Working rail roads and their tracks.

   / Working rail roads and their tracks.
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#3,481  

Union Pacific Steam Club Update No. 32 - Apr. 10, 2024
UP Steam

Big Boy No. 4014's Westward Bound Tour Coming thisSummer!

Union Pacific's famed Big Boy No. 4014, the world'slargest operating steam locomotive, will return to the rails this summerwith a scenic tour across mountain ranges and high desert vistas in fourwestern states: Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and California.

Big Boy will journey from its home base in Cheyenne,Wyoming on Sunday, June 30, en route to Roseville,California, before returning to Wyoming by the end of July. It will makenumerous whistle-stops in communities along the way, with public displaystops scheduled in:

  • July 12-13:Roseville, California
  • July 20-21:Ogden, Utah

Additional route details and approximate times forwhistlestops will be shared closer to the tour. A routemap can be found on UPsteam.com.

During the tour, the Union Pacific Museum will host aspecial passenger trip. The unique experience is the annual galafundraiser for the nonprofit organization and provides a rareopportunity to travel on this historic heritage equipment. Moreinformation on the specifics will appear at www.UPtrainTix.com when they becomeavailable.

This is one of two public tours planned for Big Boy in2024, with a second tour planned later this fall with stops in Texas,Arkansas, Kansas, and Illinois, among other states. Details of thesecond tour will be released later this spring.

The month-long "Westward Bound" tour will honor UnionPacific's rich railroad legacy and celebrate the railroad's employeesand communities it serves. For part of its journey, the Big Boy'sconsist will include an assortment of rail cars giving spectators aglimpse into what the locomotive looked like pulling freight in itsheyday.

"The Big Boy locomotive symbolizes the pivotal rolerailroads played in shaping our nation's history, and the technologicaladvances we have witnessed within our industry," said Union Pacific CEOJim Vena. "We are thrilled to share this living piece of history withour employees and the public, and we love seeing the enthusiasm thislocomotive generates wherever its whistle blows."

But What About the Pacific Northwest?

Last fall, we had anticipated including Boise, Idaho, andPortland, Oregon on the Westward Bound tour. As planning continued, wedetermined that the network capacity on our northern corridor could notaccommodate Big Boy No. 4014 along with anticipated demand on a singletrack. Our goal is to share the Big Boy with as many rail fans aspossible across our network, and we look forward to seeing everyonetrack side – 25 feet back this summer and fall.

That's all for now. Until next time, stay safe!

Union Pacific Steam Club
 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,482  
Quincy mine hoist site is pretty neat especially if your into amateur industrial archeology 6 or 7 yrs ago my step kids really liked it also. Kind of ranting but a abandoned 100+ yr old railroad grade out by me up there was turned into a tourist destination, signage was put in, the remaining exposed rails were taken, the old two track was somewhat graded to allow passenger cars and last time I went up there a convoy of tourists in compact cars was up there. View attachment 861741older pics showing old rails. Now gone. 😡
Nice cut!
 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,484  
Speaking of old railroad bridges swam up stream from this one a few times long time ago.
One of Michigan's Oldest Keystone Bridges: Ramsay, Michigan 1891 remember my late mom telling me not to play with tonka trucks on its abandoned bridge deck put the fear of getting carried away with a tonka excavating operation I may excavate the "key" stone lol.
 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,485  
Nice cut!
Yeah I found that place after some locals mentioned it to me over a decade ago. Now it can be found with the googler, a bunch of signs, and a graded two track. I liked it better when it was difficult to find, old industrial artifacts were left in place, and you needed a ATV or snowmobile to get to it.
 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks.
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#3,486  
Another nice rail and sail combo with CN's 0800 Two Harbors Switch included the Michipicoten anchored in the distance waiting for its turn to load for Algoma Steel at the Soo. Shoot these moves now as they will become less frequent once the new loop line is placed in service by this summer. Two Harbors, MN - April 11, 2024
437054015_10231683362890434_95483326048705064_n.jpg
 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,489  
Must have been amazing to be a railroad design engineer back 100-150 years ago laying out these railroads with simple transits, maybe a view from a balloon or a bi-plane if one were lucky enough.
All the labor, the steel, the bridges. Seeing it in progress is fun. I had a neat time watching rails restored in 2020-21. I actually didn’t know there were companies in my area still doing such work. It’s all subbed-out by the local passenger rail companies. Our local freight railroad seems to do all it;s work in-house with some outside contractor help.
 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,491  
With apologies to wander OT I just want to share this for any that are into Shays, Heislers, or Climaxes because this guy's reviews always include some footage of the item in action on his line/layout.


Now, back to the usual good stuff.
 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks.
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#3,492  
Nice but dated film which seems is a marketing film by Cliffs. Its 90% about there RR so don't let the cover photo fool you.. What they say
-------------------------------------------
The Cleveland-Cliffs Company operates the Presque Isle Ore Dock at Marquette, Michigan and hauls ore from its mines to the dock on the Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad.

 
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   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,493  
A "must see" for any rail fan passing through Altoona PA is Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark:

Screenshot (86)a.png


Screenshot (87)a.png



Pack a lunch and spend some time at the viewing area. On average, 60 trains per day pass through. Watch the live video here:

 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,494  
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,495  
I took a couple of pictures while on my bicycle ride today. I was going to make up a bunch of random names and numbers and say that’s what these engines are but I don’t know enough about trains to even make stuff up.
IMG_2836.jpeg
IMG_2837.jpeg
 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,496  
Our first place in Texas was across from a very active BNSF route; it took a little to get used to it, but before long I loved watching the trains go by.
 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks.
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#3,497  
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,498  
I took a couple of pictures while on my bicycle ride today. I was going to make up a bunch of random names and numbers and say that’s what these engines are but I don’t know enough about trains to even make stuff up.
View attachment 862606View attachment 862607
The lead locomotive is an General Electric ES44C4, which rides on three axle trucks, but only the leading and trailing axles are powered, making it an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement.
Couldn't make out the unit number on the trailing locomotive, but it has a different radiator, so it is probably a different variation of the ES44.
 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,499  
ROUND HOUSE; Where Mr Choo Choo drives engine in
and turn table turns engine around so
Mr Choo Choo can drive out same way he came in (turn table)

willy
 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,500  

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