That's great - a shot soon to be unduplicatable. Nicely composed - you actually had something there to work with and caught it well. Such an unusual catch!
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This is a great project I really hope I get to see her up & working someday great job UP.
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| Posted by on November 15, 2013 | |
This looks like a super realistic model on a flat table. Great pic!
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Well done EL Roco! Thanks for sharing this unusual and interesting move for the UP.
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Does anybody know the route and/or time it will take to get to Cheyenne? Cajon or Tehachapi?
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The headlight is indicating a hint of life too.
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It's home is in front of it; back at the Rail Giants Museum. There's already a Big Boy in Cheyenne that they didn't take care of. Rail Giants Museum will always be the forgotten hero in this whole operation. Just another piece of California that UP takes away and never gives back.
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Wow a Big Boy on the move, hope it is not too long before it's able to do this under its own power! Great photo.
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| Posted by on November 15, 2013 | |
Nice shot Bill
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"California" will be receiving an operating diesel locomotive and a caboose in exchange for the rebirth of 4014. 4014 will return to The Golden State for an excursion once she's up and running. I think that's a darn good deal. Steve Crise
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Peter. This isnt about taking something away. This is about taking something that was purely a static display and restoring it back to operational status so everyone now and in the future can enjoy and appreciate a historic piece of machinery this large. I would say thats giving a lot more to history then "taking away" something from the state of California.
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Well Peter, here are my thoughts; a number of people (myself included) would like to see a 4-8-8-4 under steam again and since all the other ones were scrapped such as those the Clinchfield had, that leaves the UP 4000 series units that still exist as the only choice for restoration. Now, since UP looked at all the ones they thought they could get their hands on and UP 4014 was chosen as the best bet, the question now becomes "how bad does everyone including UP really want this to happen?" Realistically, UP is the only entity in the world that has the know-how, the facilities, the equipment, the personnel and the COIN to throw at this project. Further, if the engine is corporate owned rather than by a private club, it will actually be able to travel the country, rather than being captive to certain routes and excursions such as AT&SF 3751. I think the Rail Giants people all did a great thing by allowing their baby to go back for the center for reprogramming and someday soon, we will get to see something that most of us are too young to have ever witnessed, and that is a 4-8-8-4 hammering along at track speed with a train in tow. So while I agree with you that the LA area will no longer have a Big Boy to go look at, perhaps it is for a higher purpose and hopefully UP will bring it back enough to make up for the loss.
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The chapter always had the right to say no, Peter. And they're also getting an operational SD40-2 + a caboose in return,.
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I have seen and I'm sure you all have as well the photos of one other Big Bog (I forget which one!) standing in (flood?) water almost to the top of its wheels! And did anybody care about that one? Also why stick one half way up a hill besides a highway, when there is a railway a few hundred meters away! Peter should be happy that one is being looked after by the guys who made it possible to have them in the first place. And as I am English I will almost certainly never have the cash or free time to see one for real.
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| Posted by Dana M. on November 18, 2013 | |
For all those 'critics' who are giving nagative feedback about other 4-8-8-4's, of the 25 Union Pacific had built, 8 (or was it nine?) were saved from the scrapping torch. At least UP had the sense to preserve 1/3 of the fleet! That's more than other railroads had the foresight to do (example: N&W 611/1218). As for pounding the rails again, don't look for it to be running any time soon. My sources indicate they will take their time, do it right, and hopefully have it operational for the 150th celebration of the driving of the Golden Spike in 2019! Also, the 4-6-6-4 3985 can go where 4014 can't, so he will be limited to only certain routes on the UP system. But he will operate once again. Be grateful you may have the chance to see a Big Boy in action, no matter which one it is!
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People's Choice - Hum, never done that before. Thanks to all of you who voted and thanks for the interest in this image, as I am always excited when one of my images makes top four of twenty four, or does well view wise because it provides an extra incentive to go out and shoot more photos. Thanks for looking!
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| Posted by on November 25, 2013 | |
Congrats on the PCA... maybe there is hope after all.
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Scheduled to leave Pomona for Colton on Sunday, January 26, 2014, at least that is the rumor.
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