Big Boy, one of the largest Steam Locomotive, on the way to be restored

Stryder Kennset

Stryder Kennset

All systems: StryderK
Sep 11, 2013
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http://news.yahoo.com/huge-big-boy-steam-locomotive-coming-back-life-073258235.html

She will be the largest operating steam locomotive around the world when operating in full steam sometime at the end of 2018-early 2019, just in time for the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. She is 135ft long plus tender, a 4-8-8-4 (Four front turning wheels, 2 on each side, 8 driving wheels, 4 on each side, another 8 driving wheels and 4 support rear wheels) and a tender 1.2 million pounds in total weight!
 
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More facts. Despite all that weight, an almost 900 tons fully loaded plus at least 3500 tons behind her (in her hey days, that eventually went up all the way to 5000 tons sometimes), she can still go up as fast as 80 MPH (though she never did in her service life). She can generate 6000 horses, and since its steam gets all of it in an instant, and when finally in operation after almost 60 years, she will be converted to oil. Sigh, wish she would use coal for old time sakes but ol' well. Now, for my personal wish. Once she's in operation, before her excursion ride, UP should hitch her up with a full load and have her run up Sherman Hill for old time sakes. Then to get to the 150th anniversary celebration of the "Golden Spike", hitch her up with Challenger 4-6-6-4 (The largest steam loco Big Boy will replace) and 488 (The 4-8-4 passenger steam loco that was never retired from UP service) for a penultimate steam loco triple header that will definitely be in the world record books!
 


youtube video of her getting out from Pomona Calif. fairground (where she resided for the past 50 years) to LA's Metrollink railroad, before she hits UP railway on her way to Colton Calif., where she resided for the past several months for the winter weather to roll out. Recently, she just left Colton, on her way to UP Cheyenne "heritage" headquarters where she will be completely overhauled and restored.
 
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I love trains. A couple towns over from where my Dad grew up there was a freight switching yard/depot that was located at the end of a large ravine that the lines ran through. There was an old foot bridge that spanned the ravine, kinda reminded me of the foot bridge in Temple of Doom, that we'd stand on and watch the trains roll under. The coolest part was when they'd assemble(?) break down the cars in trains, they'd "roll" the cars into each other to couple up, man was that loud, you could feel it, especially as the sound waves rolled up the ravine walls.
 
A couple of my family's summer vacations have involved trains. First one I can remember we went to Canada although don't remember exactly what it was. Might have been the Agawa Canyon Tour. I know we went over by Sault St Marie and then over to Thunder Bay. That tour is the one that makes the most sense. The other we were out west and visited the Golden Spike National historic site.
 
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