Bassically, discuss the FEF series 4-8-4's to anything larger used on the railroad. Here's a few pictures.
UP 844, an FEF-3, came to Oklahoma last year for our Centinenel celebration and was quite a sight. I believe the last FEFs saw service up to 1960 mostly, snow removal work and other stuff. UP's "steam site" says that 844 was in freight service from 1957 to 1959 then saved for 'special service.'
I had thought that the last regular revenue service steam engine runs on the UP took place in Summer of 1959, ending in August, to accommodate a Summer peak in shipments, and that the steam engines used then included at least some Big Boys and Challengers. I don't know if any FEFs were also used during that Summer peak of 1959. I don't know if there was any non-excursion (non-tourist) uses of UP steam in 1960 (i.e. snow removal, etc) but I sure would be interested in hearing more about this, if this were the case. It is true that FEF 844 was never removed from UP's active roster, but that does not mean that it was actually employed for any non-excursion usage in late 1959 or 1960 - for example, I had read that there were several UP Big Boys that were stored in a serviceable state on UP property at least until 1961, until such time that UP was fully confident that their desiel locos could handle any peak in business that might arise. So these Big Boys were not removed from the roster until 1961 (or something like that).
IIRC, the only steam hauling revenue trains in 1959 were Challengers in Nebraska in June and Big Boys in Wyoming in July. I've heard of the FEFs as yard snow removers. I don't know if any steam hauled work trains. This definitely isn't a work train, though. http://www.daveswebshop.com/railcards_13.shtml
I dug out a paperback book called "Union Pacific Steam Survivors" by Lloyd Stagner and looked up the FEF (4-8-4) section. According to this book #844 made its last regular passenger runs in late 1958. The book also says that only #838 made regular runs in 1959 ending in July. I have not found any more information about what UP did with the FEF's between then and retirement. This book also has Challenger information. The coal fired 3900s last saw regular service in 1957 with the oil fired and renumbered 3700s seeing service into 1958. 3713 ran last on July 23, 1958. It notes that 3710 was the last Challenger in use - as a snow melter! - in the winter of 1961. 3710 was last under steam in 1966. I need a better book!
Well, here's a Challenger [No. 3985] in modern times. My book says it's at Cheyenne waiting to be restored back to working order. [/url][/IMG] And here are two pages about the FEF, from the same book. If you find them hard to read, then don't. [/url][/IMG] [/url][/IMG]
Challenger 3985 will be on display in St. Paul, Minn for the Republican National Convention Aug 29 - Sept 15 this year. FEF-3 #844 will be on display in Denver, Co for the Democratic National Convention Aug 20-Aug 28 this year.
