Does anybody know what are the numbers for all twenty-five of UP’s Big Boy?
I know that there are 7 still around today in museums. Also what is your opinion of the Big Boy?
Dustin
4000-4024. There are 8 Big Boys preserved.
At our house I call him “Hey, Big Boy…”[:X]
(most people know I like the Big Boys!)
…They probably did the job at hand while they were in service at such a critical time but weren’t there other engines {maybe even smaller}, that had as much or more ability to haul freight over grades, etc…
If you want to see all 25 in action, get the Pentrex DVD.
They are BIG too big to run, requiring special trackage and facilitys to turn and run, the 4449 was too big to run back east for the “Freedom Train”, and A UP Big Boy would be even worse. I am involved in the restoration of the AT&SF 2926, <the biggest of the 4-8-4s weighing in at allmost a millon lb> and we won’t be able to run to our Locomotives capacity when we are finshed, http://www.sbrhs.org/484com.html there isnt any track left where we could run at our 110+ MPH capability. 79 MPH is probably as much as we will ever be allowed to go… Of course I do look forward to the day we go blastin up Raton Pass
Gunns
Where is the 8th one? I only know of 7 still around.
The Big Boys were amazing machines–I want you to remember that 5-mile train one of them hauled. They were reliable, and for their size were economical (think of all the money they saved).
The DMIR Yellowstones (2-8-8-4) were even better I think. They even had more tractive effort than the Big Boys. Dont get me wrong, the Big Boys are awesome, but the Yellowstones are even better.
Oh really?[:)] I guess you never heard of eastern steam locomotives such as the Allegheny, EM1, the “A” and Y6b? All of these were roughly the same weight and length of the Big Boy.
I also don’t remember CSX and NS having any trouble running their big #614 and #611 4-8-4’s in excursion operation either.
As far as “special track”, CSX has most of their big AC diesels running at around 74,000 lbs per axle, so I don’t think the Big Boys maximum axle load of 67,500 lbs. would be a problem either.
Gunn -
Back in ought-76 I rode behind SP 4449 between Atlanta, Ga. and Alexandria, Va.
That’s in the east, isn’t it?
Oh, Big Boy? Big, pretty, expensive.
Considered on a ton/mile per train hour per dollar basis - probably not the best.
Big Boy was heavier than N&W’s Y-5-6-6a-6b 2-8-8-2s by about 85 tons, and heavier than the A 2-6-6-4 by about 100 tons. The B&O EM1 was heavier than both the N&W engines and a lot less powerful.
The heaviest Big Boy was not as heavy as C&O’s first 2-6-6-6s, by about 3 tons.
And, Train Junky, it’s not documented that Big Boy ever pulled a 5-mile long train. Steve Lee was on tape as saying that Big Boy had enough power to pull a 5-mile long train, but so did several other locomotives.
Old Timer
Denver
Omaha
St Louis
Green Bay
Scranton
Dallas
Los Angeles
Cheyenne
Which one did you miss?[;)]
I may have misspoke, it isnt so much the track, as the clearances, as I rember they switched Locos on the Freedom Train due to clearances in some of the Eastern areas. The Bigboys still need an Enormous “Y” to turn them, very few of them still exist. Also the cost would be considerable, we were quoted over 3 Million to have a third party put the 2926 in to running order, and were told that many of our appliences would not be restored. We elected to do “It” our selfs, and still estimate that it will be over half a Mill before we are done. I would be glad to see it done, but dont think it will happen.
The Bigboys were purpose built for a run <as were the other biggn’s>, and more flexable motive power shut them out.
Gunns