Chasing Big Boy 4014:

[basementcalling]

Any of our fellow modelers living within the ruins of the PRR and NYC and maybe those in CSX or NS domains planning to railfan UP 4014 when it comes east?

Is there any interest in a Railwire joint expedition to capture his majesty from trackside, maybe in some popular locations known best to those who routinely still chase relics of a previous age in the soon to be Borg Domain?

Could we get an Away Team together to find and document this beast before it retreats again to the wilds of the West where I presume he will live out the remainder of his days never to be seen east of the Mississippi again?

Seems like a hell of an opportunity to create some more RW inside jokes, fond memories, and share an adventure or two on narrow country roads in the face of crazy traffic and foaming foamers.

Anyone already trying to plan a way to see the legend in person? Maybe a mini mobile small sized gathering instead of waiting to slobber together at Altoona or Timonium over our small recreations?

[Tristan Ashcroft]

Big-boy-b-que at Newport?

[Mark5]

When exactly is the big fella heading east?

[basementcalling]

When exactly is the big fella heading east?

Comes east in June, 4 days in Philly over 4th of July weekend, then a return to Cheyenne.

[Mark5]

Comes east in June, 4 days in Philly over 4th of July weekend, then a return to Cheyenne.

Thanks! Sounds more like a bee-line to Philly & back (not really an east "tour").

Might still head up to PA to catch it somewhere.

[R L Smith]

Sometime in late May or early June it will head east from Chicago to Buffalo, then across the Southern Tier to Binghamton, thence to Scranton and Philadelphia.  The Reading Blue Mountain & Northern is advertising trips where they will meet the UP train.

After July 4th activities in Philadelphia it will head back west on the former PRR main with a stop in Altoona. As of today, UP has not announced any dates for the eastern tour.

https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/schedule

I think the notion of TRW folks meeting up at various places as time and resources allow is a great idea!

Ron

[mu26aeh]

I know I'm in the minority but can't wait this this is all over with 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I know I'm in the minority but can't wait this this is all over with 

I'm with ya.

I really don't care for the thing. I just don't get excited about big showy steam.

And I feel like this whole thing is a craven attempt to build public support for their anticompetitive NS takeover.

[C855B]

... And I feel like this whole thing is a craven attempt to build public support for their anticompetitive NS takeover.

Oh, they do that. In spades. UP will make some sort of splash in small communities such as donate $20-30K to a park or something - chump change for them - shortly followed by tripling the truck traffic down the narrow downtown main street with their new intermodal facility.

The Big Boy is a study in excess. I've said before that the 3985 is more "relatable" as far as big steam goes.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Oh, they do that. In spades. UP will make some sort of splash in small communities such as donate $20-30K to a park or something - chump change for them - shortly followed by tripling the truck traffic down the narrow downtown main street with their new intermodal facility.

Yep. It's like the flags on their locomotives. "Hey, we love the USA, please forget about our tax breaks".

Or their craven "Employee appreciation" locomotives that came out about a month after their CEO was on record saying that "labor does not contribute to company profits".

It's funny, I'm actually ok with their takeover of NS from a railfan perspective. UP yellow photographs better than NS black does and I have a feeling it'll result in a bunch of really cool shortline and regional spinoffs. But from a corporate respect standpoint? I think they suck.

[basementcalling]

Wow. I get the corporate hate, but don't blame the engine.  @EdKap2 Big Boy might scare your inflatable sheep when he goes by if it's at full speed under load.    Or did chicken 45th own the doll? I forget.

The sound of steamers, plus that whistle, can elevate you to a place above the corporate crapola. I think the merger idea sucks, but I won't mind seeing more Harbor Mist Gray and Yellow close to home. It's always been awkward trying to model a western railroad while living east of the Appalachians. I should have moved out west a long time ago, I guess.

Still hoping to find an off the railfan grid location to do some photography. If it comes down the NS main along the Susquehanna to Rockville Bridge, I might have to try to get shots from water level in my kayak, but I can skip the 4 days of pomp and circumstance while on display.

[mu26aeh]

I really don't care for the thing. I just don't get excited about big showy steam.

You're just upset you can't turn it into a classy stem valve cover

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Wow. I get the corporate hate, but don't blame the engine.

It's difficult to separate the two when it was specifically plucked from preservation to become a piece of corporate propaganda.

[basementcalling]

It's difficult to separate the two when it was specifically plucked from preservation to become a piece of corporate propaganda.

Dunno if I give UP management that much credit for thinking so far ahead.  I was sad they had to cannibalize 3985 to bring 4014 back to life, but at least 844 has never been retired.

By your standard, all the legacy loco scheme are nothing more than corporate PR. Toss out the restored steamers like 611, 4449, and that Reading and Northern one too.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Dunno if I give UP management that much credit for thinking so far ahead.  I was sad they had to cannibalize 3985 to bring 4014 back to life, but at least 844 has never been retired.

By your standard, all the legacy loco scheme are nothing more than corporate PR. Toss out the restored steamers like 611, 4449, and that Reading and Northern one too.

The ones done by railroad companies are 100% corporate PR efforts.

In the case of public companies they have a duty to deliver shareholder value. They literally are not allowed to do things "for fun".

The 2102 is a bit different. The R&N is a privately held corporation. It does what its owner, Andy Muller  wants. You can tell from many of its actions that its owner is a railfan along with being a businessman.

This is one of the big differences between public and private companies. Both ownership situations have their positives and negatives. On one hand, think about what happened to MBK when its owner died. The same can happen to the R&N.