The Big Boy is out and about again. It's in my hometown of Poplar Bluff Missouri this morning. It will be heading South to Arkansas later today. And several other states, eventually ending up back where it started in Cheyenne.
https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm
Edited by - MoPac fan on 09/13/2024 04:49:39
My grandparents lived in a little town along the railroad tracks, 8 miles South of the yards in Poplar Bluff. About 10 or 15 minutes after the train leaves the station, it will pass through Harviell Missouri. Back in the day, I would have been standing by the tracks and after the caboose went by, I would run up on the track and catch the back draft. It was always interesting living next to the railroad track.
Wow...an 8-week tour. Wish it was coming to a location near me.
I take my kids on scenic train rides almost every year. Last month we did the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.
Edited by - Buddur on 09/13/2024 09:51:04
facebook.com/share/r/DdfuHc9Yk...id=oFDknk
My friend Judy lives in Poplar Bluff. She got this video of the train backing out of P.B. All the way to Dexter Missouri, 25 miles due East. There used to be a roundhouse in Poplar Bluff years ago.
That’s neat…I sure wish I could see it.
That particular Big Boy has had a lot of work and modifications done to it to make it electronically compliant with the PTC computers that have been mandated for class 1 railroads. Also some neat electronic mods so that it can control the Diesel-Electric locomotives in the train behind it when so equipped.
Union Pacific made a good PR move financing the restoration of that engine…and allowing it to tour the system. I wish the other class 1’s would follow suit.
quote:
Originally posted by Texican65That’s neat…I sure wish I could see it.
That particular Big Boy has had a lot of work and modifications done to it to make it electronically compliant with the PTC computers that have been mandated for class 1 railroads. Also some neat electronic mods so that it can control the Diesel-Electric locomotives in the train behind it when so equipped.
Union Pacific made a good PR move financing the restoration of that engine…and allowing it to tour the system. I wish the other class 1’s would follow suit.
I noticed that diesel-electric loco mid-train.
Interesting that she had to back to Dexter. There used to be a roundhouse in Poplar Bluff, years ago during the steam era. I was mistaken about the train heading South from Poplar Bluff passing in front of the house my grandparents used to live in. The train went east to Dexter Missouri, then South to Akansas. This route passes through Wynne Arkansas, where there is a Wye, a place were trains can actually turn around.
Edited by - MoPac fan on 09/14/2024 08:11:35
I grew up very close to train tracks and to this day the sound of a freight approaching , louder and louder, then the horn blast and roar, then the bell fading into the distance, all make one of the best symphonies that I've ever heard.
quote:
Originally posted by banjo bill-eI grew up very close to train tracks and to this day the sound of a freight approaching , louder and louder, then the horn blast and roar, then the bell fading into the distance, all make one of the best symphonies that I've ever heard.
Yes sir. If the Southbound trains had a green board, they wouldn't even slow down in front of grandpa's house. There was a highway crossing 1/8 mile from the house, so there was a 2X sign on the railroad right in front of the house telling the engineer to blow the whistle twice as a warning to cars. This was fine at daytime, but they had to blow the horns in the middle of the night too. The house would rattle as a freight tain rolled past at 3 in the morning blowing the train whistle. But we got used to it.
Edited by - MoPac fan on 09/14/2024 08:50:14
All that I get these days is trash trains.
No, seriously. My office is in a boatyard on Cape Cod, and one of the last remaining rail lines on Cape Cod is less than 50 yards from my office. Twice a day, the trash train comes by - once headed for pickup, once heading north loaded. I never fail to count the cars.
To get the trash off the Cape, the trains must cross this bridge:
...which, as you imagine, goes up and down:
It was built in the 1930s. So were the bridges than we drive across to get on and off the Cape. They can be a white-knuckle experience - by modern standards, they should be one lane in each direction, and they're two. God help you if you need to both fart and sneeze at the same time while crossing one.
I think one must be of (ahem) a certain age to love trains. Even though most of the trains where I grew up carried commuters, I have never lost my love for them. Even when they carry trash to landfills.
Edited by - eagleisland on 09/14/2024 16:39:08
Y'all should take a ride on the Alaska Railroad, and check out the engines they use for snow removal.
They have different types of passenger cars. Get the one that has the clear ceiling and lets you stand between the cars.
We here have a train museum in Willimatic ct..
Neet to go see..
Alaska Railroad.
Note the cars with the observation decks. Any car with a clear dome will do, whether exposed or not. They're usually the ones in which you can stand between the cars on a small platform - just be careful leaning out. Seems like they're called the Adventure or Gold Star cars nowadays.
You can ride it from Anchorage up toward Denali.
youtube.com/watch?v=6evvHiKEIIo
youtube.com/watch?v=RA43XvLwa2c
Fig will like this. You need controlled avalanches to avoid uncontrolled avalanches.
youtube.com/watch?v=m42jaXAgOO0
Clearing snow. It's a bit different in parts of Alaska, California, and other places.
youtube.com/watch?v=eA_-XXt8vgg
youtube.com/watch?v=kealBLzpeWs
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