Jerry B44 Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 I was at the Cheyenne Steam Shop on Thursday, 24 June. Sign on the door said no tours, but I went inside anyway. They are taking the Big Boy apart, pieces inside and outside. I guess a Colorado group will be doing the boiler work. Guy that is the head of the shop said 3 years or so is the estimate. 844 may be running by August, new baffles in the tender and new stay bolts on the boiler. The Challenger is over in the roundhouse and he said 'there are no plans for the Challenger', so doubt we'll see it running again. At least not till well after the Big Boy is running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman4449 Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 Thanks for the update! Did you get a pic of the big boy? Yeah i wpuld expect we wont see the Challenger run till after the big boy is done. Three engines under repair at once is a bit much and i would suspect they need access to the challenger oil feed/burners to replicate at least some of the parts of the system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benshell Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 I was curious about the status of the UP steam work. Thanks for visiting and sharing what's going on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry B44 Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 I was sorta rushed out of there. Hard to get a view of the Big Boy. Here's some shots. One is parts sitting outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman4449 Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 It has begun! Thanks Jerry!! You plan to go back again in the near future? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry B44 Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 New video of what is going on with the Big Boy project. Quite a bit of work to the steam shop before they do much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman4449 Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Thanks for sharing Jerry This is THE project I can't wait to get updates on. They really are making a lot of changes to get things going Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry B44 Posted August 18, 2014 Author Share Posted August 18, 2014 NO tours of the steam shop till their railroad days in April. I can see why, with all they are doing to the building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman4449 Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 I believe it, would not be safe with all they have going on overhead. Makes sense why I had heard that and with this video provides the full background and understanding. I think progress will move along faster than we expect. So they are installing cranes. So are they going to install overhead cranes? I was assuming they weren't going to be pulling the boiler off, but does anyone know if they plan to do that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 So instead of getting 844 back into service which he said would be done by now (after all didn't he say august??) let's tear down the drop ceiling...what a joke. Meanwhile the 611 project is moving way ahead...with folks that know how to work on steam locomotives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Here's a good read... http://www.rypn.org/forums/download/file.php?id=7606 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markoles Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Updating work space is going to make future work while maintaining 3 steam locomtoives and historic diesels a lot safer and faster (theoretically). They may not need to separate the boiler from the frame at this exact moment, but that doesn't mean they should plan for that eventuality. Plus, with bigger overhead cranes, it will make other maintenance projects easier, too. The other consideration is budget. Management maintains these locomotives non revenue producing cost centers for the public. It could be that management was convinced to move ahead with securing and operating a big boy and also had the foresight to know they need to update their shop to maintain it. They could be updating the shop using Capital projects to fund. Or perhaps they are using Maitenance money to update the facility. Just because it is possible to do things the old, hard way, doesn't mean that's the best way. One thing I noted right away was the big ass fan. Love that company. Look em' up: http://www.bigassfans.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markoles Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Chuck, that guy sounds like a grade A Asshole! I wonder if he has any nick names? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 From what I've heard & read the overhead crane that he's talking about installing is only like a 10 or 20 ton model. It takes a 250 ton crane to pull the boiler but they don't need it as they have a drop table to remove the drivers. And why would you need the capability to pick the whole boiler?? In the steam days they'd pick the boiler w/ frames and send it to another part of the shop say for flue & tube work. These days there is no need. The only reason I can see for his needing a overhead crane & fall protection is to show the courts that he does care about the safety of his crew. I mean when you're on the road where's the fall protection then?? They gonna tie-off everytime they fill the sand domes or tender?? Besides OSHA fall protection rules doesn't apply to the railroads as they're under the FRA rules. So he's making up sh*t to look good. Let's look at his track record since he took over in what?? 2010?? 844 burned up a rod brass in Kansas...He had the rods removed, polished & re-brassed the winter before. He had the new brass machined to a tighter running clearance because he didn't like "clunking rods when drifting"...hence he had them machined so tight that one burned up! Flattened drivers on 844 when on the road. Destroyed the tool boxcar. 3985 sidelined when there was nothing wrong with it...other that it's Steve Lee's engine. The E8 that went to Spencer?? for the diesel days is sitting down south somewhere awaiting new wheels as they got flat spots on them. 844 is down needing flues & tubes along with tender baffles destroyed mainly because of his new water treatment program...and not enough boiler blowdowns while on the road. Shop false ceiling being destroyed because of the safety of the crew?? Wyoming winters are brutal and that drop ceiling was installed for a reason. Oh and I almost forgot...The UP has no operating steam locomotive since the inception of the steam program. Sorry but I don't see 4014 ever being finished...if it does get finished it'll go the route of PRR K4 #1361. That is half-assed finished then completely tore down and never re-assembled...with parts scattered all over the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markoles Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Chuck, Clearly, you've been following this closer than I have! When you put all of those things down, it does seem like things are going in the wrong direction. Here's hoping.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 Mark, I also heard that the head of the UP Steam Program maybe replaced...as soon as this month! His deposition relating to the sexual harassment lawsuit didn't go well for him...infact that caused Omaha to finally sit up & take notice. Other sh*t that he's pulled recently is all the superheater tubes from 3985 have been scrapped...did that so 3985 will never be able to steam again...or not without a huge expense having all new return bends & header fittings cast. Threw out all the spare injectors & governors for the DDA40X engines, Those are EMD16-645E3A engines and the only 2 that are operational in the entire world! Tossed out the swedging tool & dies for rolling new boiler tubes/ flues in all their steam locomotives. Now he's trying to purchase a new set??!! Threw out all historical records for 844 & 3985 since they were new. The original post on this topic by Jerry B44 states that they guy he spoke with in June told him 844 would be operating in August...guess the steam program guy meant August 2015?? Oh, Also the buildings are getting security upgrades like card readers installed on all the walk in doors and security cameras mounted in the shops. Guess the dictator doesn't like the general public walking in uninvited...like the AAR Fed's did a few months back. To me it's an absolute crime that we'll never see 3985 do this again. Sure a 4000 will be nice to see in operation but 3985 to me is the "right" sized articulated steam locomotive that can & did roam just about the entire US railway system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant-Kerr Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 And she did that unassisted with 143 Double Stacks at a steady 35 MPH. One thing I really would like to know about this fella is, Just how did he get his job and why have the alarm bells not gone off sooner? That sort of crap with tooling and such would sure as hell get questions being asked at Steamrail Victoria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Robinson Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 One thing I really would like to know about this fella is, Just how did he get his job ... The cynic in me suggests that he may have been "promoted" to a position that was deemed to be non critical from a revenue earning perspective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 He did join the Steve Lee steam crew back in the mid 2000's but was shown the door after only a few months...something about raising hate & discontent within the ranks. I can't find the case filing reports online but seems that there's a 3rd lawsuit that was filed in Denver involving the FRA, The UP & Hartford Insurance. It's about the FRA mandated records pertaining to boiler blowdowns & washouts being falsifyed in regards to 844's current condition. The FRA is quite alarmed about 844's boiler and there is talk about a complete reform involving a new training and inspection procedures that will affect ALL steam operators nationwide...Thanks to the current manager of the UP Steam Program. Few days back the head of the mechanical dept (diesel Dan) who worked for the UP steam program pulled his seniority and transferred out and went to Denver. Speculation now is that you won't see any steam from Cheyenne until 2016 at the earliest IF the FRA & Hartford Ins agrees...sad times indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Here's a interview with "The Man" http://www.friendsoftheflange.com/2014/10/a-conversation-with-steve-lee.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 More happenings coming out of Cheyenne...and they aren't good. No work has been done on 844 or 4014 for the last few months as testing confirmed asbestos still in place on 4014's boiler & tender. An outside contractor will be hired to remove said asbestos but when nobody knows. E Unit 949 is sitting in the Kansas City area awaiting new 36" locomotive wheelsets as the current ones have flat spots. There's talk going around that 949 is to be stuffed & mounted...or put on display The Cheyenne Model Railroad Club that has been calling the UP roundhouse "home" is being evicted...Der Leader of the Steam Program wants them out as he's trying to plug any info leaks about the steam program plugged. Der Leader is still tossing out various parts associated with old engines that are sitting in Cheyenne. There will be no steam operating until at least 2016 Der Leader wants to move the Steam Program headquarters to Denver, Colorado...he wants to be out of Steve Lee's town. I hate to say it but to me it's looking like the UP Steam Program is coming to an end under this guy...hope I'm wrong and I'll be the first to admit if I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoungCR Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 E Unit 949 is sitting in the Kansas City area awaiting new 36" locomotive wheelsets as the current ones have flat spots. There's talk going around that 949 is to be stuffed & mounted...or put on display This would be very disappointing as the WSOR's 102 B unit was sent back to IRM. The WSOR had the only true operating E9 ABA consist which I hope IRM will eventually replace but it will likely but stuck on museum grounds. That makes 949 the only operating B unit on the open rails if it doesn't get stuffed. Could we rally up with the model RR club to start a pettiton to oust this crook? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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