Todd Clark, webmaster of the rail fan subscription website Trainorders.com based in California, posted that he had heard through a good source that Union Pacific's 3985 will pull a 61 car Ringling's Blue Circus train from Speers, Wyoming to Denver, Colorado, departing at dawn on September 28. The train will depart from Salt Lake City on September 27 and pickup the steam locomotive near Cheyenne. A media blitz is planned and the hope is the large media outlets will cover the event. Union Pacific will be adding media coaches to the train so media can ride along. It is expected 50,000 people will follow the move to Denver. |
Friday, August 06, 2010
From Richard Flint
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17 comments:
"mmmmmmmmmm.....50'000 people you say!
Dick, at the next staff meeting it might be wise to suggest running some concessions overland to trail the train!
Two of my favorites, circus and trains. Wish I could be in Colorado to see this. Hope the media does a good job of showing it.
Wonder if they put a slave diesel
behind the tank engine or if they
use 1 as a pusher
Also wonder how they might link
the controls if they do
Buckles don't you think that
Sells Floto would have that
covered in spades
Wow that soft coal soot certainly
makes for a great visual statement
PURE BARNUM AND 100 PERCENT AMERICAN !
Suggest that everyone on this blog forward the link to 100 friends and try and get 100,000 people to show up for this historic occasion.
It does not get any better than this !
Everything written after “posted that” is a direct quote from the Trainorders website (somehow you dropped the quote marks!) so the figures are either UP’s or the rail enthusiasts estimates. There’s quite a buzz on the rail websites and one other fellow wrote “One wonders what the WEATHER will be like in that region on September 28, 2010 -- as well as conditions on parallel highways and interstates for those chasing the train. Hope it goes off but gridlock will be the chase rule of the day. Hope somebody with one of those winged whirly things does a DVD.”
Your comment about concessions reminds me when I worked at the Smithsonian in the early ;80s and had Ward Hall as a participant in a festival I produced. He heard that the week following the event there was to be a big religious gathering on the Mall. He contemplated staying for it thinking how many miniature Bibles he could pitch!
Dick Flint
Baltimore
That ought to be a thrilling sight.
I do not think an RBBB train has been pulled by steam since the 1980s. The late Bob MacDougall, when he was GM of the Red, told me that the show played a California date near a rail museum. It had a working steam locomotive that was hooked up to a section of circus cars and pulled it a short distance.
Main line steam operations were virtually gone from the USA by the time RBBB discontinued its operations as a rail transported field show.
Even so, the show trains were pulled by steam in 1955 in Vermont (first and last time RBBB ever played in that State). Central of Vermont was a subsidiary of Canadian National, and it used steam in its main line operations after the US railroads were done with it.
It's interesting that in lieu of using some of UP's newest and most sophisticated diesel-electric locomotives, to demonstrate "state of the art" operations, RBBB is planning to use UP Challenger 3985, which was completed and went into service in 1943. They still perceive some value in history and heritage, on occasion.
Despite steam being gone from mainline rail operations for longer than the railroad tent circus [1956], it still has a drawing power that nothing else on rails equals. This was typically demonstrated with larger crowds attending the passage of the Old Milwaukee Days Special or the Great Circus Train, when pulled by a steam locomotive.
Unfortunately, too many people don't know the difference between the two types of motive power, such is the poor status of general public knowledge---honestly.
It was uncommon for an articulated to be assigned to a show train. Single sections were too light to make appropriate use of their great power. There's a few photos showing them in use, a circa 1915 SP cab forward on Sells-Floto and a N&W Class A 2-6-6-4 on a RBBB train.
How cool is this?!!??
The UP's 3985 (Challenger-type) has a huge following. It's a sight to behold. Designed to pull heavy freight tonnage over mountain territory, so RBBB train should be no problem.
UP will very likely have a "distributed power" diesel or two directly behind the steam engine's tender to provide additional HP and to serve as a back up in the unlikely event that 3985 develops mechanical problems.
Kudos to RBBB for pulling this off. This is going to be terrific national publicity for the show. Can't wait!
Again, some informative postings from the Trainmaster,com website: Txhighballer wrote that “The 3985 should not need any help with that train. It should be well within her tonnage rating...” to which someone added “we all know that 3985 can haul 120 doublestack container cars!” However, “the three [diesel] units bringing the train out of Salt Lake City WILL REMAIN on the train into Denver.” Another explained that "the Challenger is NOT a coal-burning engine; some Circus managers were concerned, at first, about any hot coal cinders settling back into the stock cars (up front, behind the power) that could presumably catch hay bales on fire. Their fears were belayed when they found out that the Challenger burns No. 5 Oil, and NOT coal.” Another rail enthusiast noted “She's the largest steam locomotive operating in the world today, and the Blue Unit is the longest passenger (mixed) train in Earth History, with quite a few former U.P. streamliner-era passenger cars in its consist. Perfect fit, if you ask me!"
Dick Flint
Baltimore
Again, some informative postings from the Trainmaster,com website: Txhighballer wrote that “The 3985 should not need any help with that train. It should be well within her tonnage rating...” to which someone added “we all know that 3985 can haul 120 doublestack container cars!” However, “the three [diesel] units bringing the train out of Salt Lake City WILL REMAIN on the train into Denver.” Another explained that "the Challenger is NOT a coal-burning engine; some Circus managers were concerned, at first, about any hot coal cinders settling back into the stock cars (up front, behind the power) that could presumably catch hay bales on fire. Their fears were belayed when they found out that the Challenger burns No. 5 Oil, and NOT coal.” Another rail enthusiast noted “She's the largest steam locomotive operating in the world today, and the Blue Unit is the longest passenger (mixed) train in Earth History, with quite a few former U.P. streamliner-era passenger cars in its consist. Perfect fit, if you ask me!"
Dick Flint
Baltimore
Sorry about repeating a post as i meant to send this:
The name Challenger was given to steam locomotives with a 4-6-6-4 wheel arrangement. This means that they have four wheels in the leading "pilot" truck, which helps guide the locomotive into curves; two sets of six "driving" wheels, and finally, four "trailing" wheels, which support the rear of the engine and its massive firebox. Each set of driving wheels has its own steam cylinder. In essence, the result is two engines under one boiler. The frame of the locomotive is "articulated," or hinged, to allow it to go through curves. When watching the approaching locomotive go through a curve, you can see the boiler swing out left or right independently of the lower half of the engine, as the rear half of the locomotive remains in a straight direction until its wheels and frame are halfway through the curve. Further, according to the Union Pacific website, the Challengers were designed for fast freight service, but occasionally pulled passenger trains.
Dick Flint
Baltimore
Regarding the use of articulated steam locos pulling show trains - I recall seeing some photos of these on Al G. Barnes trains from the '20s and '30s. Illustrated those those great Joe Bradbury stories in White Tops.
In any event, September will bring a thrill not seen in generations!
Yes That IS Quite a Sight -
Bringing to mind the first time as a Boy I put a penny on what I think was then the Seasonal Train Tracks of a soon to be extinct Steam Locomotive ( Much smaller than the one shown here ) almost doubling Its Size - Yet keeping Its Design Fairly Intact after the Train ran over IT , as I watched in Awe from just 10 Ft. away in the weeds along the Clifside as it Chugged along the Ole Raritan Bay Line into Highlands , N.J.
What a Beautifull Sight that was !
( Buckles ; I pointed that General Location across the Bay out to you one afternoon when I visited you at that BAC Staten Island Park Date 1996 ish )
In 1965 ; I put in a work year as a Gandy Dancer just a mile west of Sandy Hook , at the Earl Navy Amunitions Base with A Work Gang out of Austin Texas , Restoring the many miles of Railroad Line & Road Crossings from Colts Neck to the end of the 2 1/2 Mile Long Leonardo Pier , where they load the Ships . IT was a Blazen Hot Sweaty Summer with plenty of Old Ties Itchy Creasote Dust , a Fabulous Autumn inland with plenty of White Tailed Deer all around grazing daily & a Damp , Cold & Tough Winter to Work , but also came a Lifestyle like that Out of An Ole Black & White Movie , along with The Charactors that were REAL & Exciting : like Curly ; a Marvin Hagler look-a-like with a Shaved & Polished Head who Sang these Odd Work Songs All Day Long , with his 300 lb. Brother ; whos Hair was Constantly Processing under A 50s Tablecloth Do-Rag Bandana ( Little Richard Style ) while swinging thoes Long Slender Head Malls , Driving Spikes - Never Missing a Hit or a Beat !
Meanwhile ; I worked with Eddy , there 125 lb. Older Brother who Packed a 32 Cal. under his belt
24 / 7 & kept a Pinch Pint in his Long Sleeve Shirt Pocket & NEVER Spoke or Ate much -
These 3 Brothers were just a few guys out of a gang of about 15 who all lived togeather in a BIG Old Victorian House & along with bringing there tasty freshly cooked lunch ( Rice & Red Beans made fresh before leaving home every morning & packed in a Large Cooler ) they also ate a handful of the Hotest Peppers I Ever Had like Cellery Every Day .
I could say this was MY Boot Camp Days , Keeping Up & In with that Gang & it holds some Bold Memories of a Remote , Strong HARD WORK Experiance looking far Back At IT all today .
I too would like to see & hope A HD Vidio Documentary is made of this RB,B&B Colorado Mountain Run.
Actually now I recall ;
There was an IMAX FILM with the RB,B&B Circus Train in It going through the Rocky Mountains at Circus World , Fl. that was Great Visual Footage curving all around & along the rivers edge etc. !
That Imax film Bud was made for
& shown in the Circus World park
in the James A Bailey Theater
It was beautifully edited
I wonder who might have a copy
And by the way Bud my pennies
ended up as tremendous ovals
You Tube has a couple videos of UP 3985
Here is a link to the locomotive in full speed action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OgSNQOTw2U
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