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Union Pacific Big Boy #4014 - Restoration & Excursions (& 844 updates)


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From what I've read they're not going over Cajon..they're taking the Mojave Sub which means it'll be going thru Tehachapi??

 

Here's the discussion...http://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/up-4014-and-4884-on-way-to-ca

 

Maybe those guys know something that is not mentioned anywhere, and I don't know what the different "subs" are, but from what I can see on the UP site, 4014 is indeed going over Cajon.

 

First scheduled inspection stop is by Hwy 138 and Lone Pine Canyon Rd, smack in the middle of the pass. Next stop is Victorville and then Barstow, and from what I can see on Google Maps, any deviation from the obvious route would seem odd. But hey - it's a railroad, and there could be a gazillion operational reasons for doing whatever they choose to do.

 

Best regards

Jens

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It appears that they're cutting in at Silverwood which is at the top or East of the Cajon Summit which happens to be where Hwy 138 joins. The Cajon Summit to Barstow is relatively flat running as that's the high desert. Summit to San Bernadino is all downhill. Those guys you refer to on that other forum are U.P. employees that run both the Mojave Subdivision & the Cajon Subdivision. In the steam days Summit is where the helpers/ pushers would cutoff and return back downhill.

 

I was wrong in posting that they're taking the Tehachapi route as it appears there's another old SP route out of the LA Basin that bypasses the very busy triple track Cajon mainline..I did find it kind of amazing that the U.P. & BNSF would want to tie up any of the Cajon Sub for a special move.

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On Monday I took a father/son road trip with my 4-year old. We chased the Big Boy from San Bernardino to Barstow, over Cajon Pass. Last night I processed the 340 photos from my DSLR and uploaded 55 of them.

 

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I haven't looked at my video yet, or downloaded my [few] cell phone photos. At most stops I had my video camera on a tripod while I took stills. However there were several cases where stuff happened like I had the camera aimed poorly, or another train passed in front of the Big Boy just as it reached the camera, or someone ran into my shot and starting dancing (for their own camera, not mine!--but I'll upload if it turns out to be entertaining!).

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Last night I processed the 340 photos from my DSLR and uploaded 55 of them.

 

Outstanding photos. Sharp, crisp and well composed. Well done.

Wish I was there, but the guys and me are saving pennies for a trip across the pond, once 4014 is steaming again  B)

 

Looking forward to more reports from the move to Cheyenne.

 

Jens

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Outstanding photos. Sharp, crisp and well composed. Well done.

Wish I was there, but the guys and me are saving pennies for a trip across the pond, once 4014 is steaming again  B)

 

Looking forward to more reports from the move to Cheyenne.

 

Jens

 

 

 

Thanks Ben as those are great  :)

 

 

Great photos Ben!!  Thank you for sharing!!  So what did you think seeing it moving in person?

 

Thanks Jens, Chuck and Ray!

 

Ray, it was impressive, especially seeing it the first time in the morning across the bridge leaving San Bernardino (my first few photos). It reminded me of my last chase of UP 844 which I also caught on a bridge first thing in the morning (https://www.flickr.com/photos/benjaminshell/sets/72157631645249756/). Still, not having it under steam does diminish the experience somewhat. They were blowing the whistle which was nice, but under air power it just doesn't sound the same. But it definitely felt like the historic event it is. I hope UP continues to give us updates as they restore it over the next few years!

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Guys,

 

I was able to get out super early Wednesday morning and get to the 4014 just after sunrise.  Unfortunately, I was so early, the light is pretty bad.  But I got to see the 4014 pretty close.  I think I heard her whistle as I was headed away, as well.  HEre's my pics:
 

4014 West view- x 2

4014 East view

4014 West view

 

It was cool to see this historic move in person.  But, I was there for work training, so I had made this the start for a one way run.  After these shots, I headed East to Las Vegas BLVD and turned right and ran the entire Vegas Strip back to my hotel, a distance just shy of 9 miles.  A word to the wise: IF you run the Las Vegas strip, be prepared to climb and to descend a lot of stairs.  This is particularly difficult to do at speed ( I was attempting to run a quicker pace per mile (6:00 ish pace), but barely managed a 7:15 pace due to the nasty climbs). 

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Guys, I have made all the pictures I load to this forum as viewable by 'friends'.  As we are a public forum, and I may have pictures of my house or kids, etc. in the photo, I tend to keep my privacy settings a little bit higher.  Not a big deal for those of you who are members, though. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Couple of great links Jerry B shared with me:

 

This one is an interview with Jim Ehernberger, which some of you may remember from the Pentrex Last of the Giants 2/3 videos.  Jim was an avid steam photographer back then and was actually working for the UP when the Big Boys were in operation.

 

http://netnebraska.org/media/media.php?bin=NET&vidgroup=40165348

 

 

This second one is an NPR audio story:

 

http://netnebraska.org/article/news/919052/locomotives-restoration-gives-nebraska-rail-company-pr-equal-goodyear-blimp 

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  • 4 months later...
 
  • 1 month later...

Article in Wyoming News:

 

http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2014/11/17/entertainment/01_big_boy_4014_cheyenne_wyoming_union_pacific.txt#.VGvL9p9tN7M 

 

UP is hard at work on the main building including upgraded heating system and new windows.  (I bet the windows will have a better insulation factor which will now be more important because there is no drop ceiling.)  They will end up with the kind of facility I know NS would love to have for the 611, it's too bad they got rid of everything that supported their steam program when they canceled it back in the early 90's.  Overall this is great news because this shows a big long term commitment by UP into the steam program and their facilities.  We should have a Big Boy in operations for a good many years to come :)

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