This will be interesting to follow if U.P. keeps giving updates like this.
https://www.up.com/aboutup/community/inside_track/steam-update-08-25-2017.htm
Very cool! Thanks for sharing.
Add to bucket list - see 4014 running in person
Awesome! I love how huge every piece of that loco is.
I too have put seeing it run on my “bucket list”. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of but never thought it would happen in my lifetime.
For those of you in the North East United States who would be interested in seeing the drivers for 4014 you can see them at the Strasburg RR steam shop. I visited there 3 weeks ago and all 8 driver sets are there. The tires have already been removed and new tires will be installed in a few months. The crank pins on the main drivers had been pressed out and new crank pins have been machined and will be pressed into the hubs soon ( the crank pins are huge - about 12" in diameter at the driver hub and 24" long). The UP sub contracts driver repairs and tire replacement to Strasburg for all 3 of it’s steam engines. This is due in part to having them having an 86" wheel lathe constructed in 1912. The new tire blanks will be mounted on this lathe and contoured with flanges, then heated and mounted on the driver hubs.
The shop tours are provided at 1200 Noon while the shop employees are on their lunch break. The tour is excellent - provided by one of the shop crew members. The more questions you ask the longer the tour and the more you will see. Tickets for the tour are available on the Straburg RR web page. Strongly suggest you purchase tickets before you drive out there - the tour is limited to 10 people and there is an age restriction for children. BTW RGS #20 is in it’s final stages of being rebuilt and is also in the shop…PLENTY to see!
Trainorders has some photos of the wheels from Strasburg If you are a member of Trainorders you should be able to view them in a larger format.
The photos were taken a few days before my visit. When I was there the worn out tires were on their way back to UP. UP will slice then into small pieces to sell to rail fans. This is a unique tour - no hard hats, just be careful. The only restrictions are no photos of certain restorations at the request of the owner.
I wish…
tac
OVGRS
POCRR - Port Orford USA to Cambridge UK - the world’s longest short line.
I got to see 4014 in Cajon Pass when it was on its way north and sure look forward to seeing it when it is done. I am sure glad the volunteers at Fairplex took such good care of it. It looked a lot better than the picture of it stripped!