UP844 at Great Plains Trans Museum - Wichita,KS - 090807
UP844 had a layover in Wichita from Friday, 9/7 to Sunday morning, 9/9. The Wichita Area Garden RR Society sponsored a small outdoor display during the event. [picture later]
While waiting to pull on the mainline, Sunday morning, BNSF 7638 freight passed by, blowing the horn several times. UP844 replied with a blast of the whistle in greeting. Oldest grandson [this was his 8th birthday] said: “Papa, when that freight went by, the ground shaked!”
UP844 pulls out onto mainline on Sunday morning.
Some detail shots: 80" drivers
Youngest grandson Luke, is convinced that UP844 is “Gordon” from Thomas the Trai
IIRC due to lateral motion capability, the centipede tender can actually take a tighter curve than the drivers on the engine allow. Still, one would not want to use 844 as an industrial switcher.
You may be correct about the tender being able to curve better than the engine, but I was in Laramie in 1972 when the 844 attempted to use the Y at that time and derailed the tender. In all fairness, it was backing to the west on the north portion of the Y. I believe it has been redone since then as I watched the 3985 back around the Y in 1983.
They gave up and backed the engine to Sherman and turned it on the Y at Sherman for that trip and a few more until the curve on the Y was fixed.
The first visit of a live steam eng on this former section of Rock Island trk since 1952. It was a longtime goal of the GPTM to bring one of the UP steamers to the great city of Wichita. I didn’t get out to see it, instead I opt to stay in and watch the Oklahoma Sooners-Miami football game.
