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  • Idahobound
    I had a great opportunity this past week to spend a couple of days down out the Cheyenne railroad yard.

    Heres the story. My parents had came to town to see me and my wife for a few days. My dad has worked for the Union Pasific Railroad for 35 and had a buddy that had moved here to work in the steam program. He told us to come down and he would show us around so we did. It is just amazing to me the size and how coplex these monsters are. Cheyenne is home to a number of old steam engines. The 3985 and the 844 being the bigger ones. The 844 is the largest opperating steam engine in the world. I have to tell you that i was like a kid in a candy store. There wasn't one thing that I could touch if I wanted to. I even got to climb in the the fire box on the 3985. They also have a 13 foot rotary snow blower that the still use when needed. It was one of the funnest things I have done in a long time. When I was young I had the opprotunity to ride on 844 it was called the 8444 back then due to a diesel locomotive shared the number 844 but the diesel has now been retired giving the steam back its number
    My dad had the camera and i haven't got the pics yet but here is a video of the 844. Man do the move

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivVQVdtHadk&feature=related
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  • allen griggs
    That's great, I love the old steam engines.
    We should never have switched over to diesel.
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  • frog21
    My neighbor restores Stanley Steamers. He's taken me for some rides in them. I couldn't believe all the stuff you have to do to make them go.Another thing I learned was the frame rails are wood.I joke with him all the time about hunting,weather he's looking for deer or frames.
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  • guns-n-painthorses
    I could sit here and go on and on about my history with the Union Pacific railraod and the 844. Spent 13 days in Cheyenne filming a movie about the locomotive for NPTV. Filmed in Carr, Colorado. Had the loco on the sight for one whole day. I swear we did 50 run-bys on that day. Cab rides, Sitting in the #1 seat while running at 60 MPH will make most mortal men scream! What a rush. There's tons more but I don't want to hijack the thread. If you got to tour the roundhouse in Cheyenne, your one of the lucky few!

    PS, It's the 3985 that's the largest running loco in the world.


    Got Guns?
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  • Jacob2008
    I love old trains, and old cars. Anything old!

    Frisco 1522 is my favorite
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  • 11b6r
    Here in VA there are still a couple of steamers running for special excursions. There is a nice older engine in Southern RR livery (Now Norfolk & Southern RR), and CSX has a MONSTER- Greenbrier class. That was one of the last steam engines, and watch that puppy run headed upgrade with a full passenger train at 60 mph! What was the undoing of the steamers? Not cheap diesel fuel, cheaper labor. Each steam locomotive needed a fireman and engineer. But diesel electrics can be linked, and 4 locomotives run by one crew. Check out the VA Railway Historical Society- guys that still like playing with trains- just bigger trains.
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  • Idahobound
    Here is a link to the UP steam shop

    http://www.upsteam.com/UP3985History.html#UP3985History
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  • Old-Colts
    Thanks for the link; that was a great clip of a nice 4-8-4 configuration engine.

    We once went through Cheyenne, Wyoming just to look at the UP Big Boy (4004) they had on static display at Holiday Park. Anytime I'm traveling through or near a town with an old steam engine on display I'll stop for a good look!
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  • aka rotten
    Originally posted by Jacob2008
    I love old trains, and old cars. Anything old!

    Frisco 1522 is my favorite
    Thanks Jacob2008!Didnt even know ya cared!Thanks,Paul
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  • zipperzap
    My ex's grandfather was a Great Northern engineer for almost 50 years - so beloved that he was continuously given age wavers - was in four wrecks (none his fault) and was the sole surviver of both engines twice - had an absolutely flawproof memory that was eventually used by the Great Northern to restore many of their records lost in a fire in 1922 that destroyed almost all their records - told us many a story which I recorded back in the mid-60's - died at 98 in 1968 just a active and spry as most 30 year olds. Oscar Sorby, from Montevideo, MN, was considered one of the pioneers of that town and revered by all who knew him. I've never met anyone like him before I had the pleasure to know him - or - since.
    [8D]
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  • buschmaster
    we had a steamer that ran between here and chicago (I think) last trip was 2 or 3 years ago, they had to quit because of the maintenance costs. for example, brass wheel bearings. large brass wheel bearings. had to be custom made, about $280,000 to overhaul if memory serves.
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