Challenger Steam Locomotive

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

For you railroad buffs and lovers of massive high-horsepower machinery, here's the world's largest operable steam engine thundering through Murchison, Texas @ 60mph last Sunday



It's in Houston and will be on display during the Super Bowl then will make its way back to Wyoming. If I can I'll find out the schedule and let you know if anyone wants to possibly see it thunder by. There's nothing quite like 1,000,000 pounds & 6000hp worth of steam locomotive http://railroadnews.net/news/1-27.html



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[KatDiesel]

Schedule :



http://www.uprr.com/notes/corpcomm/2003/super_schedule.shtml

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Right on Kat, thanks!

 

[Jeff H]

I wish.

 

[rmrc]

That makes two of us! Would love to see that engine thunder by!!!!!

 

[TXCTD]

I stood about 10ft from the tracks on monday when it went through College Station, TX. That was possibly one of the coolest things I have ever seen. If anyone has the chance to see this thing, do it. Ain't nothing like the sound of a steam whistle blowing as a train chugs on by.

 

[Idaho Native]

I got to see the thing in North Platte NE about a year and a half ago, I think. That thing was/is incredible!! It was sitting "idle" on the North side of town. I can see where the name Iron Horse came from... I swear that thing was breathing! Now I know why it might have scared the bejeezus out of a person who hadn't ever seen anything like it.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I got to stand near the tracks as that thing went by at WOT doing about 45-50. Holy cow did it ever shake the ground. It was on bolted rail which is uneven and caused it to pitch around & causing the 4. 5 earthquake



The exhaust sound is incredible too.



Back in '93 and again in '95 it came to the NW and both times I was able to ride the train it pulled for about 140 miles. Cost over $120 each time but man oh man was it worth it. Climbing over the Blue Mountains and seeing it work really hard for miles on end with an enormous fury of smoke and heat thundering out the stack. . . ooooooh baby!!!!



It was fun watching the traffic on the freeway when the tracks curved by the interstate. People were slamming on brakes and jaws dropping and eyes popping out. . . I bet this locomotive has contributed to more than a few fender benders



Vaughn

 

[Andy Perreault]

Vaughn, I thought I read somewhere (maybe a posting on this forum a few years ago?) that a U. P. "Big Boy" was being restored to working condition. If memory serves me right, it was being restored for a movie. Have you heard anything about that?

Andy

 

[Jakebud]

Andy



As I recall from a new item in TRAINS Magazine some time ago, the restoration of the Big Boy is not going to happen now unfortunately. We'll just have to treasure the Challenger whenever she is out on the road!! I saw her in June of 02 in Omaha, and that was a spectacular sight!!



SPIKE

 

[lschultz]

I wonder if I can put Whitmore on it and send him back to Wyoming. He is suppose to leave at 5 this morning headed for Dallas. They are sending him to a school there for a week I think. He already wants me to bring him more Shiner beer and more donkey dick. But I am working all week so I guess I want make it. Off fri,sat,sun,mon but I already got plans for fri so I want make it.

 

[krs]

Wow!! I used to love to be near the tracks when those things went by. My 7th birthday party was a trip on a train behind one of those from San Rafael, CA to Tiburon and back. Somewhere there's baby pictures of me in a park in Saucelito, CA with the locomotive that ran there in the background of the pictures. I didn't think any of them were still running around. Thanks Vaughn!

 

[swexlin]

That thing needs a catalytic converter!



Seriously, that is a beautiful piece of engineering and machinery.

 

[fest3er]

Does anyone have specs comparing this locomotive with modern diesels?

And was this coal-fired? Would it burn cleaner if it was diesel-fired?

N

 

[waterdonkey]

I wish it would head my way. I would like to experience the sight of a working steam loco before I take a dirt nap.

 

[michigandon]

Haven't seen the UP steamers in action (yet!), but I have ridden behind the NKP 765 once, the N&W 1218 once, and the N&W 611 several times before NS pulled the plug on thier steam excursion program. Oh yeah, I have also rode behind the PM 1225 a couple times and on the GCR tourist train once.



I'm kinda bummed that the UP converted the 3985 from coal to oil, but I can understand the reason why they did so.

 

[Greenleaf]

You guys are talk'n steam and didn't invite me!

I'm appalled. If there is one thing I know better than Diesels, it's steam.



The UP Challenger is impressive. There were larger locomotives used, hard to believe. Norfolk Western

built their own locomotives, Class Y6. Union Pacific, Big Boy is another.



The N&W utilized steam on regular scheduled runs up to and including 1960. They "modernized" and "refined" steam to the point it didn't pay to dieselize after the war like everyone else did.



Check out O. Winston Link's work 1956-60.

 

[Jlobaugh]

Guys, What a sight it was. I had the pleasure of taking my son to see it . We followed it from Palestine ,TX through the country side all the way to Longview,TX . That 4yr old had the biggest eyes as he looked at the train as it went by. Then he would tell me lets go catch that noisy train again!! Just south of Longview we got to be right up on the tracks it had slowed down some and gave me the chance to get some good pics. What a day that was! It was on the return trip after the superbowl.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Anybody remember The Alleghany SuperPower built in Lima, Oh. for the Pennsylvania Coal Industry?



7500 hp on the hoof.



Would have loved to see that Challenger roar past!



Brian

 

[Greenleaf]

I took a look see in one of my Locomotive cyclopedias and found nothing on the Alleghany Super Power.



Greenleaf