Countdown

A year from now, in May 2019 the Union Pacific is marking the 150th Anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad. The plan is to take the only restored and (hopefully) operational Big Boy locomotive to the event.

I last saw the train four years ago, when they brought it to the UP Steam Shop here in town from California. That was the last Depot Days I went to. With the deadline approaching, thought I'd go back and see how 4 years work has progressed.

Here's a quick link to that post: http://spiritboxstudio.blogspot.com/2014/05/caution-big-boy.html

The Depot Days are still the same as before - a lot of interesting trains, but my feelings haven't changed from four years ago. All the interesting old stuff is cordoned off, you can't go into any of the trains anymore, it's just too limited and restricted for me. But it's still interesting for a few photos.

The Big Boy is - in parts. Lots of parts. Apparently the tear down is done, most everything has been repaired or rebuilt. Custom made parts are done or in the process, and they are beginning to reassemble the train. Though it looks to me like they have a looooong way to go. Considering they have less than a year to get it all together, finished, tested and operational. But they're committed to having it ready for next May. Barring any unexpected major problems, they'll likely do whatever they need to get 4014 back on the rails.

Here's some of the main drive wheels waiting to get reinstalled. Serious Heavy Metal! The cab for the train was just to the left of these wheels, it still needed some work done on it. Behind the wheels you can see some of the 844 'Living Legend' locomotive. Another shot of that one coming up soon...

The front undercarriage of the engine. Lots of parts here look like they've been rebuilt, it's painted and probably just waiting for a few other things before it can be put back in place. You can see the front of the locomotive behind it

This wide shot shows the whole boiler of the train as it is today. There were people working on it as the open house was going on. Looks a little more like a missile than a train right now with all the other parts removed. More work to be done before it can get painted and start reinstalling everything, but I'm sure it'll start looking like a Big Boy before long.

But I didn't come just to see the progress on the Big Boy. I snapped a few more photos on the rather chilly day. But it was better than the day before when it rained all day.

Here's a head-on shot of the 844 'Living Legend'. The last steam locomotive built for the Union Pacific. And the only steam locomotive never officially retired. Originally pulling passenger cars, then freight cars, it was finally put on Special Service duty. Which it still does to this day making occasional special excursion trips. The other operational steam locomotive they have, the 3985 Challenger was nowhere to be seen. Must be stored elsewhere currently.

The signal lights atop a slightly weathered old passenger car outside what's left of the Roundhouse in the rail yard. Some of the old train cars are almost like new, other like this are fair but showing some weathering. Others are just rusted, parted out hulks.

I like this somewhat weather beaten sign on the door of the Roundhouse. Inside are a number of older steam and diesel engines currently. In various conditions. Everything shows its age, just like this worn sign on the worn door of a worn old building. But they just keep on.

Outside the Roundhouse were these two old cabooses. Pretty weathered and rusted, I went with a basic black & white look for these two tired old cars.

This is an old GM Electro-motive diesel engine. These were some of the first "streamlined" diesel engines that replaced all the steam locomotives. Before they were replaced by the newer diesel locomotives still in use today. There are a couple of these older diesels in the shop. I don't know if they are operational, but they sure look like they are. They look almost like new.

Probably my favorite shot of the day. This old engine spends its days looking out the Roundhouse windows, across the railroad tracks at the restored UP Depot. Longing for the days of being out on the rails, now just watching "the kids" go by every day with their loads...

That's it for my return to Depot Days. The Countdown is on! Will Big Boy 4014 make it? Guess we'll  know in about a year.