Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 steamed through my town today...

[NitroMarty]

 

If it is scheduled to be in your area, I highly recommend going to see it pass by... It's an awesome machine.

[Ace-Garageguy]

THANK YOU for the great photos.   

[peteski]

That Big Boy just oozes unadulterated power! Those were awe-inspiring machines, and railroads played a very large part in the country's economy.  Back then men were men, and locomotives were steam-powered.   I have couple of Big Boys in 1:160 scale, and  even that small they are impressive looking.

 

Here is one  of my N scale Big Boys with a small British "Terrier" locos in front of it for size comparison.

 

 

Edited September 7, 2024 by peteski

[Russell C]

Only seen 'em in 2D videos, must be a hoot to see one live, in 3D!

 

[Dave Ambrose]

What a treat! Those things are monsters. 

[Jim B]

That's an impressive machine.  Must have been awesome to see it up close & in person.

I built Revell's HO Big Boy back in July.  Thing is a monster!

[NOBLNG]

Cool!? It is just fascinating to watch and listen to that beast wind up!?

[TonyK]

Amazing. What's the gushing water coming out below?

[Rodent]

Was through here a while back, but I failed to go.

https://www.kcra.com/article/worlds-largest-steam-train-roseville-union-pacific/61550701

 

[John M.]

BB is an absolute beast. It was in the right place and the right time when it was asked to push a disabled train. Between it and BB's own cars, it got the job done. In the first minute of the video, as one on BB's crew members sets up the couple in front of it, we can get see how big it is. And a little fact, there's a locomotive that many though as a helper locomotive for BB when it's job is to only provide power to the cars that are being pulled. BB is the one putting in  all of the work. 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2024 by John M.
Typo.

[Ace-Garageguy]

On 9/7/2024 at 11:31 AM, TonyK said:

 What's the gushing water coming out below?

Some kind of condensate drain...but I don't have my steam locomotive reference books handy to see exactly what that pipe is from.

In general, whenever the engine stops, water condenses from steam in various places (depending on the specific engine) and has to be drained.

Just before the engine starts, the cylinders are purged of liquid water condensate so they don't blow the cylinder heads off. Water is non-compressible.

The water level in the boiler is manually monitored by the engineer and fireman, who are watching a sight-glass, and if it gets too high momentarily, some will be drained off.

Also, the electrical generators and air compressors are steam driven, and condensate has to be drained from those too, though they're usually seen as steam escaping in places not associated with propulsion.

 

Edited September 9, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 minute ago, John M. said:

BB is an absolute beast. It was in the right place and the right time when it was asked to push a disabled train. Between it and BB's own cars, it got the job down. In the first minute of the video, as one on BB's crew members sets up the couple in front of it, we can get see how big it is. And a little fact, there's a locomotive that many though as a helper locomotive for BB when it's job is to only provide power to the cars that are being pulled. BB is the one putting in  all of the work. 

Yup...and there's an idiot rumor circulating on the web that she's not really a steam locomotive at all anymore, but that there's a diesel engine hidden inside the boiler.

Must be quite the experience to be so clueless as to rebleat and apparently believe something so obviously ridiculous.  

[TonyK]

Thank you for the explanation about the gushing water. It's nice to learn something new now and again at an old age.

[Ace-Garageguy]

2 hours ago, TonyK said:

Thank you for the explanation about the gushing water. It's nice to learn something new now and again at an old age.

Sorry I can't tell you exactly what it is, but steam locomotives are complex, and though they all operate basically the same, every design is a little different.

The controls of a big one are as daunting as those for an airliner.

This is Big Boy 4017; all those gauges tell you important stuff, and all those valves do something.

If you get it wrong, you can end up like this...and possibly very dead.

Edited September 7, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[NitroMarty]

2 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Yup...and there's an idiot rumor circulating on the web that she's not really a steam locomotive at all anymore, but that there's a diesel engine hidden inside the boiler.

Must be quite the experience to be so clueless as to rebleat and apparently believe something so obviously ridiculous.  

Oooookay.... I hadn't heard that one.

Whoever came up with that has obviously never seen it steam by in person.?

[NOBLNG]

1 hour ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Sorry I can't tell you exactly what it is, but steam locomotives are complex, and though they all operate basically the same, every design is a little different.

The controls of a big one are as daunting as those for an airliner.

This is Big Boy 4017; all those gauges tell you important stuff, and all those valves do something.

Your average thief ain’t taking off with that!?
If you get it wrong, you can end up like this...and possibly very dead.

It looks like it’s been taken over and possessed by an alien life form.

 

[Jim B]

This might help a little:

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Very nice animation and explanation of the works.

And then remember these locomotives were designed and engineered entirely without the benefit of computers.

[peteski]

21 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Very nice animation and explanation of the works.

And then remember these locomotives were designed and engineered entirely without the benefit of computers.

And they worked pretty damn good for many decades, pulling long heavy trains and fast passenger trains, but compared to the later diesel locos they were really high-maintenance. Still, nothing today comes even close to the sound and look of pure power of a steam locomotive.

Growing up in Poland and living next to a busy main line, I have seen plenty of steam locos going by. Nowhere near as large as the Big Boy, but they were still very impressive, spitting hissing steam and belching smoke, with the all the parts of the drivetrain constantly in motion.  And the smell of steam, coal smoke, and hot oil is also unique.

Unlike the sterile diesel and electric locos, steam engine was almost like live beast with a fire in its belly!

Edited September 9, 2024 by peteski

[Jim B]

10 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Very nice animation and explanation of the works.

And then remember these locomotives were designed and engineered entirely without the benefit of computers.

Or OSHA & NIOSH, for that matter. ? 

Glad you liked the animation, although it does make it look like the crew are sitting behind the Fore od Mount Doom!

Same animator, but diesel-electric locomotive (looks like a UP locomotive):

 

[Mike C]

I was using this picture of the Big Boy for my desktop wallpaper.

[stavanzer]

Great Photo, Michael. It makes great wallpaper. Did You take it?

[89AKurt]

My dad worked on a Sante Fe locomotive for awhile.  Thanks for posting this, always amazing to see that.

[Mike C]

22 hours ago, stavanzer said:

Great Photo, Michael. It makes great wallpaper. Did You take it?

I just decided to do a search one day for a wallpaper of the Big Boy and I found that. Looks like it was taken from a helicopter or a drone.

[Brian Austin]

People were smart then, just as they are smart today.  The tools just change.  ?

How crowded are the stops along the Big Boy route?