Union Pacific Big Boy

[SlipStream77]

You don't have to be a trainspotter to appreciate this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8BXipiLfwA&fea...

I think the cameraman did a great job of capturing this amazing piece of engineering as it gets into its stride.

According to Wiki the engine and tender weigh a total of 567 tons and it will do 80mph.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_Big_Boy

[Ritchie335is]

Im not really a train fan but that was fantastic!
Thanks for posting it.

[Bish]

That is no Big Boy.

That is the FEF-3 Class. You can see in the video it does not have the double driving wheel sets that the Big Boy has. The FEF-3 wheel configuration is 4-8-4 (meaning 4 leading wheels on 2 axles followed by 8 powered and coupled driving wheels on 4 axles and four trailling wheels on 2 axles. This loco is 'only' 98ft long


The Big Boy however has a 4-8-8-4 wheel congiuration. Meaning 4 leading wheels 2 sets of eight powered and coupled driving wheels on 8 axles and four trailing wheels. The Big Boy is 132ft long!!!!!

See below for video of the Big Boy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8f9VFlNyDQ&fea...


Below is a picture of the Big Boy:


And this is the FEF-3 Class

[Bish]

Oh........and I am a train fan! (and a crashing bore with it!)

[SlipStream77]

Bish said:

Oh........and I am a train fan! (and a crashing bore with it!)

Thanks for the correction.

[Slyjoe]

Awesome video - but had to turn it of when the wife heard "Purchase the all American Big Boy Video collection" .....
Pah - no appreciation of engineering.

[FourWheelDrift]

Coincidently the Union Pacific Big Boy add on for Railworks came out on Steam (ironically) the other day - http://store.steampowered.com/app/24078/

[mrmaggit]

Union Pacific have one of these that you can get right up to in Cheyenne, Wyoming. You have absolutely no idea how big these things are until you get up close.

Flying Scotsman is like a tank loco against a Big Boy.

[drivin_me_nuts]

The big boys were the 'super models' of the train world for their time. The Allagheny's were more powerful (and arguably the most powerful locos ever built) and these both seem quite 'cutsie' when compared to the Erie class 2-8-8-8-2's.

The smaller challenger class is still in operation in the states and every now and then, someone has the crazy idea of bringing a big boy back into service. That's a sight i'd pay good money to see!

I do recall reading somewhere that when the diesels started to emerge and enter service a simple test of diesel vs steam was performed. Link 2 big boys and pull against one diesel. The diesel pulled both steam locos backwards.

[Nick_F]

Are US railways the same gauge as ours?

[Bish]

Yes.

However the actual loading guage of the equipment that can run on it is much bigger. The diagram below will help....remember the track guage is the same in all 3.

[F i F]

Thanks for those links chaps, I saw the one in Scranton but I'm not enough a steam train nut to go searching out other stuff.

[Nickyboy]

The diesel version now retired, worlds largest diesel locomotive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoGBL0XFjQ8&fea...

[aeropilot]

Not a train person by any means..... but, I'd have loved to have been able to experience the 'romance' of the legendary Sante Fe Superchief in it's 'Hollywood Era' heyday.

[FourWheelDrift]

aeropilot said:

Not a train person by any means..... but, I'd have loved to have been able to experience the 'romance' of the legendary Sante Fe Superchief in it's 'Hollywood Era' heyday.

When I see one of those, I always think of this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjed8lV30a4

[bob1179]

Lovely video. I love the big old American steam trains.

[Nickyboy]

FourWheelDrift said:

aeropilot said:

Not a train person by any means..... but, I'd have loved to have been able to experience the 'romance' of the legendary Sante Fe Superchief in it's 'Hollywood Era' heyday.

When I see one of those, I always think of this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjed8lV30a4

You sir are a certifiable legend, i have been searching for that film for months and months, all i could remember was the little car at the end rolling off the stand.