I picked up a HO scale model of one last weekend. Even in 1:87 the thing is huge.
I have a documentary on the 6900s on tape, I think it was Pentrex that sells it. The tape goes from the history of large UP power (4-12-2s, 4-6-6-4s, and 4-8-8-4s) to the early days of diesels and the early dual diesel locomotives that UP had, to the introduction of the 6900.
Then there is a UP worker that shows were all the major components are located, and what they do. After that there is a segment of a ride on a 6900 class led train, finally the film ends with the dedication of the 6946 (the final 6900) at a museum in California.
You’re right - that is a very nice photo ! Thanks for sharing.
For location - I couldn’t get the “aerial photo” link (above) to work. But I found it on Google Maps and the “Street View” function. Here’s about where it is, based on Google Maps’ images:
I-80 at Omaha, Nebraska, at the overhead sign bridge at about 2,000 ft. to 2,500 ft. = 0.4 to 0.5 mi. West of the Nebraska-Iowa state line in the middle of the Missouri River, about 250 ft. North of the northerly side of I-80.
For directions - note- I’ve never been there, so not responsible for these - it looks like from I-80 take the 1st exit in Nebraska for S. 13th St., then go North a couple of blocks equivalent = 0.2 to 0.4 miles to the 2nd right turn at Bancroft St. Then turn right = East on Bancroft St. for about 0.7 mi. = 3/4 mile to its end. From there, it looks like continuing on East on Bancroft about another 1/4 mile will take you to the Omaha Botanical Gardens’ Lauritzen Garden’s Visitor and Education Center, with a lot of parking. Here’s a couple of web links:
Kenefick Park and the locomotives - DD40AX Centennial No. 6900 and Big Boy No. 4023 - are downhill to the Southwest about 800 ft. from there. Although it looks li
If you want to see something REALLY cool (at least I found it pretty amazing) - check out this website. It shows the BigBoy 4023 being moved to the new park (on a really huge trailer down the street) and shows 4023 and DD40 #6900 parked there during construction.
thanks for the great info and pics. now not meaning to start a new topic here but is there only one big boy that has not been scrapped. Meaning 4023 is the only one left and is there just the one challenger left. i know they have one that is operational but i think that is the only one.
No, there are 8 Big Boys left - and even another Challeger ! (3977, on display in North Platte, Nebraska, per UP). Here’s the link to UP’s website page for Historical UP Locomotives - “Steam Locomotives”:
And geez, there appears to be 11 "EMD DDA40X"s preserved - here’s the link to UP’s “List of Donated Diesel-Electric Locomotives” which has 10 of them - the still in-service 6936 isn’t on the list:
UP 6922 is on display at Cody Park, North Platte, Nebr.
UP 6900 is on display at Kenefick Park, a facility which is located immediately northwest of where I-80 crosses the Missouri River. Westbound highway traffic has the better view of this unit and the Alco “Big Boy” parked next to it. Both locomotives are lit-up at night!
The list of donated locomotives forgot to mention 8500 HP turbine #18. I’ve seen it. It’s amazing. Also, I was gonna add that there is also a Big Boy (not to mention another DDA40X) down at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis. Both fantastic locomotives.
“Although Union Pacific never donated any turbines directly to museums, two of the locomotives did survive and now are on public display. No. 18 is at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL and No. 26 and 26B are displayed at Ogden Union Station in Ogden, UT.”
and:
“The turbine fleet pulled freight trains between Council Bluffs, IA, and Ogden, UT. Although tested on the Salt Lake City to Los Angeles run, their tremendous noise quickly made them unpopular in California. [emphasis added - PDN.] The locomotives were nicknamed “Big Blows” for their deafening jet engine exhaust noise.”
Nothing new there, huh ? "The more things change, the more they remain the same . . . "
Aha! Didn’t realize there was an entirely separate page for them. I wonder why they only said No. 18 for the first one but put 26 and 26B for the other one. I’m pretty sure they have all three parts of the turbine. Either way, an impressive piece of machinery to behold.
“…deafening jet engine exhaust noise” is an understatement. One evening during August 1965 I was watching some trains passing through North Platte, Nebr. While standing on a passenger depot platform, I witnessed the acceleration of an eastbound mixed-merchandise being pulled by one of those Union Pacific “Big Blows.” The word “loud” doesn’t even begin to describe what they sounded like. As the locomotive passed by me, I thought my head was going to explode!
UP 3985 lifting big tonnage eastbound up Archer Hill sounds like a baby cooing in comparison.
I have personally seen the DD40 at the St. Louis site mentioned above and they actually (or at least at that time, about two years back) let you climb into the cab which is suprisingly roomy. It was quite a treat for me.
Yeah, my dad, my brother, and I went down to the museum in the summer of 1996 (just before I started first grade), and they let us climb into the cab as well. Same with the Big Boy that used to be parked right behind it. I got the living daylights scared out of me by an Amtrak while in the Big Boy.