That famous quote attributed to Einstein, who did not actually originate it: "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". It might help some if our schools actually taught relevant world history. But they do not.
The UP Steam Club just announced: For the final time this year, the Big Boy No. 4014 will ride the rails on the Union Pacific system. We're calling it "The Great Race Across the Southwest." No. 4014 will leave Cheyenne Sept. 27, and travel to locations in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. Display locations include: Oct. 2-3: Provo, Utah Oct. 7: Las Vegas, Nev. Oct. 10-11: Greater Los Angeles Area Oct. 18: Tucson, Ariz. Oct. 21-22: El Paso, Texas Courtesy of Union Pacific.
I can't wait for the Big Boy to come through Idaho Country. Most likely next spring. It's been fun here on TrainBoard and I've enjoyed the camaraderie with all of you. You can keep this thread going or not. It won't matter to me. Have fun. BarstowRick Out.
I perhaps jumped at something a bit to soon. My Internet Service here in Nampa, Idaho is poor at best. I'm on a metered hot spot working off a cell phone. When the meter goes tilt (and I have no way of knowing when that is) it's near impossible to get anything done. I figured I was riding a wave that was about to crash on the beach and that would be the end of that. For now I'm back. There are a number of new videos out there and UP's 4014, The Big Boy is once again on the move. So we should see more new videos before to long. Some of the ones I looked at the panning was so bad, well...I didn't figure it was worth bringing here. If it gives me motion sickness. I think you get my drift. If only I was in charge of the edit button. So let's pick it up from here and see where this takes us.
It was disappointing to watch the Big Boy literally fly through Barstow, Ca., without even a hint of slowing down. I don't know why but Barstow is not a favorite spot for UP. Anyway the next stop is Victorville, Ca. I've been told a 45 minute stop. ???? I don't think they will be taking on water and that's hardly early enough in the day for a service stop. Anyway, should you have the opportunity to catch it in person, do so. It'll be worth it.
Although the Santa Fe passed through Bakersfield where its line coming down the valley joined up with the SP to get over Tehachapi, there were no major ATSF facilities there other than an icing rack for its refer trains. The major Santa Fe facilities were at San Bernardino and Barstow. Late in WWII they opened a brand new purpose built diesel shop in Barstow and shifted most steam work to San Bernardino.
Time to play catch-up. Here is a very fine video of Big Boy heading out to Barstow via the Cajon Pass.
I'll start with an apology. I wrote the following only after reading Russell Straw's input. Then I went back a-ways to read the other posts and got caught up. The heart of Santa Fe in the West? That's a good question. I would side with Barstow, Ca. for train classification and the network of mainlines that it connects. San Bernardino? Fits being the heart of Santa Fe. Heart Beat? Locomotive assembly, rebuilds, repairs and servicing I talk more about this as I continue but I would side with San Bernardino. It was also the heart of dispatching for years. As well as Santa Fe's mainline operations, offices. I digress. Russell, you aren't in error about Santa Fe as it wasn't the biggest operation but your perception of Bakersfield, may be off a bit. I'll focus on a time frame from around the 40's through the 50's. It is without a doubt true, that the major facilities for both repairs, rebuilds and fabrication of steam diesel and freight cars was in San Bernardino, Ca. Barstow's diesel shop was primarily a servicing point. They did very well with some diesel rebuilds but most of that was done in San Bernardino. I might add here that in a train accident at Martinez spur, 70's, a wash out and three diesels seriously damaged. It was the shops in San Bernardino that rebuilt them. They later came out as SD45 cabless units. The original numbers allegedly retired. Bakersfield, Ca. Santa Fe had a classification yard, roundhouse, passenger train station, and service facilities along with a several minor repair facilities. RIP tracks for repairing cars. Freight Depot or I heard it described as "Freight House" and several types of car loading tracks. A number of short spur lines IE., Out to Taft, Ca, it left Bakersfield to handle tank car loads of oil. Down into the farming districts north and south of Bakersfield all serving various Packing houses when harvest season was in full tilt. Locomotives needed servicing and when diesels showed up...well...the action didn't stop. Bakersfield was where Santa Fe put together all the trains heading both north and south. SP only superseded them because it was their mainline and the jumping off point to head up the hill, Tehachapi Pass. Most freight car loads of perishables was delivered to Bakersfield, Ca., via all kinds of smaller locals and some hot shots coming out of Central California. These were quickly made up into reefer blocks or other mixed merchandise or manifest trains and pulled, shoved (anyway they could get'r done) over the hill. For Rails it was a busy place and time. For Railfans & Toy Train enthusiast, drooling all over the place. Foamers as the Rails called us. It was a great time, great place and more action then you could take in. Passenger trains! What a time it was for both Santa Fe and Southern Pacific. Mail Trains! Amazing what they did, how the trains looked the helpers that shoved them over the hill. If you want a definition for "Amazing." You got it.
Ken, I'll see if I can find that switch and throw it for you. Let's see is it worth the jail time? ...I don't think so.
