What if it Snows?

Those are the yellow cars UPP 809 and UPP 814 on the latest run. Those started out as water tenders but were converted to fuel tenders for the turbine powered UP GTELs. They held 24,000 gallons of fuel and finally allowed the GTEL trains to expand the Ogden to Cheyenne run to Council Bluffs or about another 500 miles. I wouldn't want to pay that fuel bill but they were replaced by the Diesel-electrics once the manufactures could deliver 3-unit systems that provided 15K HP.

One more fun fact is that they tried to even run two of the GTELs in series but they had problems with the second turbine flaming out in the Altamont and Aspen tunnels South East of Evanston Wy.

But yes with steam before they added tenders you had to have water stops every 10 miles or so.

 

And certain spiders that invade the home in the night, usually in pairs, 8 legged to a main battle tank body all angles. Size of a dinner plate in legs and a size in saucer in the body.

Cat goes CRAZY first up the radar ears then it absolutely turns into a hunter in a few moments full predator in defense of it's home.

We usually come after it with a big container and a huge slide under cardboard sheet, clap container over a spider that big slide sheet under, it has no choice but to get on and walk. Toss the whole thing like 100 acres away far from the house. Preferably into a tree that has been spider wrapped this time of year.

 

I LOVE THAT...

 

Yeah man... vent and get it all out of your system... that's what this is for... hope you are feeling better now...

 

It's not a she... if it's a "Big Boy" it's a he...

 

Yeah.. I feel sorry for my fellow truck drivers out there... dealing with that dangerous mess... A friend driver from Chicago sent me text messages yesterday about it.. and today I sent him some videos from where I am.... almost felt "bad" for doing that... but then... nahh.... he will be ok.... and I am where I am supposed to be...

 

The turbine set is a very special set. I have the exact copy on Steam in one of the train simulators which runs well on the Sherman cutoff in wyoming towards Cheyenne. Throwing down 8500 horses against 11,000 ton downgrade at 1.5% is a fight. Same with getting one of those up and over. the other direction.

The Bigboy was a wartime construct designed to move traffic tonnage well in excess of normal limits at 50+ in Wyoming and other places.

On Thursday the 4014 is on the way to Little Rock along I-30 via Mabelvale and hotsprings depending on where the GPS puts it. Its supposed to be in the NLR Yard across the river about 4 PM. You probably will have a glimpse of it from I30 first with that steam whistle and smoke plus the noise. Then 630 gets a glimpse an then Amtrack train station downtown by the main Bridge crossing of the Arkansas by the Ball stadium and railyards will be where it enters that property.

It will be kept alive through the night cheaper to do that than to shut it off and redo all the work booting it come morning it can take hours and a hell of a lot of water.

It will be on display tomorrow from around 9 Am to about 4 or so. The public will have to park at the ball parking stadium etc. There is no parking allowed in the rail yard itself, it processes many trains a day and night 24/7 in all directions.

Friday morning at 8 Am it will have been on the wye on the west end and ready to leave for Conway near the North Little Rock VA's rail line that goes out and follows the river valley more or less along I40 to Conway, it is scheduled to make a whistle stop for 15 minutes at main street close to I40 to let the people get a look at it. But it's going to be on the way to Cheyenne WY in the west, which is where it's home.

The biggest thing about this engine is there are 8 of 25 left in the world. from world war two years. One of those 8 is operating. As a result of modern technology incorperated in her build the UP possesses essentially a library of sorts in machine language to shave a new part from block of raw metal in a hurry. And some of the skills needed to tend to a steam engine is kept alive.

When this running about touring is finish the UP is going to bring that engine out sometime by spring to put onto some of her hottest, heaviest modern freights in the west all uphill or down and see what this engine is capable of doing.

The Challenger about a decade ago was on the Omaha Race track with almost 14000 ton and a tight schedule by herself. She made it in style. The challenger is the passenger version of the big boy but no less capable. She had to go through repairs and such. Again running a steamer is pretty tough.

There are other steam programs around the USA that runs steam every day. The UK comes to mind when they are allowed onto the Mainline for 110 mph schedules taking commuters to london. There are three engines on that island able to take that kind of assignment. 1-Queen Elizabeth Class also known as the Duchess if they were built big enough, fast enough for this wrok. 2- The modern built steam Tornado class, holder of the world record in steam speed all out about 126 mph. It regularly takes commuters to liverpool. And another known as the north with a word that refers to a rooster full of itself too early in the morning. Its the one workaround to the occasional colorful langauge

We'll see how it goes.

 

Its a she here in America.

In Russia if it was a ship it would be a he, same with their engines.

I allow that it is a big boy and should not be referred to as a she. Someone would know better and have to mediate this little kerfluffle

 

Seriously, X, you need to write a book

 

BTW... today is this city's 440 years Anniversary and all businesses are closed... except restaurants and shops for tourists... So, I had lunch at a restaurant and went for some walk on the beach front.. There are free shows going on in others beaches nearby and there will be more shows this evening and tonight...
And now... the pictures where I was this afternoon...






There are lots and lots of stands with tables and chairs... selling food and drinks... and advertising boat trips for tourists, etc... Lots of sea food.... and appetizers...



That is a huge glass on the yellow table... they fill it up with different kinds of beer... the glass has a faucet at the bottom so many glasses can be filled up...
The add bellow advertises boat trips...