Thanks for the detailed, knowledgeable description Fan Railer. I saw a big steam blow from the fireman's side by the exhaust injector in another video and wondered if something had gone wrong.
It's normal for a few seconds when they prime the injector, but the overflow should die way down once the injector actually picks up. If it does not pick up, you will continue to see a lot of water and steam come out the overflow vent.
Lots of blow... kinda like a human losing a lot of blood. End result is so good.
Next year they need to consist the big boy and dd40ax, the largest locos from both eras, running together, both those engines together would be nearly 200 feet combined
DD40XX is no longer in service after wreck and death of engineer just out side Avondale La. Hit a dump truck engineer was in john and supervisor was at the throttle. FRA wrote the UP up the engine had never undergone safety modifications in the front end the nose and caved in. They repaired it and now on display some where. No long run.
@@arthurhouston3 It has been out since the wreck, just not very long.
@@arthurhouston3 6936 is still in Cheyenne, not on display. It needs mechanical work to run again.
@@arthurhouston3 UP is housing their Centennial in Cheyenne at the same shop that houses 4014, 844 and 3985. It has been out since the accident, several times actually. The reason it hasn't been out recently is because it needs an overhaul. UP has not stated publicly whether or not they will perform the work needed, but unlike 3985 it hasn't been retired from the active roster yet.
@@tavi9598 What about the E9's have they been retired?
I remember asking Ed Dickens two years ago in Barstow about having a diesel as an emergency for the 4014. That guy was really cool in answering my question in not only as an emergency but, it also acts as a counter weight since 4014 is “top heavy” which I did not know about that. It made more sense when going down hill on the Cajon Pass with two diesel locomotives for one steam locomotive.
The diesel is an additional load to pull. Which is a good thing, considering 4014 was designed to PULL !!!!
The good thing about firing with oil is you can safely "drop the fire" when faced with a low water situation. There was no risk of boiler damage here but a major pain in the ass for UP management and I'm sure Mr. Dickens felt the pressure (pun intended). Injectors are great until they start acting up and then they can quickly become a house of cards tumbling down. My experience has been coal or wood-fired locomotives since 2000 and I've been through some situations that make for great stories around the roundhouse stove but were not so funny at the time.
I was wondering why they didnt stop in Livonia on Sunday, it's just a shame that that was why. You always hate to see a steam loco have issues like this but Union Pacific's foresight in having that "life raft" in the form of a SD70M is why i have such respect for them. Glad they managed to avoid further problems and I hope their day in Shreveport today will allow them the chance to fend their worries.
Thanks for all the information! Got to see the Engine passing in Maringouin LA on Monday 8/23. Being a mechanical engineer, I appreciated the scope of designing and operating this piece of machinery. Definitely a thing of beauty!!!
We were out there with you during that chase. The stretch between Natchitoches and Shreveport were perfect conditions.
Thanks for the explanation, I knew there was a water problem at Livonia when she was heading South, didn't know what it was or why they changed the schedule for the return trip, makes sense. And yes, she was puking water constantly on the fireman's side, plenty of photos of her, and there's notable water escaping no matter what the speed. Great video.
The crossing at 14:35 to the end was 70th St. east of the airport. Most everything else in this video was along LA 1 or old LA 1 between Shreveport and Natchitoches on down to Alexandria; of course, this trip was the reverse direction. I have been on that road many times. The old T&P follows US 71 from Alexandria to Lebeau then turns east and crosses the Atachifilaya River at Melville. This route has very little grade in it.
It’s Louisiana what do ya expect there’s not gonna be many grades here
Fantastic to see such a glorious machine still life and clicking. Thanks for the info that came with this trip !
Very Appreciative for Union Pacific to invest time, resources, and crew to keep this classic mode of transportation going. Thank you! These steam engines always cheer me up! "I think I can to I know I can" I am sure many remember the classic story about the train.
ps- thanks for rendering this amazing video footage. This took time, editing and a lot of TLC! Thank you for thus as well!
Terrific camera work! Thanks so much since it was way too far for us to go and conflicted with the start of the school year! My kids used to climb on 4014 when they were babies and Big Boy was still in Pomona. Love seeing it run!
The shot at 15:20 is outstanding. The golden light, indeed.
This is a great video! It's cool you were able to get some pacing shots like I did! The first pacing shots I ever got of Big Boy (or any steam engine for that matter) and a dream come true that I never would have expected!
This might sound silly, but at around 5:27 and beyond, the lighting was just beautiful, with how it filtered down through the clouds and trees and around Big Boy, almost looked heavenly haha.
Then the sunset shot at the end was great!
Of course I understand why the diesel has to be there as back up, and for dynamic braking, though it is such a visual detraction, aesthetically incongruent with the rest of the consist. If a diesel has to be there I wish it could be a vintage contemporary, like an F-unit or E-unit, if available. Though I suppose Union Pacific probably doesn't want something old backing up something else that's old.
I had heard that Big Boy had to be pushed into Fort Worth because it ran out of fuel. When I watched it in Mexia, TX it did not seem to be leaving under its own power, unlike how it came in, but I don't know why. Later on when we followed it to Hearne, TX, it seemed back up and running as normal, so not sure what the deal was there.
Thanks for the explanation, hadn't heard anything about except comments in passing on a couple of other videos like this. I didn't know the details until now. Great video, too
An absolutely gorgeous mechanical monster! Let's hope the future UP brass keep deciding to fund her operation - a big bit of the continents history that future generations needs to see and appreciate.
Excellent detailed write-up, Fan Railer. Mechanical failures can and do occur, the U.P. Steam team did well to overcome!
And this makes up for the time that a freight train stalled on Sherman hill and the 844 was used to get it going again. th-cam.com/video/RU9uEwSGp9M/w-d-xo.html
Wow, UP 4015 looks great with those silver painted trucks! It's got a classic look to it!
Thank you for the narrative/explanation of what happened to the locomotive. Great planning by the crew!! Hopefully they got the problem resolved…
Baron Harkonnen's coach leaking from the movie "Dune" comes to mind. Now, 4014 just needs a Doof Warrior up front as it rolls into small town America. Children cowering from the whistle will see the next level of WOW!!!!
Fan Railer thanks for the blow-by-blow description of how all this happened, Thanks for the education, keep up the good work.
Cheers from San Francisco
Seem to me that Union Pacific could strategically position empty tank cars along the route and fill them with water over several days to prevent over taxing the small town municipal water supplies they get water from.
Or fill tank cars at some of their maintenance shops and attach them to mixed freights in the area to be set out on sidings along 4014's planned route. That way in an actual low water situation, there would either be full tank cars waiting for them, or they could park the 4014 on a siding and send the diesel escort to fetch them from a nearby yard.
@@renegadeoflife87 That’s one of the most impractical things I’ve heard in a while. They can barely get a crew called for this thing out of the pool to pilot it every day, and you think the railroad is capable of staging dozens of water cars across the system in advance? Good luck!
This would require way, way too much work. It would be a logistical nightmare and would add extra unpaid weight to UP revenue freight traffic.
Like it's been said already, situations like this are what the diesel is for. Having a diesel backup engine full of fuel and in the consist makes infinitely more sense than trying to anticipate the whims of a thirsty steam engine and staging water tanks along the route.
Excellent video, thank you for posting so quickly and your detailed explanation on how and why things happened. This is another reason for hauling the tool cars along as well.
These are the days that give Ed Dickens Jr. that head of white hair!
What kills me is the ignorance of some "railfans". The Union Pacific handled this situation absolutely perfectly...with the well being of the locomotive at the forefront of their mind. Some people just dont understand that if the water level drops below the crown sheet, its GAME OVER. the ONLY way to save the locomotive from a catastrophic explosion that would easily LEVEL a city block would be to dump the fire. And without diesel assistance to shove it to safety, the main line is jammed. These machines are old and VERY cantankerous at times. The railroad doesnt have the recourses for the steam locomotives that it did 70 years ago, when they were able to beat the living hell out of them and then repair it in a weeks time.
Thanks for this :) All Union Pacific staff must be proud of what the company has done to restore this magnificent engine; good PR & I hope folk respond by supporting them.
Andd to think some railroads had water pits between the rails and a loco could take on thousands of gallons on the fly with a scoop in seconds. I sure wish I could have seen those days.
There's still archival footage of the NYC using the track pans on youtube somewhere.
Some of these people are WAY TOO close to the tracks. Where is all the police & security we saw on that last run up north?
Красота! Особенно смотреть на работу механизмов! Вот это техника! Уважение работникам, которые восстановили этот чудесный локомотив!!!
I was on 3985 as a "guest conductor" back in the early 2,000's. She needed a new "O" ring-(Ahhh! those da---m O rings like Space Shuttle) bane of our existence. Limped slowly through Plantersville, TX (Home of Texas Renaissance Festival) Ring machined in Houston. Ran great to Bay City the next day!
Great shot! I drove from San Diego to Ft. Worth to see the big boy and unfortunately didn't get a chance to pace it :(
The view of seeing 4014, the famous "Big Boy" in Louisiana is simply surreal. Thanks Union Pacific! It's appreciated.
Thank you so much for posting this! Fantastic camerawork and really appreciate the detailed description. 👍🏻
The Reading 2101 had a similar thing happen when she was operating excursions for the C&O. Instead of being denied water or anything. She wasn't operating with a extra water tender. She pulled into Terra Alta West Virginia with less than 6in of water in the tender.
Yea I think that documentary is still floating around on TH-cam somewhere.
@@FanRailer
th-cam.com/video/shwygmJ4IMU/w-d-xo.html
It's so quiet with the drifting throttle!
Stealth Mode ;)
I once heard one of them being moved dead at the museum in St. Louis. It was so neat to hear all the valves working, a sound you could never hear when it was under steam.
That’s one of the coolest things left in the plant I would love to go back in time and live in that area.
Wow, I’m glad I read the lengthy description. Thanks for the information.
that footage where you are matching its speed from the side is so cool. wow
its not often the desial engine has to push 4014 it mainly is there for extra breaking but will be used for emergencys like this. other than that the deisal is jsut for dynamic braking and power supply to the cars
Thats a big old loco
Shes a beauty.
Have all the water towers and troughs been demolished?
We in the UK have to double bank all our steam locos with a diesel just incase of problems also
The ones still standing are either all rusted out of full of bullet holes.
We saw her in Luling southbound, a beautiful, majestic sight!
I find it hard to believe they could not get water? This does not sound right! Livonia is a major train yard. There is the DOW Plaquemine Refinery, just south, they could supply all the water needed. They could stop several places and get a little water.
Yea something seemed off to me when I heard that too, but that's the best info I have to go off of at the moment. If I find out anything more credible, I will update the description.
@@FanRailer I am not questioning UP Steam folks, they are wonderful people! I guess what I am saying, if you need 8-water stops, then schedule 12, just to be sure. And to say one can't find water in large quantities with all the refineries and such. Anyway, as long as no harm comes to Big Boy and her crew, then things work out perfectly. We loved seeing Big Boy up close in Luling!!!!
If a road follows the tracks , would that make it a rail - road? 😂 awesome video! Thanks so much for taking us along for the journey! 🚂💨
I didn’t know big boy was going to be coming close to where I lived today. (The stretch from poplar bluff MO to Scott city Mo)
I only found out because my dad mentioned that there was a lot of cars lined up near the tracks and if there was anything going on. Turns out it was Big Boy. I was so excited because it’s my favorite steam engine. And I was looking at the times to get a good judgment on when I needed to be at the tracks. I got there maybe 30 minutes before and it was amazing. There was a group of trees that obstructed my vision aways away from me. But it just made the view cooler. Hearing the crossing gates close, seeing the smoke by the trees, and just seeing it emerge and hearing the whistle. It was amazing and I’m so glad that I didn’t miss it, but with how close it was that I could have potentially missed the opportunity.
In my books itself, within the last 30 years only two Steam Locomotives have traveled the rails in the state of Louisiana. Southern Pacific 745 back in 2005 and Union Pacific 4014 in 2021. I have seen both locomotives in person. And are awesome to see. 745 is currently going under a FRA rebuild and we know about 4014.
Great footage. I like the radio traffic overlay on the video. I think Ed better add some oil tankers full of water to the consist next time!
yup and Steve ran into the same problem in California which put #844 and #3985 out of service. Low water is a problem and it needs to be fixed or Big Boy can't run.
Makes you wish you were sitting there, watching it all happen, in a 1970 Challenger with a 426 hemi. Ahhhh... just the thought of it.
Poetry in motion mechanical beauty beyond comprehension. Good thing there was a EDM. Is this the same engine that was static in Laramie WY back in 2008?
Saw 4014 today in Scott city Missouri, what a exciting time for the people who came out. My son was super excited.
I don’t know why, but I find it rather soothing to hear the sound of the coupling rods moving.
Damn I'd love to see this in person. Which there was some way they made it run up north.
Yea, due to the current climate with steam ops and PTC compliance, UP will only ever run their steam on their tracks. You'd have to travel out west to see this in action. www.up.com/forms/steam-trace.cfm If you go to this link and look at the map, the red lines are all of the potential tracks that might see UP steam on them.
Also, on the flip side, I'd love to see / hear the R211's running, but I'm always either at work or out west chasing steam LOL
Gonna' be traveling through this area on it's final 50 miles home. I'm already extremely excited, and it still is 2 weeks away.
Truly,
BullyBilly.
@@williamhelus3522 I'm waiting for next Thursday when she pulls into Salina, KS. I live just 40 minutes north, so seeing her again will be a real treat. From what the my daughter's grandpa has said, he wants to see it that day and run to Colorado to catch it Tuesday when she runs through Greely to have his dad watch it. They're super big railfans. His dad isn't getting any younger so it'd be a good treat for them since he's now 84.
Glad I found your channel! Love those old steamers!
I don't know if Big Boy is one of them but most steam trains run with a diesel to power the breaks as wells and the reason stated in the video
So the black tender car behind the steam locomotive is fuel oil and water? The two yellow tender cars behind the black locomotive/tender and in front of the diesel locomotive are water for the steam locomotive and the remaining cars?
Generally correct; the yellow cars ahead of the diesel are additional water for the steam locomotive. The passenger cars have their own water reservoirs.
The SD70 is also there to provide PTC. They havent figured out how to get 4014 to provide the data needed for PTC so they use the diesel for that. Good video of a cab ride I just saw here shows the PTC unit installed. Of course if you run low on water and the crown sheet gets a little warm........😐
Excellent explanation on what occurred, great video!
Don't you just love it when those great wheel driving beams run in sync? (At the beginning of this brilliant video.)
My gosh, thanks for this video and the explanation. Although I don't understand all the descriptions, I surely thank you for giving us them. I wish I could live on UP 4014 Big Boy, I can't get enough of her. I know, it's Big Boy, but she's such a beauty I just can't help calling him a her! Lol. Thanks again
Fan Railer or fans, did 4014 take a trip to LV Nevada late 2019 or early 2020 (northeast Vegas)? I was driving late one night on I-15 heading to Searchlight and saw the whole area north of the Sheet Rock Plant & Pilot Truck Stop lit up and a lot of CCSD & Nevada state Troopers check points in that whole area. A day later I got the treat of my life, a UP Ole Steamer like Big Boy 4014 was 12 miles out, steaming into north LV NV. I just assumed it was a filming crew making a movie, just can't remember the exact date. TY for the upload!
Yes indeed, 4014 did run into Las Vegas in October 2019. Just search UP 4014 LAs Vegas on here and you'll see.
So great to see it restored and operational, despite problems. I grew up in LA area and climbed on it while it was on static display at the Pomona (Los Angeles County) Fairgrounds while I was in my teens. (My sons enjoyed exploring it also) Understand mechanical problems can happen with any equipment, so great they had a back up. The Wife and I were privileged to ride on one of the excursion trips while it was in the Los Angeles area in October 2019. It was paired with 2 Diesel helper engines and 23 cars, amazing trip.
That was a fun trip to chase. I just wish Cajon Pass wasn't so remote.
I was also there in Barstow that year! Was a early Sunday morning from Long Beach, CA to get to Barstow before 8 am to beat the crowds: totally worth it. Then went way ahead to the Cajon Pass and recorded going through the passage and bridges in that area. I recently went to Cheyenne, WY to see if it was out of the steam house but wasn’t on the track. Crossing fingers it will come back to Southern California again.
@@FanRailer I don't follow much UP BB, but do they allow passengers on board? I wouldn't mind paying for a round trip and a waiver of liability if need be. Would probably have to travel like a Hobo, basic hygiene items, sleeping bag, freeze dried packaged food, sleeping bag, butt pad, water and piss jug. :o) TY again.
This video showcases the Big Boy so beautifully. Really great camera work. Thank you for sharing this.
Around 15:20.. a still on the wall of the man-cave..
I always thought the coal car was actually a tank car full of water on the new Big Boy runs. I am a train enthusiast and all love for the old schools but the sound of that diesel makes me want to kiss the sky lol.
I have to wonder if the guys at U.P. have thought about installing permanent transfer pumps on those Aux tenders that keep the main Tender full. Could operate them underway.
I visited Denver during a PCS since I was passing through and went to a museum that had a Big Boy train and the museum manager told me that this train was actually touring the US
omg this is epic
That train is getting some right now !! Boom having a blast! Whooooo hooooooooo!!!
Great video!!! And thank you for the detailed description of the water issue!
It was cool that the starboard, I don't know what they're called, traction bars, wheel bars, whatever they're called were running in sync. I wonder how often that occurs? It's probably not as rare as I think huh?
The term you're looking for is "side rods". In an absolute perfect scenario, the orientation of the side rods of each engine unit with respect to each other should never change, but events such as wheel slippage when accelerating will cause them to change. In actuality, if you watch extended pace videos of the 4014, you'll see that the front engine unit spins every so slightly faster than the rear engine unit, so that over an extended period of time (10-20 min or so), the engine units will slowly slide in and out of synch with each other.
No Water , no go , no beautiful steam whistle .
FANTASTIC video, absolutely LOVE the details.
The bigboy4014 Horn is something else
be a good ringtone on mobile .
Great company…great PR for restoring this. Long time shareholder!
Future consideration. Might want to haul around some tank cars with water?
What do you think is in the two yellow aux. tenders (in addition to it's own tender)?
Marvelous and magnificent video friend, Big Boy #4014 is the Star and Queen of UP's rails and every time she comes out is the big event, the big party. Like 2232 and greetings from Argentina.
Hello Americans, congratulations on the rebirth of your old Big Boy. The Korean War and later American steam locomotives helped a lot.
Not sure of terminology, but I liked seeing those pistons or whatever moves the wheels showing synchronization.
Very cool footage shot while following along with Big Boy in your vehicle. Great work!
I’ve always been curious about the passenger cars that are pulled by 4014. Who’s allowed to ride in them? Is it just UP execs and their families?
Normally, yes, but typically as part of every big tour, there's a segment where the UP museum sponsors a trip that is accessible by the public.
@@FanRailer , that would be awesome to go on a long trip, even an overnighter for that matter, on a train being pulled by 4014! 😁
Do you know if those are vintage cars or relatively new ones?
These are vintage, dating back to when UP ran passenger trains on their trackage. 1930s to 50s cars, I would wager, as there are some heavyweights mixed in with lightweights (6 axle vs 4 axle cars). The UP takes good care of them though, so you'd never know their age just by looking.
@@Navyguy1990 I believe the Experience the Union Pacific car is brand new
There seems to be plenty of steam for the whistle.
What a great video and description. Thank you!
75,000 gallons isn't that much water. My not-all-that-large swimming pool is nearly 25,000 gallons.
The locals couldn't spare three swimming pools of water?
Not all at once. And the chlorine in a swimming pool is corrosive, it would eat the boiler alive if you tried to use that as your water source.
They would have needed to set out tank cars in advance and fill them slowly over several days so as not to stress the town's water system.
@@renegadeoflife87 he ment water of equal volume of a swimming pool
Just amazing I saw sitting at the fair grounds for years.
Pretty sure that if you run low or out of water you can have a boiler explosion. I’m glad that they have a diesel to assist. People always ask why they have a diesel trailing the steam locomotive(s) or pushing the consist from behind. One reason is this exact situation when the steam locomotive runs low on water. Another is to provide dynamic braking in which steam locomotives do not have at their disposal.
That is correct. If you are careless and run the tender bone dry, once the water in the boiler falls below the highest point in the crown sheet, the sheet is now exposed to the hot steam on the boiler side and the fire on the firebox side. This can cause the sheet to experience a structural failure, suddenly and violently venting the pressure inside the boiler into the firebox. That is a boiler explosion. Nobody survives those.
@@FanRailer Steve and Lynn did but it put #844 and #3985 out of service and they had to tow #844 back to Steam Shop dead with this very diesel.
@@FanRailer yes, but before it reaches that stage a responsible fireman will drop the fire, but then your a sitting duck on the mainline
@@geomodelrailroader that wasn't a boiler explosion. It was a failure that occurred with 10 or so of the boiler tubes. Happened in 1999 in Sacramento California at Railfair '99.
Gettysburg was a boiler explosion.
Thanks. I hope they keep working out issues and come back in cooler months when all that steam is more visible. Makes you wonder if steam technology had kept developing all this time where would it be now.
They had a condensing locomotive in South Africa. The reason why steam fell out of fashion is the long lead time to fire the locomotive and having to go around lubricating everything.
I imagined this loco garnered alot of public attention when it was even brand new.
Well, the first one would have... 4000... by the time 4014 came along, it was "no big deal". Remember, UP was AWASH in steam locomotives and the War was in full swing. They had FREIGHT to move !!!
Hermosa esa maquina a vapor!!! Saludos desde Argentina
Thank you for the wonderful explanation....make me appreciate the work done by Mr. Ed Dickens and his team even more!
i know that "clang clank clang clank" of the driving rods is normal
.
but it still sounds like a bad bearing to my ears (im an auto mechanic)
.
however.... they say "a loose wheel bearing is a happy bearing"
if you tighten them down more than finger tight.... as it heats up and expands.... its enough to cause the rollers to lock up
causing MASSIVE carnage
Excellent video. Very informative. Thank you!
I thought that the tenders were filled while they were in Addis. I saw the FD had a five inch hose connected to a hydrant which was then connected to a pump in the back of a truck. Addis has enough water to fill the tenders. I did not see 4014 leave Addis, but I would think they were full. Livonia is a weeny!
They WERE refilled in Addis, but as explained, with the lengthened running distance, injector problems, and extra down-time spent trying to repair the problem, they ran low enough on the tank water to cause concern.
Magnificent machine, the Big Boy is! ...and magnificent job producing this video!
Sure glad they took care of the problem. I love mechanical engineering and Steam locomotives, Piston airplane engines, and internal combustion engines are, to me, the finest examples of such technology. Once I get into college, I'm going to study more of this. I'd love to help bring Steam power back to the forefront; surely with today's technology and using all the research of the past, we can do it!!