Retired in 1959 and found in a museum in California, this Big Boy locomotive was restored by the Union Pacific. She weighs over 1 million pounds and is going on a tour of the US. The whistle gives me chills. The UP did an incredible job on the restoration and she runs like a Swiss watch.
I understand it was quite a learning curve for the guys at the UP engine workshops. The shop itself had to be reconfigured to accommodate the huge locomotive.
The Big Boy and #844 "Northern" class locomotive running as a double header earlier today. Man, I'd love to be there. CP member Vincent is there and said it's incredible!
Here's 844 "highballing" at 75mph 9 years ago. Wow!
I'd just like to say that I grew up a block from the CPR and spent a great deal of time waving at the guys in the caboose. We hung out on the tracks as school age kids..walked the tracks to school and back and fished from the various bridges... Trains are in my blood and this Big Boy is very cool. We used to have the Royal Hudson rolling around here but she's mothballed now. Thanks for bringing this to my attention! I spend a lot of time utubing trains.
I am a retired Locomotive engineer from CN. At the EXPO 86 that was in Vancouver they had a Steam Expo at the CN yard a couple of blocks away. I got to work this job for the whole time it was on. I was Switchman at this time. Worked with the Royal Hudson and lots of other steam engines, in the yard and on the main line, Tom Thumb to big ones, moving them around. About 15 different ones. I will never forget it. It was a chance of a life time.
-- Edited by Brian on Saturday 23rd of November 2019 05:45:35 AM
I am a retired Locomotive engineer from CN. At the EXPO 86 that was in Vancouver they had a Steam Expo at the CN yard a couple of blocks away. I got to work this job for the hole time it was on. I was Switchman at this time. Worked with the Royal Hudson and lots of other steam engines, in the yard and on the main line, Tom Thumb to big ones, moving them around. About 15 different ones. I will never forget it. It was a chance of a life time.
I moved to Vancouver just before the opening of Expo 86, and lived near the main line in Coquitlam. I remember hearing some weird steam engines going by, but didn't know what was going on. I was very busy with the opening of Expo 86 (I was a satellite tech and was heavily involved in beaming TV signals all around the world) and didn't learn about Steam Expo until it was over. I have always regretted missing it.
