https://railfan.com/up-donates-two-steam-locomotives-to-non-profit-challenger-to-run-again/ UP 5511 hasn't run since retired “UP in Smoke Foundation” to fund the restoration of the steam engines. Donation also includes Centennial 6936 as well as a group of varnish and an original E9B. It's exciting to hear this fine engine will steam again: And even more exciting to see efforts to restore UP 5511 built by Baldwin in Sep 1923, retired in Jul 1962. https://utahrails.net/up-steam-roster/up05-1915-1962-19.php A sister engine, 5512, Ron V. Nixon photo: https://arc.lib.montana.edu/mor/rvndb/rvn_caption_jpeg_rec.php?objno=RVN24132
Wow, that's crazy! Wonder why UP is shedding all this historic equipment? I can see the 5511 and even the 3985, but the Centennial 6936?! Wow! Gonna be interesting to see this change of hands, gonna' be some serious financing for this....
Nice to see those magnificent beasts restored and taken care of by people interested in maintaining rail heritage and history. To have 3985 back up and steaming will be great, and seeing a big 2-10-2 running will be quite the sight too.
Same questions here. The timing of world and US economic issues, troubles with PSR and getting enough train crews but still posting solid profits, just has me wondering- why so suddenly, and now?
Same here. Some sort of real financial decision? (Which would be difficult to believe, considering profitability, and the actually TINY amount by comparison, invested in the steam program. Which could likely be written of as part of advertising/public relations expenses. Thus reducing actual outlay...) Or a smoke screen to divert eyes and minds away, and create some much needed positive feelings right now?
Smoke and mirrors. I'm sure the PR value of the steam program is well-programmed into the expense report. The donation would be a huge tax writeoff, too, doncha think? Same here. How many 2-10-2s operate today? I can't think of any, and not many were saved to begin with.
At Exporail there's one nicely restored 2-10-2, CN 4100, but it's on static display. I've never heard of her being steamed up or operated. There's also CP 5935, a 2-10-4 though, one of CP's Selkirks, built on the same semi-streamlined scheme as the Royal Hudsons. I haven't heard of that one operating either.
I guess the Silvis shops will still be useful, which is great to see. And steam there?!! Hoo boy! I guess a trip to that part of the world may be in order!
I guess the Silvis shops will still be useful, which is great to see. And steam there?!! Hoo boy! I guess a trip to that part of the world may be in order!
Very great news ! So now one can expect one day to see #3985 working as a double-header with Big Boy #4014 ! Dom
I doubt it. Seems irresponsible risking causing an earthquake that way. Can you imagine the lawsuits?
You won't see me running to the phone to call a lawyer. Not with that kind of tremor! Trainquakes are the best quakes! Come to think of it, it would be more like a traveling volcano. Steam, smoke, ash, cinders... without all the inconvenience of hot lava burning things up.
The BNSF coal trains and oil trains running by my place make the coffee in my cup ripple from the pounding of those cars, so I can only imagine those steamers together shaking the ground!! We had a great Sounders FC game the other night where the crowd was so wild, it caused a 3.1 on the Richter scale, so it's easy to see the earth shaking as these rolled by!
Yes. Their steam program is a great PR tool. Yet this serves to somewhat minimize that potential. They will certainly claim such a write-off. But after posting record profits, I cannot see any actual need to pursue such an action.
I hope so, too. But they have all kinds of repairs to make, to boiler, running gear and appliances. The tender will need to be converted to oil. Parts 'borrowed' in the restoration of 4014 must be replaced. It will require huge dollars to be invested. So,.....