Largest Steam Loco on tour

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Just a heads up for you folks in the Midwest and enjoy vintage RR power, the UP Challenger steam locomotive is headed out on a 2100 mile tour around Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. For those who are not familiar with #3985 it is the largest operating steam locomotive in the world and it is something to see. It weighs over a million pounds and a few years back hauled a 147-car freight train by itself and had no trouble maintaining 65mph. This engine is owned by the UP railroad, the only RR company that owns and operates a steam engine (actually they have 2 of them, the other being engine #844).



The #3985 usually gets out 3-4 times a year to go on trips, last year they took it over 5000 miles. They racked up over 100,000 miles on it in about 15 years after it returned to the rails in 1981.



Tour info

http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/excurs/steamtr.shtml



Engine Tech

http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/excurs/up3985.shtml



Photos

http://decker.colorado.edu/matsuo/3985.htm



Vaughn

 

[TPCDrafting]

There is a Big Boy sitting in a park here in Cheyenne, don't know trains , but it's big and a site to see parked. The UP has a couple steam engines in there stables here that they bring out for Frontier Days every year. They are pretty cool to see.

 

[ZEEEW]

Saw two steam engines in Ogden a few months ago, I think they were 3985 and 844 together, but not sure. Two big steam engines a few months ago is all I remember.

Missed the meeting of the rails on the 10th, Promontory is less than an hour from me. That is worth seeing too.

 

[willyslover]

now that I'm retired I look foward to seeing some of these special events. .

wow an engine of this size going down the tracks must be a sight to behold !!

need to go to Sacramento's RR barn again. . been to long since I was last there.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I have had the privelege of riding a train pulled by the Challenger twice. It came up to Washington & Oregon in '93 and '95. Twice along the way it stopped in a remote location and let everyone off the train who wanted to for a photo runby. It backed up a mile or so, then came charging ahead at full steam with lots of smoke and the whistle blasting and went thundering by. Man did the ground shake! Talk about awesome. What impressed me with the trip was they did poke along at a leisurely pace, we usually cruised right along at 65mph. They had a baggage car with a large opening so we could stick our heads out to take pictures or watch the engine in action. Anytime we stopped they'd really open 'er up and take off at close to full power and get us back up to speed very quickly.



Vaughn

 

[Papa Joe]

Thanks, Vaughn.

 

[KatDiesel]

Seeing any steamer in action is truely a work of art.



But seeing the #3985 in action is even better, it is the worlds larget operating steam engine.



When it comes through here they always blow the whistle a few extra times near our dispatcher building.

 

[wedodgediesel]

I'd pay any amount for the joy of sitting in the engineer's seat and running it down the track. I know... they wouldn't allow it.

 

[KatDiesel]

The trip has changed slightly for those that care.

 

[Idaho Native]

Kat,



Are you talking about the weekend layover now? Spike and I might meet up with the thing in North Platte on Thursday evening and chase it home.



Loren