Union Pacfic: Last of the Steam Giants

[JCitron]

Here's an old Union Pacific documentary one its last steam locomotives. The famous Big Boy takes the center stage through out with some spectacular footage.

http://youtu.be/Pi7Jac3htts

John

 

[UP5521]

I found that interesting, not only the big boy, but the locomotive that came before it, the challenger type locomotive, these two designs has almost the same appearance, but the only things that makes them different would be the number of drive wheels and the position of the union pacific shield number plate, but they have something in common as with other steam locos, they are both legends of a era long gone.

 

[JCitron]

Yes! Exactly and most likely they borrowed the design bits from the challenger type when building and designing the Big Boy.

John

 

[UP5521]

yes,and the reasons why the two locomotives were brought in was to increase freight train speed and to eliminate the need of two steam locomotives on one train which costs the railroad money and then there is the issue of the extra crew members which also would have to be paid, and finally the brutal grades that forced the previous locomotive's speed to be reduced to a crawl.

 

[jjanmarine3]

I enjoyed that thoroughly ! Thanks for sharing .

 

[Paulsw2]

Excellent film! Very much enjoyed watching it and the supercharged narration - really selling the 'giant locos'!

Paul