Transcontinental RR 150th Anniversary
Markwell
Posts: 1,616 ✭✭✭✭✭
Wednesday May 10th marks 150 years of our country being joined together by rail. Back in 1869, the golden spike was driven in Promontory Point, Utah offically completing our nation's first Transcontinental railroad.
To celebrate, the Union Pacific Railroad (one of the two original companies that constructed that line) has spent four years resurrecting Big Boy - the largest steam locomotive ever built. She will depart Cheyenne, Wyoming Saturday the 4th on her first run since 1958 heading westbound to Ogden. Any of you out west between these two points might like to venture out and witness this historic event. Unfortunately a trip of that magnitude is not in the budget for me.
Here's a pic of 4014 being towed into the shops 4 years ago. You can see why the Union Pacific nicknamed these behemoths Big Boy:
To celebrate, the Union Pacific Railroad (one of the two original companies that constructed that line) has spent four years resurrecting Big Boy - the largest steam locomotive ever built. She will depart Cheyenne, Wyoming Saturday the 4th on her first run since 1958 heading westbound to Ogden. Any of you out west between these two points might like to venture out and witness this historic event. Unfortunately a trip of that magnitude is not in the budget for me.
Here's a pic of 4014 being towed into the shops 4 years ago. You can see why the Union Pacific nicknamed these behemoths Big Boy:
“Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman – or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle.” – George Burns
6
Comments
Proving Rush Limbaugh wrong, again, even before he was born.
"If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." -- Mark Twain
https://www.uscitizenship.info/Chinese-immigration-and-the-Transcontinental-railroad/
MOW badge received.
http://www.folkstreams.net/film-detail.php?id=101
On the Irish side, a record 10 miles of track was HAND LAID in one single day, April 28th, 1869. Still a record to this day not even overtaken by machine.
Big Boy has yet to move under his own power. They did have him fired up earlier this week to blow 60 years of junk out of the cylinders though. We're coming in very close for a scheduled Saturday departure. Video below of the test fire.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h0BrClWQUmE
This is what it would look like when work was close to complete:
And after laying track
I like Oliva and Quesada (including Regius) a lot. I will smoke anything, though.
Here's a pic from yesterday morning, big boy in the lead.
Tons of videos out there on YouTube if you search UP 4014. I stayed up watching some live feeds of the test run until about 4am ladt week. Wish I could have made that trip.
Big boy was originally coal fired, but the UP converted her into an oil burner during the restoration. Much cleaner and more readily available these days. Fun fact: she operates at 300psi boiler pressure.
We call these chasers "foamers" because they foam at the mouth over choo choos. I am guilty of foaming at times lol. Here's a pic of the chase convoy.
Fast forward to today, after 5 years of hard work we have the world's largest steam locomotive running once again to commemorate this event. Her and cousin 844 of the Union Pacific Railroad, the only steam locomotive never retired, met pilot to pilot after a successful five day maiden voyage from Cheyenne.
I know, You're a big dog and I'm on the list.
Let's eat, GrandMa. / Let's eat GrandMa. -- Punctuation saves lives
It'll be fine once the swelling goes down.
I know, You're a big dog and I'm on the list.
Let's eat, GrandMa. / Let's eat GrandMa. -- Punctuation saves lives
It'll be fine once the swelling goes down.