The Great Race to Ogden
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UP4014
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As a break (from the break) for 3 days, then headed south via Helper on the old Denver & Rio Grande Western to Moab and a visit to Arches and Canyonlands. While I've travelled to these areas and National Parks more than once, it's the sort of place I could go every holiday.
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UP4014
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The next part of the journey for 4014 and 844 was the return to Cheyenne. The roads out of Ogden and Salt Lake started to choke up early and there was limited parking along Weber and Echo Canyons. I80 was down to 15mph in places while people jostled to watch the train. I thought the RV motor homes following the train were annoying but there where three coaches, two of Korean and one of Japanese railfans. Watching them navigate the back roads and dirt tracks amused many.
UP4014
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The highlight of the entire trip for me was standing in Echo Canyon, for those on the BAM the other day there is print on the wall of a 4000 in Echo Canyon at the same location back in the 40's I stood at in May 2019.
Waiting for 4014 and 844, myself on the left, Ben from San Diego, Michael and John from the UK.
Ed Dickens is the head of the UP Steam and Heritage Program, he drove the train himself I caught up with him a few times during the trip. He would talk patiently explaining every detail every time they stopped to anyone who asked a question. Ed gives a wave in Echo Canyon from the drivers seat.
Waiting for 4014 and 844, myself on the left, Ben from San Diego, Michael and John from the UK.
Ed Dickens is the head of the UP Steam and Heritage Program, he drove the train himself I caught up with him a few times during the trip. He would talk patiently explaining every detail every time they stopped to anyone who asked a question. Ed gives a wave in Echo Canyon from the drivers seat.
UP4014
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844 is the smaller express passenger locomotive (about twice in weight and tractive effort of a NSW 38 class or Victoria R class)
And the business car St Louis on the rear, note the "drum head" showing the Golden Spike 150 Anniversary, UP is a company more than 150 years old with a market capitalization of USD125B. Yes I need to upgrade the BAM!
And the business car St Louis on the rear, note the "drum head" showing the Golden Spike 150 Anniversary, UP is a company more than 150 years old with a market capitalization of USD125B. Yes I need to upgrade the BAM!
UP4014
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The diesel was in dynamic brake mode the whole way to give 4014 some load while various parts were worn in.
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Why is one belching black smoke, while the other has white smoke?
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UP4014
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They are both oil burners, when you have the oil tap open you're getting black and when you back off to just keeping the burners on and your steam pressure up you have clear and there is a mixture of steam making it look white. A fireman it trying to vaporize the oil, there is a pipe under the cab from the tender to a valve in front of the fireman, then to an atomizer in the firebox which creates a spray. Like igniting an aerosol can.
Here is a shot I took of 844 back in 1991 at Rock Springs WY, to clean the boiler flues you open it up and throw a shovel of sand in the fire where the oil is being atomized. An interesting point of consumption, these big locomotives are using 200 to 300 gallons of water per mile.
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UP4014
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Parked in the rail yard was this, an aircraft jet engine of some sort mounted to clear snow and ice from around the points or turnouts in the yard.
People scattered everywhere across the high plains of Wymoing
There were even photographers out in planes
Passing Citadel Rock in Green River, out in the western frontier lands
Green River depot
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People scattered everywhere across the high plains of Wymoing
There were even photographers out in planes
Passing Citadel Rock in Green River, out in the western frontier lands
Green River depot
Through the cross over at Green River pulling up at the crew room.
Under a cloud at the depot and bright sunshine on the pale hills.
www.flickr.com
UP4014
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End of the Big Boy adventure, headed south from Wyoming and back to Las Vegas, decided to visit the north rim of the Grand Canyon as it must be opening soon, the north rim is seasonal.
On arriving at the park entrance it was still closed for another day. Not to let this slow us up, we drew a mud map with retail assistant behind the counter in the local souvenir shop and found there was a series of dirt roads which we could take to the canyon rim. Was the Datsun up to the challenge, lets give it go.
The unsealed roads were a bit tricky in spots but here we have the Datsun parked on the edge of the Grand Canyon's North Rim, and I didn't have to pay an entrance fee, at the entrance gate which was closed, there is a small single lane dirt track off the right. It's about 30 miles on back country unlsealed roads. While slightly more ground clearance would have been good it was not issue as just went slowly in places.
On arriving at the park entrance it was still closed for another day. Not to let this slow us up, we drew a mud map with retail assistant behind the counter in the local souvenir shop and found there was a series of dirt roads which we could take to the canyon rim. Was the Datsun up to the challenge, lets give it go.
The unsealed roads were a bit tricky in spots but here we have the Datsun parked on the edge of the Grand Canyon's North Rim, and I didn't have to pay an entrance fee, at the entrance gate which was closed, there is a small single lane dirt track off the right. It's about 30 miles on back country unlsealed roads. While slightly more ground clearance would have been good it was not issue as just went slowly in places.
OATEK
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You certainly demonstrate the scale of the Big Boy - massive cylinders!
Looks like they ran Boxpok wheels - just like 3801!
(N.B. The Boxpok wheels were developed/patented in Granite City, Illinois.)
UP4014
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After visiting the Grand Canyon via many dirt backgrounds it was into Las Vegas. Vegas he been reported here many times so I won't go through the details of that.
I did visit some of the railroad equipment used by the Jackass and Western Railroad. The Jackass and Western was the real deal and a common carrier which operated moving nuclear bombs and rocket engines in Nevada at the "test site". They were certified for passenger haulage as well which I thought was amusing.
I did visit some of the railroad equipment used by the Jackass and Western Railroad. The Jackass and Western was the real deal and a common carrier which operated moving nuclear bombs and rocket engines in Nevada at the "test site". They were certified for passenger haulage as well which I thought was amusing.
UP4014
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A museum I highly recommend which isn't on everyone's list of things to do is Vegas is the Atomic Testing Museum, it's only one or two blocks off the strip and has many interesting stories to tell. They go through all the testing with stores of evacuation of Las Vegas in the 1950's when the wind started to turn after a surface test. The testing was so close to Vegas some of the Casinos advertised roof top viewing and there were post cards of The Strip with mushroom clouds in the background.
One thing I never know was the US had or still has a tank which could fire a nuclear bomb and there is some film of it in action, the Yanks would have build a nuclear hand grenade if they could of worked out how to throw it far enough.
And something more serious, aircraft involved in the Nightingale test. Each bomb test was give a code name. For the full list there is an interesting book called 100 Suns a photo graphic record of nuclear testing.
And for those who have everything, a geiger counter collection.
Atomic Testing Museum
I bought a book on photography while I was there, lets just say you photograph these things carefully.
One thing I never know was the US had or still has a tank which could fire a nuclear bomb and there is some film of it in action, the Yanks would have build a nuclear hand grenade if they could of worked out how to throw it far enough.
And something more serious, aircraft involved in the Nightingale test. Each bomb test was give a code name. For the full list there is an interesting book called 100 Suns a photo graphic record of nuclear testing.
And for those who have everything, a geiger counter collection.
Atomic Testing Museum
I bought a book on photography while I was there, lets just say you photograph these things carefully.
UP4014
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After a two nights in Vegas a drive via Hoover Dam and onto Kingman where the Santa Fe Railroad once ruled and onto old Route 66 via Oatman and back to LA.
Cool Springs is on Route 66 south of Kingman
Oatman is a nearly defunct township which survives on people like me driving Route 66, donkeys (Burros) roam the streets and they have fundraising raffles of a different kind.
The Datsun sits across from a new Corvette in Oatman
Storm clouds roll in on the Santa Fe transcontinental along old Route 66
Cool Springs is on Route 66 south of Kingman
Oatman is a nearly defunct township which survives on people like me driving Route 66, donkeys (Burros) roam the streets and they have fundraising raffles of a different kind.
The Datsun sits across from a new Corvette in Oatman
Storm clouds roll in on the Santa Fe transcontinental along old Route 66
UP4014
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One into greater LA stayed up in the Simi Valley for a visit to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
If only he new what was to come
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley
If only he new what was to come
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley
UP4014
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After the Ronnie museum is was time for high brow and a drive to Pasadena and the Norton Simon Gallery. Norton Simon made his billions from processed food and drink such Canada Dry among many.
He built up a sizable and notable collection of art and owned things I had only ever seen in books, van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne, Monet, Degas, Picasso the list goes on. A truly great private collection. The is also a garden full of Henry Moore and Rodin sculptures.
Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena
He built up a sizable and notable collection of art and owned things I had only ever seen in books, van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne, Monet, Degas, Picasso the list goes on. A truly great private collection. The is also a garden full of Henry Moore and Rodin sculptures.
Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena
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