Airstreaming The Rails with Big Boy 4020

[TomW]

One item on my bucket list is to load my '67 Airstream Overlander on a train flatcar and enjoy the view while someone else drives. Sadly, it is looking like those days may be gone. Regardless, I can still imagine it on my T&K railway.

Most rail-roading fans are aware that Union Pacific is restoring a freight steam engine known as Big Boy 4014, built in 1941, for use as an excursion train.

My O-gauge railway was loaned a Big Boy several months back but the track's curves were too small to allow this massive locomotive to operate. After a major track upgrade, here is Big Boy 4020 pulling a consist with my Airstream fourth in line.

Tom
https://youtu.be/skEwoS_QuCs

[Hittenstiehl]

Nice room, with Superman supervising the whole situation you should feel nice and safe at night in the rail yards.

Cho cho

[Mollysdad]

If you like riding the rails, check out this sport. Railbiking!

[ROBERT CROSS]

Looks & sounds like the MTH 4020...we have a lot of Lionel MTH, Williams and K line O gauge packed away in the attic. Collected for years tapered off when we changed locations. Just for display now.

Bob
🇺🇸

[TouringDan]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

If you like riding the rails, check out this sport. Railbiking!

Thanks Mollysdad for this video. I have never heard of riding the rails this way. Beautiful music too. I saw Valerie Smith with Liberty Pike (and Becky Buller) about 15 years ago and that is what got me interested in Bluegrass and roots music.

Dan

[rmkrum]

Saw the Big Boy in person as they pulled it through Victorville on the way to refurbishment shops. They sounded the whistle (with air, cause it didn't quite sound right) as they went by. Consist had a couple vintage diesels and a few work cars behind.


My fist reminder of the trip was a BUNCH of trainwatchers pulling up and parking behind our house on a local street that had a great view of the tracks.


Still get the chills thinking about how big that locomotive is, and how it looked and sounded as it went by. Surprisingly, they were allowing all the rods, linkages and pistons to move--nothing was disconnected. Was flat out amazing to see. Hope they get it running and back on the rails soon!

[Johnbob]

Thanks for the video post, Tom. I had to tear down my O gauge layout 15 yrs ago due to moving and I sure miss it. Maybe someday... sigh.

Have fun getting all the coal smoke off that pretty white ceiling!

[TomW]

Originally Posted by Johnbob

...Have fun getting all the coal smoke off that pretty white ceiling!

I wondered if that was going to be a problem. Fortunately, I only run smoke on special occasions; hopefully it is not too much.

Tom

[Adiredneck]

I'm hoping to see that Big Boy when it is done - my father worked at American Locomotive in Schenectady, NY during WWII when they were making them; and my oldest brother worked for Alco when he came back from WWII from 1946 - 1963.

[TomW]

Originally Posted by Adiredneck

... my father worked at American Locomotive in Schenectady, NY during WWII when they were making them; and my oldest brother worked for Alco when he came back from WWII.

That's cool. Thanks for sharing.

I wish I lived closer to where the restoration site just to view the progress in person:
https://www.up.com/aboutup/community...-1-29-2019.htm

I can't wait to see that massive locomotive moving under its own power again.

Tom

[Wyo Silver]

They lit a fire in 4014 yesterday .

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire...sion-announced

[TG Twinkie]

I live a mile north of the tracks near Henry, NE. This is the route it will take when heading to Omaha.
Have video of the Challenger and the 844 going by in the past years.
I have an indoor G scale layout. Been a model railroader since the '60's.

[TomW]

Did you hear Big Boy's whistle yet?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrqzaSDiM-A

Tom

[TG Twinkie]

It went south in to Colorado for the test run. We are 90 miles north east of Cheyenne. Hope to hear in advance when it will come up our way.
When it does I think it will overnight in Morril, NE.
The 844 and Challenger have done so in the past.

[rmkrum]

Big Boy came through on the tracks across the way from my home back yard in Victorville, CA. They sounded the whistle with compressed air on the way past all us train watchers. Was cool to hear.

[Adiredneck]

Tomorrow is the big day - wish I could be out there! A lot of Schenectady connections with this 150th. Leland Stanford, president of the CP was born and grew up between Albany and Schenectady, while Thomas Durant was born in the Berkshires by the NY/MA border, and was an MD graduate of Albany Medical School - even taught there for a while. He died in the Adirondacks in northern Warren County, NY. The "Jupiter", of the CP at the original "Golden Spike" ceremony was built by the Schenectady Locomotive Works - forerunner to Alco - and both the steam locomotives at tomorrow's UP ceremony are Alco and Schenectady built. I wish my old home town still had the jobs and prosperity that it did when American Locomotive and General Electric loomed at each end of Erie Blvd.!

[TomW]

Big day today with Big Boy 4014 and 844 out west! Wish I was there.

Since I can't, I enjoy seeing 4020 running the T&K railway at my house.

Tom