Yeah, if it is burning correctly, it should not puke black smoke everywhere. But, I've heard that sometimes when running the excursion trains they'll put old tires in the firebox to make the smoke thick and black. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Union Pacific making plans to restore Big Boy
- Thread starter Truemac
- Start date
It just so happens that that is exactly what I want to happen! But not just cab controls (which worked on the N&W M2 Automatic but was a headache), but an entire reworking of the boiler to opereate with a Gas Producing Combustio System invented by LD Porta, the genius behind the ACE 3000. To bring a 1940s loco into the 21st century would not just be a vindication of Porta's work, but would give promise to replacing diseaseals with modern steam locomotion!
FWIW, modern stationary boilers are double or triple return flues and designed for constant, non-fluctuating output, with most structural integrity being provided by the floor. All three of these points are exactly polar to the requirements of railroads.
I would agree that 5511 would be the better choice as 838 is missing many major parts (like all of the driving rods and linkages off of the right side), the tender itself is missing its wheels and front truck. It makes sense that the UP would give the Southern California RLHS group a more complete engine.
I would say that there are reasons behind why the 5511 would only be limited to 40. One would be that its small drivers and cylinder wouldn't allow for much speed in the first place. Another would be that it is a 2-10-2 after all, so the rigid 10 coupled wheelbase may be a bit large for some tighter curves.
LD Porta was not behind the ACE 3000. Ross Rowland, Owner of C&O 614, was the man behind it. Just wanted to clear that up.
Actually, Porta did work for American Coal Enterprises (ACE) during the 1980s and (along with other engineers) was involved in the ACE 3000 project. See: http://www.trainweb.org/tusp/ult.html
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Since the topic of "modern steam locomotive design" has popped up in this thread, I thought I'd create a new thread about the latest effort to revive the steam locomotive, specifically, an effort to create the world’s cleanest, most powerful passenger locomotive that involves rebuilding a AT&SF 4-6-4 (from 1937) to burn biocoal.
http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?97397-A-Steam-Locomotive-for-the-21st-Century
http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?97397-A-Steam-Locomotive-for-the-21st-Century
Well, if we can trust Trains Magazine, then it has cropped up at least twice on their website; most recently just yesterday on the Member's Only portion. I'm not a subscriber, but I do have them on Facebook.
As far as I (we?) know, nothing has been cut in stone.......
.........cricket..............
I still don't think we should jump to conclusions before we know the truth.
No pun intended, but I'm bringing this thread back to life. Here is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50sXRl9M9AQ ,and please take all internet videos with a pinch of salt, if you don't mind.
Don't trust any of his video's. Some of his comments show his utter lack of knowledge about steam locomotives and steam railroading in General. And the Union Pacific Historical Society has no connect to the Union Pacific itself, its a Historical Society. Unless something official comes from UP, just keep hoping.
I'm saying this as someone who actually knows and has talked to Ed Dickens. And by the way....have heard nothing on the project from him, however, I have seen some interesting things on the project priority board at the UP steam shop in Cheyenne, and have noticed some strange things being worked on in Cheyenne. And that is ALL that I will say.
SuperSpeedMaglev
Wonderfully Old Fashioned
Even though I'm British, I must say, that's great news! I mean seriously ,you could pull 10 houses on wheels with Big Boy! The Whistle, the noise and the mass number of wheels make it a tamed beast on wheels!
It would be nice to have such an engine restored. As far as I understand, the main reason that it's holding the restoring project back is the lack of large enough turntables that can accommodate the engine. UP said somewhere (can't remember where, will search for more info on this matter) that there are actually two turntables that can fit the Big Boy but they are too close to each other so the trip from one turntable to the other is too short. I hope UP will find a solution to this.
Green River & Cheyenne Wyoming were the locations of the turntables big enough to handle the 4000 class. I'm sure Laramie also had one big enough. If they can locate a wye wherever they run the 4014(there has to be a good few of those around the country), then that solves some of the problem. Last I heard the UP has been able to acquire the 4014, though they're still discussing things with the SCHRS.
jacksonbarno
Alco Spoken Here
What about a wye?
SuperSpeedMaglev
Wonderfully Old Fashioned
It´s only a question of time , till someone comes along and puts a working BigBoy engine back on tracks again. If it´s not in a year it´s gonna be done some time the next 10 years. That´s America: someone will put money in a dream of everybody. Even from economical side it makes sence to invest in such a project. But that only will work with a professional management and not with a historic train club. Since the myth of the BB is unique to any other machine, people from all around the world will come to see that train working. That´s the difference. That´s why it will happen.
I think that message starting this blog is a hoax, but that´s my privat opinion. It´s a good thing if this started an informal discussion about technical issues. I like it.
I think that message starting this blog is a hoax, but that´s my privat opinion. It´s a good thing if this started an informal discussion about technical issues. I like it.