The Worlds Largest Operating Steam Locomotive stokes up her big boiler for maximum steam pressure for an eastbound trip to Omaha Nebraska on Sept. 18, 2008 UP 3985 operated in its last "regular" train service in 1957. The locomotive was retired about 1962 and after many years of storage in a roundhouse at Cheyenne, Wyoming. UP 3985 was placed on outdoor display beside the Cheyenne depot in 1975. Beginning in 1979 a group of Union Pacific employee-volunteers started work on overhauling the locomotive, and it was returned to operational condition in 1981. Originally a coal-burner, to prevent lineside grass fires it was successfully converted to oil firing in 1990. Stationed at Cheyenne with other equipment in the UP's heritage collection, it is currently used for excursion trains and occasionally mainline freight on ferry moves. It was in the maintenance shop at Cheyenne in 2007 and underwent necessary repairs for service in 2008. It is now back up and running as of 2008. It is one of only two of the original 105 Union Pacific "Challenger" types in existence, the other being UP 3977 on static display in North Platte, Nebraska. info on 4-6-6-4 at http://www.steamlocomotive.com/challenger/ Union Pacific Challenger No. 3985 was designed by Union Pacific and built in 1943 by the American Locomotive Company. It is one of 105 Challengers built for Union Pacific between 1936 and 1943 and is the only operating engine of its class in the world today the largest and most powerful operating steam locomotive. No. 3985 last operated in "regular" train service in 1957. It was retired in 1962 and stored in the roundhouse in Cheyenne, Wyoming, until 1975 when it was placed on display near the Cheyenne depot. A group of Union Pacific employees volunteered their services to restore the locomotive to running condition in 1981. The name Challenger was given to steam locomotives with a 4-6-6-4 wheel arrangement. This means that they have four wheels in the leading "pilot" truck, which helps guide the locomotive into curves; two sets of six "driving" wheels, and finally, four "trailing" wheels, which support the rear of the engine and its massive firebox. Each set of driving wheels has its own steam cylinder. In essence, the result is two engines under one boiler. The frame of the locomotive is "articulated," or hinged, to allow it to go through curves. When watching the approaching locomotive go through a curve, you can see the boiler swing out left or right independently of the lower half of the engine, as the rear half of the locomotive remains in a straight direction until its wheels and frame are halfway through the curve. The Challengers were designed for fast freight service, but occasionally pulled passenger trains. No. 3985 originally burned coal and pulled a tender with a 32-ton capacity. In 1990, it was converted to use No. 5 oil. The top speed of No. 3985 is about 70 m
Comments
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these "Big Boy" engines were multi use engines right? meaning freight and passenger?
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what the?!?!?!???!! i thought all of these big Bad Boys were out of commetion!
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Look at her go.
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beautiful footage nice to see these old trains in action.
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Diesel pickup "smoke blowers", eat your hearts out!
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This is awesome they had it right all along these were works of art and beauty , The men that built and maintained these did it with a labor of Love . nothing today even comes close .
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Evironmentalists cringe
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God,She is Beautiful!!! Living Breathing work of art..What I wound,not give to see Her in person.. ,WOW...!
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If I can be in that cab for a while while this monster is travelling on the track, I could just die the next day without any regret in my life :D
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The Galaxy Railways! hell yeah!
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Bet the lefties are having seizures looking at that BLECH coal ash. LOL
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Now that's what I call ROLLING COAL!!!!!!!!!!!!
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That bitch is bad AF!! They say steam has unlimited horsepower, its the traction thats the issue.......
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You just smoke away baby !! great
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Just listen to that steam whistle!! How many great Blues, Country, and Rock songs have been inspired by that sound?
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Maximum Smoke? Hilarious. Volkswagen Diesel can beat this.
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Love it you just pollute away it's great !!
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One of the best steam trains to ever come out of ALCO
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Incredible. "The Age of Steam."