All Aboard

[Roadcuda]

Interesting! That first one sounds more like a weed wacker! And I wouldn't want to be doing a show and be near that noise all day! That has to be real loud when ran indoors.

 

[SpeedracerX]

back to the caboose's for a second... here are two of my favorite Pennsy caboose's... the N5c and the N8

 

[Princess Valiant]

this one is on display locally in my town ......i have been inside it ...its really cool ....they usually keep it locked but sometimes during the summer when there are a lot ppl around they open it......there are other rail cars you go in where this is too .....behind an old depot.

 

[SpeedracerX]

In Strasburg Pa, there is alot to see as far as trains go.. (the Choo Choo barn, with a wonderful train layout.. the Strasburg Railroad.. where you can take a train ride through Amish Country... The PRR museum, and the Toy Train Collectors Assocation Museum.. All within a half mile of each other.. Tucked inbetween the Strasburg RR and the TCA museum is the Red Caboose Motel... They took caboose's of pretty much ever configuration and from all the major road names and arranged them in a large square.. with a Dinning Car in the center for eats.. instead of a room, you get a caboose for the night.. its really neat.. hears a pic of just one side of the place...

 

[SpeedracerX]

now obviously they painted those caboose's on that row differant road names, since those are mostly PRR N8 caboose's LOL

 

[Princess Valiant]

my favorite road of all time is the Rock Island

 

[SpeedracerX]

I always thought the Rock Island paint scheme was cool...

 

[MiradaMegaCab]

YahYah, I like the Virginian Railway blue and yellow color combo.

 

[ocdart]

Yeah, I'm biased because my dad was an engineer for Union Pacific, but this has always been my favorite paint scheme. Always loved the winged logo on the front of the streamliners - todays Chrysler winged logo reminds me of it.

View attachment UP.jpg

 

[66340SEDAN]

Took these not long ago here in my town, some volunteers are restoring this next to the old train yard in town, I always liked the old cabooses :glasses7:

Many of the old huge train buildings are still there, many have been renovated to house smaller businesses, some are old and unrestored, I have taken pics of my cars down there before, love the old backdrop. Maybe when its nice or when spring comes I will go down there and take pics of the old buildings left.

 

[ocdart]

On another note, has anyone heard that the UP is looking into the psooibility of restoring a Bigboy to steam? There are several articles on this on Trains magazine website. This would definitely make me take a trip out west to see this thing run. I'm already a fan of UP's steam program and the other big power they had like the Centennials.

From www.steamlocomotive.com:

"During the late 1930s, the Union Pacific often used helpers to move trains from Ogden to Wahsatch. The UP wanted to simplify this move so they asked their "Department of Research and Mechanical Standards" (DoRMS) to design a locomotive that could pull a 3600 ton train unassisted over the 1.14% grade of the Wahsatch.

The designers determined that to pull a 3600 ton train, a tractive effort of 135,000 lbs would be needed. Assuming a factor of adhesion of 4.0, the weight on drivers would have to be 4.0 * 135,000 = 540,000 lbs. Given an axle loading of 67,500 lbs each, this would require 8 drivers or an x-8-8-x wheel arrangement. The designers agreed upon the 4-8-8-4 design. Next, the horsepower and cylinder sizes were computed based on 300 psi boiler pressure. Although they weren't planning to pull these freight trains at 80 MPH, the DoRMS designed them for 80 MPH in order to have a sufficient factor of safety built into the design. What resulted is considered by many to be the most successful articulated steam locomotive ever built. 4000 was delivered to Omaha at 6PM, September 5, 1941.
The 25 Big Boys were built in two groups. The first group, called "class 1", were built starting in 1941. They were numbered 4000-4019. The second group, "class 2", were built in 1944. They were numbered 4020-4024. The last revenue freight pulled by a Big Boy was in July of 1959. Most were retired in 1961. The last one was retired in July of 1962. As late as September, 1962, there were still four operational Big Boys at Green River, WY.The total mileage of each of the Big Boys from class 1 were roughly the same -- 1,000,000 miles. 4016 had the lowest mileage -- 1,016,124. 4006 had the highest mileage -- 1,064,625. Of the second group, 4024 had the highest mileage -- 811,956."


View attachment BigBoy.jpg


Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 is currently on display at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA (same venue where the NHRA Winternationals and Finals events are held). According to what I've read it is the best candidate to be used for restoration if Union Pacific and the organization that currently owns 4014 can agree on a replacement for their collection.
I guess I'm going to have to get out to the Fairplex and get some current pics real soon!

 

[ocdart]

Here's a link to what's at the Fairplex in Pomona (SoCal) if you're ever in the area. Check out each of the websites for pics and more information:

www.railgiants.org - The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, Southern California Chapter's Rail Giants Exhibit at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in Pomona, is a historical journey back to the glory days of the American Railroad.

www.fgrr.org - Begun in 1924, the 3500 square foot model railroad in Los Angeles is open to the public one day per month. Includes history and tour.

 

[SpeedracerX]

Took these not long ago here in my town, some volunteers are restoring this next to the old train yard in town, I always liked the old cabooses :glasses7:

Many of the old hoge train buildings are still there, many have been renovated to house smaller businesses, some are old and unrestored, I have taken pics of my cars down there before, love the old backdrop. Maybe when its nice or when spring comes I will go down there and take pics of the old buildings left.

Keith, glad to see I am not the only caboose fan here LOL .. awesome pictures.. I cant wait til the weather gets warm again, so i can get the Dart pictured with a caboose or some other train car.. thats an awesome idea...

 

[Princess Valiant]

Thanks Mr. Keith Sir for the pics of the caboose and your valiant ....thats the best of both worlds.....i had the same idea but my car is down for a couple more weeks :banghead:

 

[66340SEDAN]

Keith, glad to see I am not the only caboose fan here LOL .. awesome pictures.. I cant wait til the weather gets warm again, so i can get the Dart pictured with a caboose or some other train car.. thats an awesome idea...

Thanks Mr. Keith Sir for the pics of the caboose and your valiant ....thats the best of both worlds.....i had the same idea but my car is down for a couple more weeks :banghead:

No problem! I thought I had more pics of trains but they must need to be scanned in the computer from older pics. There are tons of vintage locomotives here in MN :glasses7:

 

[SpeedracerX]

Yeah, I'm biased because my dad was an engineer for Union Pacific, but this has always been my favorite paint scheme. Always loved the winged logo on the front of the streamliners - todays Chrysler winged logo reminds me of it.

View attachment 1714587552

I too like that paint scheme as well as the Santa Fe 'war bonnet' paint scheme...

 

[SpeedracerX]

Even though the Pennsy and NYC are my favorite roadnames, and caboose love aside, my two biggest interests when it comes to trains are steam engines... and Passenger trains... yea, I know that in todays world, freight is the bread and butter of railroads, and that the greatest years of people traveling by rail have long gone by.. there is just something magical about a passenger train.. The old heavyweight Pullman cars, and the sleek and shiny aluminum and steel flutted Budd cars were totally awesome.. Of course Steam passenger trains are the ultimate to me, I am still a fan of a passenger train pulled by a GG1 or some F or E unit deisels...

 

[66340SEDAN]

:glasses7:

 

[Princess Valiant]

:glasses7:

NICE E-series and F9....i like the paint scheme on the F9

 

[66340SEDAN]

I went to this museum last year in Duluth MN, very cool stuff :glasses7:

http://www.lsrm.org/Home/Home.asp

 

[66340SEDAN]

Here is a list of the remining old locomotives in MN, I have seen many of these in my travels, there is a really neat little one I seen in NW MN, I will see if I can find a pic

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/lists/searchdb.php?country=USA&state=MN

 

[66340SEDAN]

Here is Minnesota's first steam locomotive, the William Crooks. I seen this in Duluth last year, very cool :glasses7:

 

[66340SEDAN]

More neat pics

 

[66340SEDAN]

You can still go for long rides on the Minnesota Zephyr, I have always wanted to go, they have nice day trips that go up north out of Stillwater MN

 

[SpeedracerX]

Awesome stuff Keith!