Was an Engineer on the Big UP for 42 years and I'm sure glad our upper management realized how important it is to preserve railroad history and American history, by restoring these steam engines Northern 844, "Challenger" 3985 and "Big Boy"4014....
Crackers2549 my late Beloved Brother-in-law is William “ Bill” Riley Sr... 43 years UP Locomotive 🚂 Engineer.. he has a place in the Gold Spike Museum In Bailey Yard North Platte Nebraska USA 🇺🇸 Bill trained many UP engineers to include UPRR Locomotive 🚂 Engineer Edwina Justice.. ! My old Wyoming home and my playground set was 4004 Big Boy and Old Sadie!! WhoootWhooooot.. I know that I am a old dinosaur 🦕 and part of “ The Over The Hill Gang “
@kevin Simala 844's conversion was during its operating life. 3985 may not have been an oil burner originally, but UP had been converting the challenger locomotives to oil burning toward the end of the steam era. The first attempt at converting a big boy to oil burning was a half-hearted attempt, but UP did want them all converted eventually.
@kevin Simala Looks like UP simply saw no reason to reminder the locomotives for something so trivial as changing their fuel. It would be more logical to re-number after over 50% of a locomotive is no longer original.
@kevin Simala If the change was planne/done during the locomotive's original operating life, why change the number? If retired and _now_ altered toperate as a restoredocomotive, the * would be appropriate. UP should reattach the red light (beneatheadlight) on 844 since it was that way during its original operating life. [Or was that red light _above_ theadlight?]
I could listen to this guy all day and could probably come up with a hundred questions....Whatever he makes is definitely not enough...His knowledge, enthusiasm and dedication are monumentally priceless!!!
Kudos to Union Pacific for understanding the importance of their heritage. We got to see 4014 up close a couple of months ago. Just an amazing machine.
I hope UP management realize that the quality of workmanship and dedication shown to these legacy machines, installs a feeling of corporate pride not only to UP workers, not only to Americans, but to many in other nations. Corporations that actually stand for something other than pure profits install a sense of customer loyalty.
I absolutely love how the UP is doing everything it can to protect and advance railroad heritage. Only the UP has the drive to take on these types of projects. I work for csx and I think we're lucky now to be able to get fuel in our locos with our new ceo. I love how the men who give tours and explanations really know what they are talking about.
The UP guys are amazing not only do they do there own thing but they will help so many others. I volunteer for a steam railroad museum and the UP helped us so much in making parts or cad work, they have a lot of the old drawings so they will send them out. Amazing group love what they do I'm glad to have worked with them. Also side note they will allow people to come help if you have a knowledge of this kinda work.. So thank you for posting shows the zest and love they have for this.
Thanks for the tour B.R. ... easy to see why a bunch of (pipe) organ builders would be interested and understand all the processes steam locomotive function as well as restoration/remanufacturing of parts.
Enjoyed this, cannot wait to see the Big Boy run, very excited. My grandfather is retied from the Southern Pacific. Early part of his career he was a fireman and engineer for the Iowa Central, this was around 1905.
Mr. Rogers, I'm not a fan Of the UP, but I do appreciate their steam program. I have to say, this is the best videos I've seen that supports them. Amazing job, thank you(really).
I took my son to see the Big Boy in Omaha, when he was 4. It was so big and overwhelming, that he started to cry. Sitting in the engineers seat cured that.
Nice video thanks for the big boy 4014 update I been waiting for a new update on its progress on Restoration I hope to see 3985 running again along side 4014 😊❤️
Marvelous video. Audio and Visual perfect. Thank you for recording this so there is a record of what went on to put Big Boy 4014 back on the rails. He is a beauty to see steaming along now.
It is nice to have a good detailed look at what all is going on in the rebuild. So many times we rear broad generalities. In this video we get down into what is really going on. THANK YOU!
Thanks crashtech66 and all the rest of you who have sent me kind words. I do appreciate the compliments and it is gratifying that so many of you have enjoyed watching the video. And also thanks to the Union Pacific Railroad and the UP Steam Shop for the wonderful tour.
Thank you for preserving Steam History! Its expensive hard work but glad to know generations of people will be able to see, feel, hear and smell such history!
Thanks for filming this very informative tour. The presenter was excellent and the camera work was stellar. Very interesting to hear future plans for 3985 -- good to know that they're ordering extra castings. The UP rocks. Our industrial heritage is much alive in Cheyenne!
As an "old stuff freak" of many types of gear, I'm very greatful that UP have it in their corporate heart somehow to be so dedicated to preservation and heritage this far above (and away from) what I'd have thought to be their Bottom Line! Not sure whom exactly to thank, but thank y'all whoever you are! Kudos to one and all involved! So many of your forebears put so much dedication into the business, and it's truly wonderful to see that their efforts are not being scrapped in vein! Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside!
Thank you for such a clear HD video of these steam locomotives being rebuilt and the locomotive shop as well. It maybe ten's of millions of dollars to support this steam locomotive program, but Union Pacific is a BIG company which has a big history in forging United States railroad history. It likely looks cheap in comparison to high value of prestige it gives the Union Pacific. As long as the UP is a top railroad showing off its history lets more than just the corporate world take some notice of it.
A very interesting video. Our host for the 1st half hour is a treasure trove of information. 'Bunch o' weenies' indeed (3:39); they're everywhere. Thank you very much.
Watching this with my Dad who drove Stem Engines in New Zealand for years. Started when he was 16 right thru it they took them off here, then went on to drive diesels, asked him if he understood what the guy was talking about he' like ya a steam engine is a steam engine dosen't matter what country they are from. My Dad is 88 nearly 89 years old. l
Hi Denise. Thanks for your comment. We visited your beautiful country several years ago. We took a ride on the Taieri Gorge Railway out of Dunedin and enjoyed it very much.
I always wanted to work for the Union Pacific Railroad filled out applications for jobs but, I ended up doing lots of things instead. I started out cleaning used bricks at 13 then a roofer at 15, then a drywall finisher and painter in the military at 17 . Then did structural demolition and salvage and recycled lumber and brick for 3 yrs. Then worked in a foundry for a bit. Then worked in a big welding and fabrication shop for 3 years. Then got a degree in HVAC and became a HVAC tech and installer. A refrigeration fitter ,then a Steamfitter. Then an industrial electrician . Then a Millwright / industrial mechanic. Then a machinist. I just wish I wasnt so old and worn out now but , I was rarely ever out of work except after I got out of the Air Force after my four year enlistment and was treated like crap. I just wanted to work for the railroad though, oh well.
@Bill Williams I know many kids who can't get a decent job with great-skills college diplomas, and with trade school certificates, high-school diplomas, and all kinds of work experience. Many are living hand-to-mouth picking up short gigs or small jobs where they can. They aren't lazy by any stretch; there are jobs that used to exist that just don't any more. Most factories are nearly fully automated; newspapers are delivered eletronically; self-serve checkout lanes have taken 30% of those jobs away; look around and understand.
@@robertgift well after being retired I get stuck being everyones fixit man but I dont really do much except give advice most of the time. Its just too bad I have lots of skills but too worn out of a body to make much use of them .
Thanks Bill, most informative as I have been wondering how far along the restoration has progressed. As the connecting rods on 844 are, I believe, manganese nickle, it would be reasonable the parts relating to the eccentric(s) would be of the same material due to the stresses involved. Mr Kirk did say he was not sure, that's fair, but I was surprised just the same as 844 has not long been restored and the same parts are being used for 4014. I guess keeping track of individual item properties is for some other person to follow. It always amazes me how gracious and helpful the UP staff are and how unselfish they are in sharing knowledge and information so that a presentation is not dry facts and boring.
I like the guide's oratory skills.....he is very concise. (Edit, I think his name is "Gunner".) And then there's Ed Dickens.........He's gooooooood! (Edit again: His name is Bruce Kirk.)
What a great slice of history this video is...... This made me think of the politics of machines.....I'm pretty sure that the best of the very best of these machines were machines that were born in market based and "Non-Socialist" economies. I'm not bringing this up to muddy up or distract from the historical beauty of these awesome machines.......but rather to point out that these machines didn't just "appear" on a set of tracks one morning. They are the culmination of work by men and women possessed of a spirit that mankind cannot afford to lose.
If I am permitted to add something to the guide's explanations about the difference between iron and steel: raw iron has a high content of carbon, which makes it brittle. After the Bessemer method of refining iron came the Thomas method. By the injection of oxygen into the molten iron, the carbon was burnt off. Next came the addition of other materials such as chrome, vanadium, tungsten, or wolfram. These alloys were either super hard or more elastic, depending upon their later use. The hardness of these steel alloys can be proofed by the Brinell scale.
a great company to do forging and custom pieces for u-p is the custom alloy corp- in high bridge new jersey they work on a lot of great projects for everyone
The 4014 would Not be in Cheyenne undergoing its "rebirth" if it were not for a very generous donor, who has underwritten 50% of whatever the final cost of restoration is, and whom to this day has chosen to remain anonymous to everyone except to those who were involved in the decision-making process of "go or no-go" with the 4014.
God bless that man. I’ve seen two other “Big Boys” both static displays. One at the Ford Museum in Dearborn MI and the other of course on the north side of I 80 in Council Bluffs IA. Would be great to see 4014 under steam moving a load along the rails.
5 лет назад+1
Sounds like you might know this said donor otherwise it's just a rumor
@@topturretgunner theres is a big boy number 4004 in cheyene that is a static display there is one in denver 4005 4006 is in st louis 4012 is in pensylvania 4014 is in restoration 4017 is in green bay wisconsin 4018 is in texas 4023 is in nebraska the loco at the ford museum is an Allegheny h-8 number 1601 from Chesapeake and Ohio railroad
I have been at a railroad that runs steam daily and while visiting the master mechanic he got a call from the train on the main that his engine needed to come off for repairs. I watched him light off an ice cold boiler sitting in the shop using compressed air for a forced draught and ten minutes later she was sitting at 199 pounds of steam and I was able to place my hand on the firebox side sheets and it was still ice cold at 199 pounds of steam pressure. This is not the way a steam railroad wants to fire up a steam locomotive but when you're operating a business and you need to replace a steam locomotive that needs immediate repair. Ideally a railroad will fire up a steam locomotive as this guy in the video described. By the time the train arrived and the crew walked into the engine house to get the replacement engine the boiler was fully warmed up and hot everywhere.
Bill Rogers, I would like to point out there is one error that I know of in this video. Bruce Kirk states that there were 75 of the Centennials or E.M.D. DDA40x's Diesel-Electric Locomotives built, but that is incorrect. There were only 47 of them built! Source 1.) Publisher: Overland Models, Inc., Title: Union Pacific's Centennials in Action, Author: George R. Cockle, ISBN: 0-916160-05-X, Year Published: 1980, Source 2.) Publisher: Withering Publishing, Title: Union Pacific's Big EMDs-DD35 and DDA40X Diesel Era, Author: Paul K. Withers, ISBN: 1-881411-65-6, Year Published: 2012. This is stated at time 2.06. I also can back that there are only 47 of them for I used to own 4 of these in HO scale by Bachmann Train, then I traded them out for the Athearn Genesis Models. The Athearn model comes with a small booklet that has information on this locomotive which states there were 47 of these locomotives.
the plant that made all the centennial locos is right near my house the frame for the locos was made by a third party company in chicago due to emd not being able to cast the frame in house
Thanks kdaaron17. I shot it with a Sony HDR-PJ710 Handycam. It has optical image stabilization which helps a lot with hand-held shots. It's old, but still takes decent video.
I turned on Closed Captioning hoping for some translation of Ed's Charlie Brown Teacher's voice . RUclips kept saying "music" which i guess in a way the repair noises were....
One thing that makes me sad is the fact that we at one time, with far less technology built hundreds of these giants in a fairly short amount of time...Today we have technology that our father's and grandfather's could only dream of...Now it takes years and millions of dollars to restore just one....
The worst part is that we possibly could have simply contracted these projects out to China for less money and had them running again sooner. Not a chance they could do a better job, but that they could perhaps do it at all is scary.
Well. Part of that comes not only from a skilled group of craftsmen, but the fact that back then they had the facilities, lines, machine shops, foundries, etc. set up to do so on a massive scale. They had massive warehouses of new parts, they built them every day, etc. It's no different, conceptually, to how automobiles were built or aircraft, ships, tanks, etc. during world war 2. The capacity of the industry and the massive amount of skilled labor both made it possible. It's FAR different when you're disassembling, inspecting, and then either rebuilding or making from scratch parts that haven't been produced in almost a century. With people that have never put one together before (atleast as far as individual models go. There aren't many people around that have rebuilt a big boy, etc.). A lot of it is discovery, learn as you go, document it, research it, etc. These guys are doing amazing work. I'm very proud of them for doing so.
Dreaming here, but what would make my day (year?) would be if at least one of America's billionaires would have such a craving to see these big beautiful beasts running sooner and regularly, they would toss a boatload of bucks into UP's historical efforts - primarily steam locomotives. Great praise to UP for their efforts, certainly, but I'll bet they'd welcome financial help if there were no strings attached. This wonderful crew of folks working these restorations are probably doing it on a shoe string.
Well if i were ever mega rich, Part of my money would go to the Battleship Texas foundation for their dry berth project. But some of it would also go into locomotive restoration. Maybe my own short line :)
The very rich usually are only concerned if they can make MORE MONEY off something that they invest in. With the case of Bill Gates and the Bride of Bill Gates, they invest in education in order to privatize it and make money off of it under the guise of "helping needy kids". Unless they could profit off historic steam, which I can't imagine how that would work, most would have zero interest in it.
UP 5511 is still there somewhere even though she wasn't seen in this video. She'll never pull for UP again but it's rumored that they would sell her to someone that would like to restore her.
I'm disappointed that I won't get to see 4014 and meet the crew, especially Ed, this year. I was hoping to make it to West Chicago, but I have to fly out of O'Hare two days after, and making two separate trips from Michigan to Illinois, in the course of four days, just isn't going to work. Bummed big time. I hope to see it next year, at some point. I do want to take a trip to northern Nevada, to see my brother, so maybe I can make it to Cheyenne also.
Well for 2020, there is talk about making a trip to the California state railroad museum in Sacramento and a tour of Idaho, Oregon and Washington but still these are just rumors
Was it the coal embers that caused the erosion, or the sand that was injected into the firebox to clean the soot? I watched a video of the Challenger 3985 on coal having scoops of sand added through the firebox, which must be like sandblasting metal at high temps!
The Big Boy is absolutely massive. I mean humongously big. Drive wheels are about 7' in diameter. A million and a half pounds - nearly 700,000 kilos? Yes, it is bigly.
It would have been nice if UP had fully restored 4014, 844, 3985 before shutting the whole steam program down. That being said perhaps some of the historic diesel locomotives should have the same thing done with them before the expertise and knowledge slips by from that era also.
I was wondering why somebody hadn't cleaned that soot and grease off. My guess was it might be doing something good and the chemicals to take it off might cause damage so after previous experience it seemed safest just to leave it there until it was in the way.
woah they had the eccentric frames recast and the parts about 20 minutes in from scratch, thats not cheap, and shows real investment for the future to do that, as for the centennial, it was the most powerful and was the continuation of the engines that pulled the same routes that the big boys and up turbines did since they needed high power to go up Sherman hill, it is the last one that runs, now if they would bring back one of the up turbines they saved 2 of them and they sit in museums now, but up till 2010 or so it was the most powerful combustion engine powered locomotives at 8500, and at low altitude but out about 10000 hp, but they were fuel hungry, and the guide is right soo many are too willing to throw away our history, though even back then there were those that had the foresight to try to save historic things though many times there was not enough interest or funding so things got torn down, or in the case of steam engines cut up with torches and cranes, the steamers lived by fire, born of the forge and foundry, fired by burning coal or oil, and killed by the fire of the torch, and recycled, sad but true. I will go as far to say though the Wyoming Union Pacific steamshop and historical fleet is one of the best at what they do in the world, they are the only Mainline USA Railroad that still owns its own steam engines, occasionally runs revenue freight with steam, and has never retired all its steam engines, 844 was pulled from service but workers spent their own time working on her to keep her running for special occasions, so she was never retired, mind you though there are a few short lines like strausburg that also pull revenue freight from time to time with steam, but strausburgs engines are much smaller, though they do have the only decapod left running. also note with steam the harder and faster you push it the hotter the fire gets from the from the on rushing air and puffs of steam being shot up the smokestack putting draw on the fire like a blacksmiths bellows in a forge, the hotter the fire the better it makes steam and creates more expansion of that volume of steam, so it makes power better and runs more efficiently, the steam also reacts to the throttle faster then a diesel electro which applies power slower typically then the 2000 fps the steam moves at according to Gary Bensman a legend in steam restoration himself, also with running faster the engineer can use the cutoff valve so it lets it more fully expand, and uses less of it per piston stroke. and the stamping presses he speaks of for the transverse equalizer were called forges the made them under steam hammers, or forge pressed, not usually made with a stamping press per sey, more often then not today though they use a big hydrolic forge press to squeeze the metal down like a tube of toothpaste, and has better control then say a steam or air hammer, which can still be found but presses can have better control then a violent hit from a hammer, and induces less stress on the metal though it does do some jobs better then a press.
well thanks its just from watching lots of documenties and youtube videos about the subject, anyone with an interest could learn it you just have to know what to look for and what to type in, oh and knowing people in historic railroading dont hurt eaither, just takes an interest really, right now trying to learn about boilers and how they are put togather, after all a steamer dont run without it, in a way you could call it the heart of the machine, as we speak the t1 trust is working on getting the boiler done, welded construction but will problably will have some staybolts to help hold firebox, but that is a question for gary bensman or wolfgang fengler, that are working on the parts of the boiler design, with wolfgang being the designer of the boiler of course.
In the steam era, the restoration wouldn't have been necessary. Instead, it would have been done over time in the course of regular maintenance. They could do the 1472 day inspection in a day when the steam shop was in full operation during the steam era.
About 20 minutes in, I see the guy talking about the tiebars, between the engine and tender. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the first car connected to the tender, by a regular Janney type coupler? (Isn't that coupler pulling a 1 mile train, minus 60 or so feet?) steve
I suppose that because of accessibility you can change the worn out coupler between cars as often as you like. On the other car the draw bar has to be strong enough to work through the entire engines’ life
There would be an auto coupler on the rear of the tender and the front of the loco unit. But to connect the tender to the loco you need a fixed drawbar. Auto or janey couplers have slack action to ease the shock load and facilitate coupling uncoupling. With the loco and tender footplate and crew walking about on it, you dont want back forth movement of slack action happening. The loco to tender coupling is the only joint that has crew walking over it. Also any movement would increase wear to the many pipes connecting to loco unit to the tender.
Steven Skouson, That is not the only reason why they use a drawbar to connect the locomotive and tender together. The locomotive and tender are more permanently connected because that tender usually stays with the locomotive for most of the life of that locomotive. Railtrolley, also has a go point as well for the reason of the drawbar!
I must ask anyone who is on the steam team of the UP, or of anyone of this knowledge, but why does the Union Pacific keep the 844 in black instead of its grey and yellow paint scheme? If you know the answer please let me know.
I'm a narrow gauge steam locomotive fireman the 844 and the challenger were the locomotives that made me want to be a locomotive fireman but I know there is no chance in hell that I'll ever get to touch 4014
Someone should let Ed know if he ever takes a vacation he should visit the airforce museum in daton ohio if he already hasn't. They have a wonderful display of former presidential aircraft.
Was an Engineer on the Big UP for 42 years and I'm sure glad our upper management realized how important it is to preserve railroad history and American history, by restoring these steam engines Northern 844, "Challenger" 3985 and "Big Boy"4014....
Crackers2549 my late Beloved Brother-in-law is William “ Bill” Riley Sr... 43 years UP Locomotive 🚂 Engineer.. he has a place in the Gold Spike Museum In Bailey Yard North Platte Nebraska USA 🇺🇸
Bill trained many UP engineers to include UPRR Locomotive 🚂 Engineer Edwina Justice.. !
My old Wyoming home and my playground set was 4004 Big Boy and Old Sadie!! WhoootWhooooot..
I know that I am a old dinosaur 🦕 and part of “ The Over The Hill Gang “
@kevin Simala 844's conversion was during its operating life. 3985 may not have been an oil burner originally, but UP had been converting the challenger locomotives to oil burning toward the end of the steam era. The first attempt at converting a big boy to oil burning was a half-hearted attempt, but UP did want them all converted eventually.
@kevin Simala Looks like UP simply saw no reason to reminder the locomotives for something so trivial as changing their fuel. It would be more logical to re-number after over 50% of a locomotive is no longer original.
@kevin Simala If the change was planne/done during the locomotive's original operating life, why change the number?
If retired and _now_ altered toperate as a restoredocomotive, the * would be appropriate.
UP should reattach the red light (beneatheadlight) on 844 since it was that way during its original operating life. [Or was that red light _above_ theadlight?]
I could listen to this guy all day and could probably come up with a hundred questions....Whatever he makes is definitely not enough...His knowledge, enthusiasm and dedication are monumentally priceless!!!
Kudos to Union Pacific for understanding the importance of their heritage. We got to see 4014 up close a couple of months ago. Just an amazing machine.
I hope UP management realize that the quality of workmanship and dedication shown to these legacy machines, installs a feeling of corporate pride not only to UP workers, not only to Americans, but to many in other nations. Corporations that actually stand for something other than pure profits install a sense of customer loyalty.
This shop's pride in craft and devotion to quality really shows here. Thank you for a an excellent video!
I absolutely love how the UP is doing everything it can to protect and advance railroad heritage. Only the UP has the drive to take on these types of projects. I work for csx and I think we're lucky now to be able to get fuel in our locos with our new ceo. I love how the men who give tours and explanations really know what they are talking about.
emdman1959 Spaziani CSX removed their own spine over 25 years ago when they tore out the original B&O mainline.....
The UP guys are amazing not only do they do there own thing but they will help so many others. I volunteer for a steam railroad museum and the UP helped us so much in making parts or cad work, they have a lot of the old drawings so they will send them out. Amazing group love what they do I'm glad to have worked with them. Also side note they will allow people to come help if you have a knowledge of this kinda work.. So thank you for posting shows the zest and love they have for this.
I could listen to all these men for days. I have great respect for their knowledge and talent.
Thanks for the tour B.R. ... easy to see why a bunch of (pipe) organ builders would be interested and understand all the processes steam locomotive function as well as restoration/remanufacturing of parts.
Enjoyed this, cannot wait to see the Big Boy run, very excited. My grandfather is retied from the Southern Pacific. Early part of his career he was a fireman and engineer for the Iowa Central, this was around 1905.
This guy is a great tour guide
Mr. Rogers, I'm not a fan Of the UP, but I do appreciate their steam program. I have to say, this is the best videos I've seen that supports them. Amazing job, thank you(really).
Thank you Mr. Saurina for the kind words. I'm glad you liked the video and your comment is very much appreciated.
Once the Big Boy is rolling again I am going to make a trip someplace to see it. My kids will love it.
I took my son to see the Big Boy in Omaha, when he was 4. It was so big and overwhelming, that he started to cry. Sitting in the engineers seat cured that.
Nice video thanks for the big boy 4014 update I been waiting for a new update on its progress on Restoration I hope to see 3985 running again along side 4014 😊❤️
Marvelous video. Audio and Visual perfect.
Thank you for recording this so there is a record of what went on to put Big Boy 4014 back on the rails. He is a beauty to see steaming along now.
It is nice to have a good detailed look at what all is going on in the rebuild. So many times we rear broad generalities. In this video we get down into what is really going on. THANK YOU!
Awesome video. This came up as I was watching the 4014 leave Cheyenne on it's way to Utah. Awesome sight.
I'm absolutely thrilled to see that one of the great American Icons is coming back to life
This is the best video of the ongoing work at the UP Steam Shop that I've seen to date, thanks!
Thanks crashtech66 and all the rest of you who have sent me kind words. I do appreciate the compliments and it is gratifying that so many of you have enjoyed watching the video. And also thanks to the Union Pacific Railroad and the UP Steam Shop for the wonderful tour.
Thank you for preserving Steam History! Its expensive hard work but glad to know generations of people will be able to see, feel, hear and smell such history!
Great explanation as to why the Challenger 3985 used to run but isn't now. I'd wondered about that. Thanks for posting!
Fantastic presentation and detail from this UP expert engine mechanic.
Gorgeous gorgeous video !! Love the High Def quality!! Felt like I was right there. Thanks Bill.
WestCoastRails same.
Fantastic filming. Thanks for posting. Very informative and not boring for one minute.
Thanks for filming this very informative tour. The presenter was excellent and the camera work was stellar. Very interesting to hear future plans for 3985 -- good to know that they're ordering extra castings. The UP rocks. Our industrial heritage is much alive in Cheyenne!
saw that engine in the spring of '91
Unfortunately, they made the decision to retire 3985. They don't have the funding to restore it or the manpower to keep three locomotives operating.
Good coverage. The guys giving you the tour did an excellent job too! The restoration of 4014 must be costing a fortune.
More than $2 million.............
As an "old stuff freak" of many types of gear, I'm very greatful that UP have it in their corporate heart somehow to be so dedicated to preservation and heritage this far above (and away from) what I'd have thought to be their Bottom Line! Not sure whom exactly to thank, but thank y'all whoever you are! Kudos to one and all involved! So many of your forebears put so much dedication into the business, and it's truly wonderful to see that their efforts are not being scrapped in vein! Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside!
Nice, very nice video, it's great to see that UP has valued their heritage.
Great tour. Thanks to Union Pacific for hosting it and thank you, Bill, for posting it to RUclips.
Thank you for such a clear HD video of these steam locomotives being rebuilt and the locomotive shop as well. It maybe ten's of millions of dollars to support this steam locomotive program, but Union Pacific is a BIG company which has a big history in forging United States railroad history. It likely looks cheap in comparison to high value of prestige it gives the Union Pacific. As long as the UP is a top railroad showing off its history lets more than just the corporate world take some notice of it.
I am pleased to have seen this video ... I am happy to see the big boy drive again ... great video
thanks for bringing us along for your day with U P .. that would be a cool expierience
A very interesting video. Our host for the 1st half hour is a treasure trove of information. 'Bunch o' weenies' indeed (3:39); they're everywhere. Thank you very much.
@BillRogers, this is the best video. I hope to see 4014 run someday.
Such an impressive video - I cannot congratulate you enough.
Watching this with my Dad who drove Stem Engines in New Zealand for years. Started when he was 16 right thru it they took them off here, then went on to drive diesels, asked him if he understood what the guy was talking about he' like ya a steam engine is a steam engine dosen't matter what country they are from. My Dad is 88 nearly 89 years old.
l
Hi Denise. Thanks for your comment. We visited your beautiful country several years ago. We took a ride on the Taieri Gorge Railway out of Dunedin and enjoyed it very much.
GOLD!!! Thanks for shooting and uploading Bill!
Very informative video! The big boy is so huge, I had no idea!
oooh ! I'm so envyous! That must have been a VERY nice tour! Thanks for uploading!
Thank you U P and Ed and your crew from Johnny a pipe organ and live steam guy.
I'd love to take the tour some day. They are Beautiful. I had an Uncle that retired from U.P.
I always wanted to work for the Union Pacific Railroad filled out applications for jobs but, I ended up doing lots of things instead. I started out cleaning used bricks at 13 then a roofer at 15, then a drywall finisher and painter in the military at 17 . Then did structural demolition and salvage and recycled lumber and brick for 3 yrs. Then worked in a foundry for a bit. Then worked in a big welding and fabrication shop for 3 years. Then got a degree in HVAC and became a HVAC tech and installer. A refrigeration fitter ,then a Steamfitter. Then an industrial electrician . Then a Millwright / industrial mechanic. Then a machinist. I just wish I wasnt so old and worn out now but , I was rarely ever out of work except after I got out of the Air Force after my four year enlistment and was treated like crap. I just wanted to work for the railroad though, oh well.
@Bill Williams I know many kids who can't get a decent job with great-skills college diplomas, and with trade school certificates, high-school diplomas, and all kinds of work experience. Many are living hand-to-mouth picking up short gigs or small jobs where they can. They aren't lazy by any stretch; there are jobs that used to exist that just don't any more. Most factories are nearly fully automated; newspapers are delivered eletronically; self-serve checkout lanes have taken 30% of those jobs away; look around and understand.
Wonderful to have knowledge and skills in all of those fields! Bravo!
@@robertgift well after being retired I get stuck being everyones fixit man but I dont really do much except give advice most of the time. Its just too bad I have lots of skills but too worn out of a body to make much use of them .
@@ALSomthin Such is life. Many of us do not live long enough to get worn out. Glad that you share your knowledge and give advice. That is valuable.
@ Excepthat some can be masters of many things. My brilliant uncle was excellent at many. Was B29 pilot in WWII and went on tother things.
Thanks Bill, most informative as I have been wondering how far along the restoration has progressed. As the connecting rods on 844 are, I believe, manganese nickle, it would be reasonable the parts relating to the eccentric(s) would be of the same material due to the stresses involved. Mr Kirk did say he was not sure, that's fair, but I was surprised just the same as 844 has not long been restored and the same parts are being used for 4014. I guess keeping track of individual item properties is for some other person to follow. It always amazes me how gracious and helpful the UP staff are and how unselfish they are in sharing knowledge and information so that a presentation is not dry facts and boring.
I like the guide's oratory skills.....he is very concise. (Edit, I think his name is "Gunner".) And then there's Ed Dickens.........He's gooooooood! (Edit again: His name is Bruce Kirk.)
I love his American accent! Reminds me of times gone by!
Thank you so much for sharing this!!
What a great slice of history this video is......
This made me think of the politics of machines.....I'm pretty sure that the best of the very best of these machines were machines that were born in market based and "Non-Socialist" economies. I'm not bringing this up to muddy up or distract from the historical beauty of these awesome machines.......but rather to point out that these machines didn't just "appear" on a set of tracks one morning. They are the culmination of work by men and women possessed of a spirit that mankind cannot afford to lose.
M & Railroad videos
Best video tour ever. Thanks for the upload
Awesome video, very informative and entertaining.
If I am permitted to add something to the guide's explanations about the difference between iron and steel: raw iron has a high content of carbon, which makes it brittle. After the Bessemer method of refining iron came the Thomas method. By the injection of oxygen into the molten iron, the carbon was burnt off. Next came the addition of other materials such as chrome, vanadium, tungsten, or wolfram. These alloys were either super hard or more elastic, depending upon their later use. The hardness of these steel alloys can be proofed by the Brinell scale.
That was awesome thank you for posting it.
Brilliant video; thanks for loading.
Excellent video! Thank you.
Awesome vid. Thank you for sharing
I certainly hope the UP videos the reassembly process of the Big Boy and sells them to the public.
Excellent video very well done.
i met bruce at the college world series when they brought the 844 last year he's nice
Great video. Very informative thankyou.
i could listen all day
Great great video!! Thanks for sharing!
a great company to do forging and custom pieces for u-p is the custom alloy corp- in high bridge new jersey they work on a lot of great projects for everyone
Seeing them stand next to the #3985 you can really get a sense of just how big that engine is. Just .. holy crap. @.@
And just think, the Challenger is a "little" brother to the Big Boy!
Great video. Thanks.
The 4014 would Not be in Cheyenne undergoing its "rebirth" if it were not for a very generous donor, who has underwritten 50% of whatever the final cost of restoration is, and whom to this day has chosen to remain anonymous to everyone except to those who were involved in the decision-making process of "go or no-go" with the 4014.
Whoever that might be, I say thank you!
Congratulations ---from Canada.
God bless that man. I’ve seen two other “Big Boys” both static displays. One at the Ford Museum in Dearborn MI and the other of course on the north side of I 80 in Council Bluffs IA. Would be great to see 4014 under steam moving a load along the rails.
Sounds like you might know this said donor otherwise it's just a rumor
@@topturretgunner theres is a big boy number 4004 in cheyene that is a static display
there is one in denver 4005
4006 is in st louis
4012 is in pensylvania
4014 is in restoration
4017 is in green bay wisconsin
4018 is in texas
4023 is in nebraska
the loco at the ford museum is an Allegheny h-8 number 1601 from Chesapeake and Ohio railroad
Bill this is pure gold! Many thanks for videoing and uploading this :D
The image quality is excellent. What did you record this on please? Thanks
Thanks Bryce. The camera is a Sony HDR PJ-710 with optical image stabilization. It's especially good for hand-held shooting.
the dda40x was built near my house and the frame was built by john mohr company of chicago because the frame exceeded the capacity of the emd plant
RIP 3985
Will 3985 not be restored toperating condition?
Union Pacific 3985 is in terrible condition!
I have been at a railroad that runs steam daily and while visiting the master mechanic he got a call from the train on the main that his engine needed to come off for repairs. I watched him light off an ice cold boiler sitting in the shop using compressed air for a forced draught and ten minutes later she was sitting at 199 pounds of steam and I was able to place my hand on the firebox side sheets and it was still ice cold at 199 pounds of steam pressure. This is not the way a steam railroad wants to fire up a steam locomotive but when you're operating a business and you need to replace a steam locomotive that needs immediate repair. Ideally a railroad will fire up a steam locomotive as this guy in the video described. By the time the train arrived and the crew walked into the engine house to get the replacement engine the boiler was fully warmed up and hot everywhere.
Which railroad? That's pretty cool.
Thank you for this excellent, clear, video. Who tunes the whistle?
(Wish it were multi-toned.)
Nice video, I like these inept tours.
The first guy was doing fine without a Charlie Brown Teacher's Voice Simulator...
Bill Rogers, I would like to point out there is one error that I know of in this video. Bruce Kirk states that there were 75 of the Centennials or E.M.D. DDA40x's Diesel-Electric Locomotives built, but that is incorrect. There were only 47 of them built! Source 1.) Publisher: Overland Models, Inc., Title: Union Pacific's Centennials in Action, Author: George R. Cockle, ISBN: 0-916160-05-X, Year Published: 1980, Source 2.) Publisher: Withering Publishing, Title: Union Pacific's Big EMDs-DD35 and DDA40X Diesel Era, Author: Paul K. Withers, ISBN: 1-881411-65-6, Year Published: 2012. This is stated at time 2.06. I also can back that there are only 47 of them for I used to own 4 of these in HO scale by Bachmann Train, then I traded them out for the Athearn Genesis Models. The Athearn model comes with a small booklet that has information on this locomotive which states there were 47 of these locomotives.
the plant that made all the centennial locos is right near my house the frame for the locos was made by a third party company in chicago due to emd not being able to cast the frame in house
Bill that is outstanding video. What camera were you using?
Thanks kdaaron17. I shot it with a Sony HDR-PJ710 Handycam. It has optical image stabilization which helps a lot with hand-held shots. It's old, but still takes decent video.
Amazed the UP is spending, what must be a ton of money, on this equipment. It's great, but just seems strange in today's business environment.
Amazing what a sufficiently deep-pocketed donor can do
The big boy's where taken out of service the year I was born cant wait to see one under is own power pulling a train.
Very good video.👍🇬🇧
Excellent video. I did unfortunately miss what Ed was saying during the noise part.
I turned on Closed Captioning hoping for some translation of Ed's Charlie Brown Teacher's voice . RUclips kept saying "music" which i guess in a way the repair noises were....
I remember that when 3985 hauled the Ringling Bros train.
One thing that makes me sad is the fact that we at one time, with far less technology built hundreds of these giants in a fairly short amount of time...Today we have technology that our father's and grandfather's could only dream of...Now it takes years and millions of dollars to restore just one....
The worst part is that we possibly could have simply contracted these projects out to China for less money and had them running again sooner. Not a chance they could do a better job, but that they could perhaps do it at all is scary.
Well. Part of that comes not only from a skilled group of craftsmen, but the fact that back then they had the facilities, lines, machine shops, foundries, etc. set up to do so on a massive scale. They had massive warehouses of new parts, they built them every day, etc. It's no different, conceptually, to how automobiles were built or aircraft, ships, tanks, etc. during world war 2. The capacity of the industry and the massive amount of skilled labor both made it possible. It's FAR different when you're disassembling, inspecting, and then either rebuilding or making from scratch parts that haven't been produced in almost a century. With people that have never put one together before (atleast as far as individual models go. There aren't many people around that have rebuilt a big boy, etc.). A lot of it is discovery, learn as you go, document it, research it, etc. These guys are doing amazing work. I'm very proud of them for doing so.
Dreaming here, but what would make my day (year?) would be if at least one of America's billionaires would have such a craving to see these big beautiful beasts running sooner and regularly, they would toss a boatload of bucks into UP's historical efforts - primarily steam locomotives. Great praise to UP for their efforts, certainly, but I'll bet they'd welcome financial help if there were no strings attached. This wonderful crew of folks working these restorations are probably doing it on a shoe string.
Well if i were ever mega rich, Part of my money would go to the Battleship Texas foundation for their dry berth project. But some of it would also go into locomotive restoration. Maybe my own short line :)
The very rich usually are only concerned if they can make MORE MONEY off something that they invest in. With the case of Bill Gates and the Bride of Bill Gates, they invest in education in order to privatize it and make money off of it under the guise of "helping needy kids". Unless they could profit off historic steam, which I can't imagine how that would work, most would have zero interest in it.
I applaud your attempt at audio recovery.........I gather the ambient noise was terrible.
Do you if 4014's driving wheels has returned yet?
Great video, did they mention anything about the 2-10-2 they have stored with the other engines or what they plan to do with it.
Thanks. I don't recall any discussion about a 2-10-2.
UP 5511 is still there somewhere even though she wasn't seen in this video. She'll never pull for UP again but it's rumored that they would sell her to someone that would like to restore her.
What was the docent's name? I liked the detail he provided.
Bruce Kirk in the roundhouse and Ed Dickens in the Steam Shop
I'm disappointed that I won't get to see 4014 and meet the crew, especially Ed, this year. I was hoping to make it to West Chicago, but I have to fly out of O'Hare two days after, and making two separate trips from Michigan to Illinois, in the course of four days, just isn't going to work. Bummed big time. I hope to see it next year, at some point. I do want to take a trip to northern Nevada, to see my brother, so maybe I can make it to Cheyenne also.
Well for 2020, there is talk about making a trip to the California state railroad museum in Sacramento and a tour of Idaho, Oregon and Washington but still these are just rumors
i was there in west chgo, they didnt expect the enormous crowds they got. It was a treat to be part of it. Hope you got to see it at some point.
Bill important from NH and a very big fan as well as my son, when 4014 is finished what would come to New Hampshire and when
Was it the coal embers that caused the erosion, or the sand that was injected into the firebox to clean the soot? I watched a video of the Challenger 3985 on coal having scoops of sand added through the firebox, which must be like sandblasting metal at high temps!
I remember reading that the erosion was caused by coal embers. Compare the number of embers to the amount of sand.
Makes our UK 'kettles' look like miniatures!
The Big Boy is absolutely massive. I mean humongously big. Drive wheels are about 7' in diameter. A million and a half pounds - nearly 700,000 kilos? Yes, it is bigly.
Very Cool.
It would have been nice if UP had fully restored 4014, 844, 3985 before shutting the whole steam program down. That being said perhaps some of the historic diesel locomotives should have the same thing done with them before the expertise and knowledge slips by from that era also.
thegreenerthemeaner they shut the steam program down? I haven’t read anything to that effect anywhere...
thegreenerthemeaner "they shut the steam program down" - please enlighten us.
The steam program is still around and is, in fact, more alive than ever. Either you're trolling, on something, or completely misinformed.
How come UP hasn't posted lately on the progress of the 4014
they have. How come you couldn't figure it out?
ruclips.net/video/TqU90hx-baY/видео.html
Dang someone get that person a cup of water @8:30 onward lol
8:52 the soot grease and oil look fresh i wonder if its original?
I was wondering why somebody hadn't cleaned that soot and grease off. My guess was it might be doing something good and the chemicals to take it off might cause damage so after previous experience it seemed safest just to leave it there until it was in the way.
I saw the centennial! UP6936 EMD DDA40X
woah they had the eccentric frames recast and the parts about 20 minutes in from scratch, thats not cheap, and shows real investment for the future to do that, as for the centennial, it was the most powerful and was the continuation of the engines that pulled the same routes that the big boys and up turbines did since they needed high power to go up Sherman hill, it is the last one that runs, now if they would bring back one of the up turbines they saved 2 of them and they sit in museums now, but up till 2010 or so it was the most powerful combustion engine powered locomotives at 8500, and at low altitude but out about 10000 hp, but they were fuel hungry,
and the guide is right soo many are too willing to throw away our history, though even back then there were those that had the foresight to try to save historic things though many times there was not enough interest or funding so things got torn down, or in the case of steam engines cut up with torches and cranes, the steamers lived by fire, born of the forge and foundry, fired by burning coal or oil, and killed by the fire of the torch, and recycled, sad but true.
I will go as far to say though the Wyoming Union Pacific steamshop and historical fleet is one of the best at what they do in the world, they are the only Mainline USA Railroad that still owns its own steam engines, occasionally runs revenue freight with steam, and has never retired all its steam engines, 844 was pulled from service but workers spent their own time working on her to keep her running for special occasions, so she was never retired, mind you though there are a few short lines like strausburg that also pull revenue freight from time to time with steam, but strausburgs engines are much smaller, though they do have the only decapod left running.
also note with steam the harder and faster you push it the hotter the fire gets from the from the on rushing air and puffs of steam being shot up the smokestack putting draw on the fire like a blacksmiths bellows in a forge, the hotter the fire the better it makes steam and creates more expansion of that volume of steam, so it makes power better and runs more efficiently, the steam also reacts to the throttle faster then a diesel electro which applies power slower typically then the 2000 fps the steam moves at according to Gary Bensman a legend in steam restoration himself, also with running faster the engineer can use the cutoff valve so it lets it more fully expand, and uses less of it per piston stroke.
and the stamping presses he speaks of for the transverse equalizer were called forges the made them under steam hammers, or forge pressed, not usually made with a stamping press per sey, more often then not today though they use a big hydrolic forge press to squeeze the metal down like a tube of toothpaste, and has better control then say a steam or air hammer, which can still be found but presses can have better control then a violent hit from a hammer, and induces less stress on the metal though it does do some jobs better then a press.
Dang dude: you really know your stuff.
well thanks its just from watching lots of documenties and youtube videos about the subject, anyone with an interest could learn it you just have to know what to look for and what to type in, oh and knowing people in historic railroading dont hurt eaither, just takes an interest really, right now trying to learn about boilers and how they are put togather, after all a steamer dont run without it, in a way you could call it the heart of the machine, as we speak the t1 trust is working on getting the boiler done, welded construction but will problably will have some staybolts to help hold firebox, but that is a question for gary bensman or wolfgang fengler, that are working on the parts of the boiler design, with wolfgang being the designer of the boiler of course.
I wonder how long it would have taken Alco/Schenectady to restore 4014 back when they were still building steam engines.
Jayne Gus Given that alot of the trades and skills are becoming lost today, probably alot less.
They would probably just knock out a brand new one instead.
In the steam era, the restoration wouldn't have been necessary. Instead, it would have been done over time in the course of regular maintenance. They could do the 1472 day inspection in a day when the steam shop was in full operation during the steam era.
I forget: please correct me if I'm wrong! Thank you!
About 20 minutes in, I see the guy talking
about the tiebars, between the engine and
tender. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't
the first car connected to the tender, by a
regular Janney type coupler?
(Isn't that coupler pulling a 1 mile train,
minus 60 or so feet?)
steve
I suppose that because of accessibility you can change the worn out coupler between cars as often as you like. On the other car the draw bar has to be strong enough to work through the entire engines’ life
There would be an auto coupler on the rear of the tender and the front of the loco unit. But to connect the tender to the loco you need a fixed drawbar. Auto or janey couplers have slack action to ease the shock load and facilitate coupling uncoupling. With the loco and tender footplate and crew walking about on it, you dont want back forth movement of slack action happening. The loco to tender coupling is the only joint that has crew walking over it. Also any movement would increase wear to the many pipes connecting to loco unit to the tender.
OK, that does make sense.
Couplers are easy to switch
out, but those tiebars, not so
much.
One MORE reason I watch
RUclips videos!
steve
Steven Skouson, That is not the only reason why they use a drawbar to connect the locomotive and tender together. The locomotive and tender are more permanently connected because that tender usually stays with the locomotive for most of the life of that locomotive. Railtrolley, also has a go point as well for the reason of the drawbar!
I must ask anyone who is on the steam team of the UP, or of anyone of this knowledge, but why does the Union Pacific keep the 844 in black instead of its grey and yellow paint scheme? If you know the answer please let me know.
Was it originally grey? Where was the yellow? Yellow for safety?
They returned 844 to black cus it was just too much of a hassle to be constantly cleaning the locomotive in the grey
I'm a narrow gauge steam locomotive fireman the 844 and the challenger were the locomotives that made me want to be a locomotive fireman but I know there is no chance in hell that I'll ever get to touch 4014
you never know. which Narrow Gauge steam locomotive do you work on?
Someone should let Ed know if he ever takes a vacation he should visit the airforce museum in daton ohio if he already hasn't. They have a wonderful display of former presidential aircraft.
you got the tour from god himself
very nice
def a bucketlist item