2020 Union Pacific Steam Activities Cancelled

[Bob]

 

[Bill Anderson]

Inevitable I guess. I hope they are able to work on the challenger and 844.

 

[Bob]

Inevitable I guess. I hope they are able to work on the challenger and 844.

They won't be doing any work on the Challenger, that's for sure. Per Ed Dickens, it has been officially retired now that the Big Boy 4014 is back in steam. No work was anticipated before this mess started, and obviously this only makes it even more certain that they won't be working on it.

 

[Bill Anderson]

They won't be doing any work on the Challenger, that's for sure. Per Ed Dickens, it has been officially retired now that 3985 is back in steam.

Do you mean now that 4014 is back in steam? I suppose 3985 can be brought back into service at a alter date if it is stored properly in the steam shop.

 

[Bob]

Do you mean now that 4014 is back in steam? I suppose 3985 can be brought back into service at a alter date if it is stored properly in the steam shop.

Yes, I did. Got the two reversed, I'll edit it.

Yes, it will obviously be stored carefully in a good condition. It would be possible to bring it back to operation at some point. However the repairs that are needed are reportedly extensive though I don't know all of the details, and there's really no reason to have a "kinda really big" locomotive when you already have "the biggest ever" in operation. (Yes, "biggest locomotive" can be defined in many ways, and the Big Boy isn't the biggest by some measures. But it's generally accepted as such.)

 

[Bill Anderson]

Yes, I did. Got the two reversed, I'll edit it.

Yes, it will obviously be stored carefully in a good condition. It would be possible to bring it back to operation at some point. However the repairs that are needed are reportedly extensive though I don't know all of the details, and there's really no reason to have a "kinda really big" locomotive when you already have "the biggest ever" in operation. (Yes, "biggest locomotive" can be defined in many ways, and the Big Boy isn't the biggest by some measures. But it's generally accepted as such.)

I thought maybe the 4014 and 3985 could swap duties when time comes to haul the Big Boy in for maintenance and repairs. I wish the active steam engines could be used in limited helper service on Sherman Hill for the entertainment of railfans, but there is little or no public access to most of those tracks.

 

[Bob]

I thought maybe the 4014 and 3985 could swap duties when time comes to haul the Big Boy in for maintenance and repairs. I wish the active steam engines could be used in limited helper service on Sherman Hill for the entertainment of railfans, but there is little or no public access to most of those tracks.

When the time comes for maintenance, they'll simply do the same thing they did while finishing up the Big Boy. They'll pause the program for however long it would take. Then again, this is the Union Pacific. IF, and it's a big IF, they decided they wanted to do it, there's no reason the rebuild couldn't be completed over a single winter. Full time professional crews and a steam shop that has everything and anything they need. A few months of work and she'd be done.

As for railfans? The UPRR doesn't care about entertaining railfans. They care about shareholder value. The entire steam program is about good PR. They get great press and every time some big city TV station does a "Union Pacific brought the world's largest steam locomotive to town today!" fluff piece, the PR department smiles.

Now that the Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Days trains are cancelled, there is no excursion program left to speak of.

The program is small and purely a show of corporate pride. There have been consistent rumors that once the big 150th anniversary system wide tour was over, the steam program is too. I have no idea if that's true. Things change, plans change. Who knows, it may last for decades. Or maybe they've already turned their last wheel and they won't run again. As with many things right now, the future is uncertain.