Hot Rods Fun Ride At 70

I couldn't resist, big hot rod...

 

That was amazing.
Big 4-8-4.
Great scenery also.
Thank you.

 

Unless you have been to a RR museum lately, you have NO idea how huge those locos are. And it wasn't even breaking a sweat at that speed. Gary

 

those engineers are well trained at just blowing off steam

 

thank you so much for that video.
absolutely friggin awesome behemoth.
brought a tear to my eye that it's still here doing its thing.

 

American beauty for sure.It'll catch your breath.

 

soooo damn cool......

 

A truly historic locomotive. Built in 1944, it is the only steam locomotive to have never been retired by a Cl*** One railroad.
Too, it is capable of 120 mph, though restricted to 80 mph today, probably due as much to safety as rail conditions. There are vids out there showing this loco running at 100 mph. Very impressive.
Lastly, the Union Pacific is currently restoring another historic locomotive, Big Boy number 4014. I've seen 4016, and there is a real reason that they are called Big Boys.

Cosmo

 

Thank you for sharing this.... Yeah, truly amazing watching that Big Monster running down the rails.
It comes from a very special time in history, when things here were so very great!

 

My son in law works for UP, he'll really enjoy this, thanks for sharing.

 

That is impressive. About 10 years ago, the UP 3985 Challenger made an overnight stop in our town. Even though it's a little smaller than the 844, it was still m***ive. When it pulled out the next morning, the temp was about 25 and to see it steaming away was a sight you can't forget. Glad I got to witness it.

 

The 3985 engine is bigger than the 844 unit. 3985 is what is called the challenger series it is a 4-6-6-4 and the big boy is a 4-8-8-4. I believe the 844 was mostly used for p***enger service and the challenger and big boys were mainly freight locos. UP had the big boys made for coal trains across Wyoming. I am very lucky to live in Cheyenne where the Heritage fleet shops are. I have had the opportunity to tour the shop and it is awesome. I would love to go down and see the progress on the restoration of that big boy. I will always remember when I was a little kid my dad took us down to the yards one afternoon when they were testing the 3985. They were running it back and forth in the yard. The engineer had us come into the cab and we got a ride. This was in about 1980 or so. That wouldn't happen these days. Thanks for sharing the video.

 

Enjoyed this! Thanks Seb!

 

Just added it to my bucket list!
What incredible pieces of engineering, manufacturing and Americana those are.
So glad at least some of these dinosaur's survived the s**** drives and are still running.

 

That was really cool. Visited the train museum in Allentown Penn. recently. Thanks for posting this.

 

AWESOME!!!!

 

Thanks for sharing this piece of history in action! The Columbia River Gorge where this video was shot provided a beautiful background too.

 

Blew me away. My god the power just overwhelms you. Remember in the late 50's laying in my bed hearing those come into town on a track 200 yds from us. Fond memories. Thank you.

 

I love steam trains - great video. I've seen other similar videos as well. Always exciting . Thanks for posting.

 

Glad the video was enjoyed! Noticed female fireperson, lucky girl!! And another observing, maybe in training...If I was born 30 years earlier I would have tried to become an Engineer..From what I've read in the late 30's p***enger trains were up around the 100mph mark and the federal government had to step in..Freights weren't far behind and the Big Boys pulling 5 miles of coal at 70..Neat thing about a steam engine is that about 90% of the mechanical's is on the outside, certainly a wonder at 70 and beyond!..Steamtown in Scranton, pa is a national historic park/museum, I was there a few years ago..Got to tour the shop which was on loan to another museum for a refurbish on one of their locos..Guys were repairing the boiler and machining new mechanicals as needed..There was some huge machines in the shop off the tour trail but the grumpy park ranger tour guide wouldn't let me go look at them, kept catching me as I tried to wander off..I think he had eyes in the back of his head!! And there was a Big Boy there out in the lot, 4012, was told it was part of the "lot" aquired from SteamTown in VT, I had seen it there in VT the mid 70's...Every time I watch one of these videos at the end I find 3 or 4 more to watch!

 

I am blown away , when I was in grade school 1956 New york Central ran to Chicago right past our school . Steam trains have a place in my mind. Love them thanks for posting!!! Don living the memories

 

OH MAN!!!!! Yeah, I totaly loved the steam locomotive but what really got me jazzed was seeing my old home town and scenery again..I was born and raised in The Dalles and didn't leave 'till I was 32..[better job opportunities in Omaha] It was so good to see the gorge [Columbia River Gorge], going east, upstream from The Dalles to see the Deschutes river, Celilo indian settlement, Biggs Junction, John Day river and dam and the old Martin Murietta aluminum plant where I worked for years.... seeing the sloughs along side the interstate [I-84] where the carp sun bathed against the banks...all lined up like cars in a parking lot.
Sigh.......I sure miss it.
But all the years I lived there, I never saw a steam engine. I was just born too late I guess.
BTW, Sturgeon fishing in that river is great! I caught some 8 footers there and my grandmother had a photo of a 22 footer winched up on the back of a model AA ford flatbed..back in the 30s
I gotta watch the video again!

 

I watched all 14 minutes. Awesome.

 

The kid in each and every one of us old farts wanted to be a engineer. HRP

 

Excellent, just excellent.
I loved the closeup at 70+ MPH...!!!

 

Awesome video! I had no idea they were restoring one of the Big Boys. Too cool. Too bad the SP didn't save one of the Cab Forwards (other than the one at the Sac museum with the rotted out boiler). Would loved to have seen one of those on the rails.

 

"The guard rails looked like a picket fence!"

 

It DOES NOT get any better than that.
Thanks.

 

Serious tonnage there, very cool.

 

WWOOOOWW!!! Un-freakin'-balievable!!!
Great job on video!!!!
Thank you!