Big Boy to run again

[Erik W]

This will be a something to see once UP is finished.
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/big-boy-locomotive-begins-california-farewell-tour-slideshow/?pt=tAD2SCT8P7

Erik

[mirage]

I saw this one on YT yesterday 

[Philip H]

Nice - too bad it won't run east.

[wcfn100]

I may have to make the trip up to Cheyenne when it due to come in.


Jason

[trainforfun]

Thanks for the link , this is beautifull !!!
Funny that the lead loco is numbered 4884 when the steam loco have a wheel agencement 4-8-8-4 !!! 

A couple of questions :
why did they have to carry so many cars in the consist ?
At the beginning the siderods on the right side ( front and rear ) are synchronized , at the end of the video they are at 180 deg. , I thought all the wheels were the same dimension ?

[C855B]

Funny that the lead loco is numbered 4884 when the steam loco have a wheel agencement 4-8-8-4 !!!

It was intentional.

...why did they have to carry so many cars in the consist ?

Additional weight for braking on grades. Hoppers were filled with sand. They could not be 100% certain that the brakes on the locomotive were going to be enough to contain it after sitting for over 50 years.

At the beginning the siderods on the right side ( front and rear ) are synchronized , at the end of the video they are at 180 deg. , I thought all the wheels were the same dimension?

There is enough distance between the front and back engines to travel different distances entering and exiting sharp curves, such as turnouts.

[Erik W]

Here's a good Big Boy introduction.
Not a valid youtube URL
Erik

[trainforfun]

It was intentional.

Additional weight for braking on grades. Hoppers were filled with sand. They could not be 100% certain that the brakes on the locomotive were going to be enough to contain it after sitting for over 50 years.

There is enough distance between the front and back engines to travel different distances entering and exiting sharp curves, such as turnouts.

Thanks !!!!!!

[R.Groff]

Thanks for the posts seeing the Big Boy in action is amazing.
Rick Groff

[Robbman]

It was intentional.

Additional weight for braking on grades. Hoppers were filled with sand. They could not be 100% certain that the brakes on the locomotive were going to be enough to contain it after sitting for over 50 years.

They were for all the braking... a dead steam locomotive isn't capable of braking itself (well... if it was rebuilt with MU cables and a 26L it could).  When they moved the NKP 763 to Ohio from Roanoke, empty gons were used for the same reason.