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eDDie-TK β The Challenger
Published: 2010-09-03 11:01:11 +0000 UTC; Views: 9315; Favourites: 202; Downloads: 0
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Description
Union Pacific 3985 "The Challenger" the world's largest operating steam locomotive sites outside the UP yard in Cheyenne , WY. After derailing in Laramie in April 2009. She was suppose to make a test run back to Laramie, WY on Sept 1st but got canceled after breaking some engine stay bolts - the run was rescheduled for the next day - but i hear she will make the circus train run from Cheyenne to Denver in October ?Related content
Comments: 80
Sadly, UP has now retired her from service. I at least hope she'll get a cosmetic restoration and go back to display in Cheyenne like she was before.
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wish the same - but happy and gladΒ for UP 844 and UP 4014
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Yup. And who knows, maybe someday UP will find a way to return 3985 to steam, or a buyer willing to do so?
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Big Boy rocks, the heaviast loco on the world, the UP is certenlly a unique relique of the US rail history
awsome photo dude well done
carry on
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thanks - great loco - but i think currently in moth balls until after UP4014 is done (?) someone mentioned they were pulling parts of this for 4014
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Baby come back!
You can blame it all-on-me!
I was wrong, but I just can live without you. . .
Also, I think either 3985 or 5511 should have gone to the LA Fairplex to take 4014's place, or a first-hand UP SD40-2 (perhaps one of the "Fast-Forties" if any survive?) instead of an ex-MP SD40-2.
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hard to say - but sad
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She's the biggest running engine in the world! For now...
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well she's def not running - i heard they took parts of her for 4014.....but 844 ran this year
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I heard it recently got retired from revenue serviceΒ due to a crack in the boiler that was "to difficult and expensive" to fix.
Hopefully it will be put back into service once 4014 is up and steaming
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i didn't hear about a crack - but heard they are taking parts off of it for 4014 - i guess it s priority
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UP said they wernt Using Challenger or 844 parts on 4014.
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well 844 did the run for cheyenne frontier days this year - people there watching them turn it on the wye at speer, wy - said the challenger was giving up some parts (???) so not sure
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def impressive to see - hopefully it will be running soon - for UP's 150th
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I LOVE how UP is completely redoing the Steam Shop from the ground up FIRST before getting things seriously rolling with the work on 4014. Β I figure the Steam Shop needs to be fully capable of lifting 4014's boiler off its front and rear frames to enable unrestricted access to everything, and its probably a good bet too that 3985 will need that level of work too before she can run again.
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i haven't been to the steam shop in a couple of years - last timeΒ - 3985 was sitting inside
watched 4014 pass thru medicine bow on it's way to cheyenne
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Well, that's what they're doing before they can start the serious work. Β Removing the false ceiling according to publicity videos, removing diesel-related infrastructure still in the shop, putting the drop pits back in service and most importantly, re-installing super-heavy bridge cranes so they can do the mega-lifting they will need to fully disassemble 4014 and have complete access to every moving part. including the articulation joints.
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i'm stoke - they say all 3 will ride the rail on a test run - i think before the 150th (2019)
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Both this and 4014 double heading the same train would be epic.
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rumor has it - that 844 and 4014 - to - promontory point for the up's 150th ???
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I was thinking part of the reason for the Big Boy was so when one had to go down for it's 15-year inspection that would still keep two locos available. That and stomping all over the rebirth of the Norfolk Southern steam program.
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WHAT a sexy beast. I can't wait for the Big Boy to join her.
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it will be awesome - they say all three - 4014 - UP 3985 (the challenger) and UP 844 will all ride together
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its big boy well as I like to call it big one
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a real big boy is coming to cheyenne - soon - it's on it's way - UP 4014 - for restoration/working -
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i will = or you can go the the UP steam page and follow it = www.up.com/aboutup/special_traβ¦
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What is the difference between a Challenger and a Big boy?
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big boys = 4-8-8-4 / driver wheel = 68" / 25 built
challenger = 4-6-6-4 / driver wheel = 69" / 105 built
challenger series came first
you can go to the UP steam site or wiki for more info
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Ok thanks for explaining, I'm from the UK and we hardly ever use 4 8 8 4's or 4 6 6 4's
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no prob - there is a big thing happening here in the states - one of the big boys - 4014 - i think only 9 survive - is on it's way from Calf. to Cheyenne Wy - to the UP steam shop to be restored to working condition - the largest steam loco's around..... i see UP 844 all the time....i live about 50 miles from cheyenne - i've only seen the Challenger a couple of times
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She comes through my town every other year for Rail Road days, I'm from an old train community, a beautiful peice of locomotive machinery.
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yeah - i'm not far from Cheyenne WY - home to 844 and The Challenger
i see a lot of cool trains go by......
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Awesome! Do you know where the Challenger is today?
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thanks - in the steam shop in Cheyenne, WY - it's based out of there.
i hear rumors that both UP 844 and UP 3985 are gonna run tandem somewhere ????
it's incredible when its moving down the tracks - huge, but silent......
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eDDie-TK,
It's too bad the Cab-Forward in Sacto is just a static display as is the Big Boy out in Pomona. You did very well getting the whole "enchilada". Without the crud.
"Dirtbear"
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