1 interesting fact about the challenger class locomotives is the fireboxes were so big that it would take too long to shovel anough coal into them to get them up & running so the factory built a special auger into them running from the tender to the firebox that fills the coal.
i live in wisconsin so we got a train museum in greenbay that has a UP Big Boy No. 4017 stored in the Train shed along with a PRR GG1, an Aero Train, & a LNER/British Railways A4 No. 60008 "Dwight D. Eisenhower"
Well done on this parallel-drive vid of American Locomotive's largest currently-active product. This single-expansion articulated with trailer booster has the reserve power to handle trains that would choke the comparably-large British 4-6-2's (e.g. the London & Northeastern's Gresley Class A3, with their 80" drivers, which are optimized for express passenger and mail duty).
@titup2 It doesn't matter that much really once you get it up to 70 MPH. The real telling would be the grades, but for this 4-6-6-4 Challenger, I don't think that would be much of a problem...
amazing that this fine piece of machinery weighs 560+ tons and can reach up to 70 mph travels for several hours with out stopping, and pull 1000's of tons of freight behind it. this is raw power. trains period, are very efficient technology.
@hasnachos is it true they didnt make that speed of 70 mph back than it would aways go 15 to 23 mph and wats efficient technology that good didnt they add in some kind of fuel in it make it go faster
i dont know alot about these, but i love seein em. the first thought that crossed my mind when i seen this was, how fast do those piston arms wear out?? thats alot of movement! do they still run these regularly to move cars or just to excersize it an keep it running?? awesome vid
Beautiful. I found this while looking for 'choo choo' videos for my 2 year old son. It warms my heart to know that mainline steam powerhouses like 3985 and 844 are still in action. When my son is a little older a trip out west will be in order to see one of these giants in action.
Beautiful. I found this while looking for 'choo choo' videos for my 2 year old son. It warms my heart to know that mainline steam powerhouses like 3985 and 844 are still in action. When my son is a little older a trip out west will be in order to see one of these giants in action.
Hey Skip.....What kind of sound equipment do you use that allows you to get all the great sounds of the locomotive and almost no noise from air passing your car window? It's almost like a Hollywood production ! Very outstanding videos, by the way, Skip !!!
in total power even a lima berk has just as much power if not more so then 80 percent of the diesel electro ge ever turned out. at 4000, and they would often pull alone if I hear correct dont know how many times they would double head, but they are much more labor intensive and resource intensive then electro locos, and have better thermal effecentcy then a steamer, I wish the steamers could return to the rails at steam turbine or something but so far nothing viable yet, turbine use much fuel
What a beautiful giant.Lets put the money Biden proposed for highspeed souless rail and reintroduce steam and turn out some all new and improved giants,heck you'd see me buying tickets to ride behind those.
Many thanks for your reply sir. China is many things,but what it isn't is stupid. lt will never put all it's eggs in one basket. China has vast reserves in the coal fields and it knows the value of it. No one can hold you to ransome on fuel when you have coal,but we seem to have forgotten that fact..at least for now.
Personally,l don't believe the age of steam locomotion is dead just yet. Correct me if l'm wrong,but didn't the Swiss build a brand new state of the art engine a few years back? l seem to remember seeing it on a trial run. l believe it was an ultra clean alcohol burner and had lagging so efficient that 12 hrs after shut down the boiler was still close to temperature and she could roll in just minutes. lt even looked like a classic loco,'cept no smoke,just a trace of steam. So,don't give up yet !
Jai toute une collection au complet a vendre . Grosseur o scale .Avec décors pont tournant , pont monter a l échelle d un original . S V P laisser message a zoe_l.brin@hotmail.com Merci .
Awsome video !!!Ole 3985 is my favorite bigboys little brother ha ha little noway!!Powerfull fast great engine yes!! Will someone tell me why the heck won't they rebuild one of the 4000 class bigboys ??They got a lot of them i have heard and with all the money there is in this country and all the steam fans around it makes no sense to me why not bring atleast one back to life? Bigboy 6,000 horsepower those disels would be scared of that ...
@staydput A bigboy can run on any track that a challenger can and 3985 goes every where!!Thats not why bigboys are in museums.Nobody can tell me why even one bigboy is not been rebuilt?
@arkansastrash320 Answer: rate of track maintenance... Big Boyz sucked up the track crews. Same thing with 4-10-4 locos... They worked -- Nazi Germany built them by the thousand... But they're a railroad HELL for track maintenance. The western roads pioneered articulated steam BECAUSE they saved the rails. Challenger was so awesome on drag duty that Big Boy was ordered. Challenger not only dragged well -- she was passenger grade. Power AND speed. But not cheap.
@arkansastrash320 Yes they can... But the repair crews are on overtime. Perhaps you don't know... These monsters were restricted to climbing the grade on the heaviest of rails, in the middle of coal country. Then they headed back to the round house. They were THAT heavy. They wore out the rails. That's what did them in. Further, steam POUNDS the rails. Unlike diesel -- they can not deliver smooth torque. View in sol-mo the classics. You'll see that it is impossible for steam to smooth.
Steam "pounds the rails" due to the fact that the cylinders are are "quartered" - 9o degrees offset in order to avoid stalling if you accidentally stop on top or bottom dead center.
This results in what is known as "dynamic augment" (a twisting force that causes the locomotive to roll from side to side) and "nosing" as the forces also lift and drop the nose of the locomotive. The cure for this is simple, and has been known for years - cylinders at each end. Google the "ACE 3000".
What a beauty! Makes me smile too. I suppose 70mph would be an easy cruise for this locomotive, and could probably just as easily do 80 or 90, were it not for the hammer effect on the rails of those con rods pounding up and down. Some rail road owners permit private steam excursions but impose a speed limit for the above reason. Thanks for the fine posting. Greetings from New Zealand.
@phillymetalhead same here. Seeing one of the 4000 Class out there would be even better, but it would take 15-30 years to restore one to running order.
Skip is almost right about it being the world's largest engine.The Big Boy which is a 4-8-8-4 is the largest steam locomotive ever built, weight's in at one million two hundred thousand pounds locomotive and tender and the 4-6-6-4 weight just at a million pounds. Sorry Skip,But 5 stars for the video buddy
@ajkopy Skip IS correct in stating that #3985 is the World's Largest OPERATING steam locomotive... Unless you know of a Big Boy that is operating somewhere and kept from the rest of the world....
@sgtstop I was just about to emphasize the fact that Skip stated OPERATING. You beat me to it. They tried to get a Big Boy up and running a few years back but the moving rods were too far gone.
Another neat thing was your locale. You filmed the steamer coming into a town with a cylindrical water tower & corrogated sheet metal sided grain elevators; steam era structures!
Okay... let me get this straight. I heard the Challenger was retired. Now I find out it's in such good shape it can go 70 mph... next there's going to be footage of the Daylight if it keeps going at this rate!
Part Six. The result is a machine that can really look its diesel brethren in the eye in respect of of such important matters as availability and cleanliness, and really wipe the floor with them when it comes to fuel costs in South Africa and other places with limited oil reserves. These concepts were first pioneered by the Argentinian Steam Locomotive Engineer L.D. Porta, and improved upon by British engineer David Wardale. Due to Youtube's character limit there will be a seventh part.
@MrFarmer110 Good info & thanks, At Cheyenne Depot Days a few years back I listened to Lynn Nystrom discussing that research development for steam stopped in the early 50s on slide rules, and Diesels have enjoyed the advantages of computer and CAD in their development since the 60's So what would a really modern steam locomotive have looked like, if the concentrations on their design and development had been the same.
@SkipW In fact, during the 1970s a major engineering project that never came to full fruition worked on developing steam power that could compete on an economic basis with diesel. Fluidised bed coal firebox, more efficient extractors, cylinders at both ends with cranked axles (to elimniate track damage from dynamic augment) and a lot of other stuff. (Google "The Ultimate Steam Page" "ACE 3000")
well I would love to know myself, the brits did build one from scratch but it took 20 years to make that replica due to funding and so on, and there is only soo much you can get out of a steamer due to lots of the conversion of the coal to steam, only soo much can be done.
I would love to see one with a fancy steam turbine but they just cant make it fesable yet, and its a shame with our coal reserves it will last longer then oil.
@MrFarmer110 Glad to see you write that. You know the REAL REASON all developed nations changed from coal steam engines to oil? THE WORLD BANK. The World Bank's "currency" is crude oil. If a nation runs on coal it can stay independent. Coal is abundant, cheap and can be used mostly "as is" out of the ground. Crude oil must be refined. They've done this to the U.S., India, Africa & China. Get a nation dependent upon crude oil and the World Bank can CONTROL IT. That is what's wrong now.
@4freespeech Not only that but in my opinion it's more environmentally friendly. Think about it, as you said coal can be pretty much used the minute you dig it up, just clean it and your good to go. Oil on the other hand requires you to, pump it out of the ground, transport it, refine it, transport it AGAIN, and then put it in your tank and then use it. All of which requires energy which means that you are polluting more by using diesel than you would coal.
So long as the water doesn't have any major impurities, like silt or leaves it is fine. Also what is your definition of 'cheap labor' ? Personally I don't think you need to have cheap labor to run a steam locomotive, on top of that steam locomotives are more flexible than diesel or electric, just so long as they have fuel and water you will have steam.
The amount of water used by these engines is simply tremendous. The boiling process step-wise concentrates what ever trivial impurities in the feed water to serious levels faster than you might imagine. Everyone of the procedures exists due to shear experience.
Once the first diesels faced off against steam the industry was stunned at the reduction in maintenance. A century ago it took 1,000,000 men to operate the rails. And now? !!!
@staydput Well let's look at the facts here. 100 years ago they didn't have computers, nor did they have the same technology that we have today. Such as Ballast Regulators, Bridge Crane's, On Track Brushcutter's, Tie Crane's and Yard Cleaner's just to name a few. So right there we have brought down the amount of man power needed to run the railroad by a considerable amount. As for the water comment. I'll have to go over that one in the next part. End Part One.
@staydput Part two. Now for the water. The firebox is surrounded by a water jacket. Inside the boiler there are smoke tubes which heat the water and convey the hot exhaust to the smoke box where the gases are drawn out through the chimney. So any impurities would remain in the the water jacket seeing as they would be heavier than the steam, which is then sent to a steam dome and then to the cylinders.
Part Five. Adding this to the contribution made by the avoidance of unburnt fuel in the residues of combustion gives the startling result of one third less fuel burnt for a given output. The maximum power is increased, whilst both the quantity and the difficulty of disposal of the residues is considerably reduced. End of Part Five, last one next.
Part Four. The existing mechanical stoker is retained: the hard labor of running steam power is reduced both when putting the fuel in and when taking the residues out. Other improvements made include increased superheat (with consequent provision of improved cylinder lubrication), better draughting and a feed-water heater, all of which contribute to a further improvement in thermal efficiency. End of Part Four, Part Five is next.
Part Three. It reacts chemically with the hot coal to produce cleanly combustible water gas, while at the same time the reaction is one which absorbs rather than produces heat. So the temperature of the firebed does not reach the level at which fusion takes place and clinker forms. The air passing through the hot (but not too hot) firebed makes producer gas and it is this mixture of gases which burns cleanly, using the air entering through openings in the side of the firebox.
Part Two. The first big change is that now only half the air needed for combustion enters the firebox itself, the amount of reduction being set by smaller and exactly calculated openings between the bars of the grate. This change cuts down waste by eliminating fire-throwing when the locomotive is working hard. Steam is also fed into the hot firebed from the sides. This comes from the auxiliaries and from the exhaust side of the main cylinders. End of Part Two. Part Three is next.
I'd like to put my two cents worth in as well, steam can be efficient, cheap and clean all by making a few simple changes. (This has been proven on South African Railways, with the Class 26 2-D-2, also known as the Red Devil. Before conversion a Class 25NC.) The main change is in the way the coal is burnt, it is now gasified before being burnt, the other altercations are more in the way of fine tuning. End of Part One. Look for Part two.
3985 is AWSOME AWSOME just a tad smaller than her big brother bigboy but so amazing the power and speed.Even though they had diesel in the days 3985 was made it took 3or 4 units to equal her power.I think steam giants of the past were modern advances way ahead of their time!!! just my 2cents on it but then I am very bias toward steam locomation ha ha....
I have to say, I don't agree with everything Obama is doing, but I do like that the attitude of this admistration is that Rail travel will become the primary mode of transportation in the 21st century. I hope this comes to fruition. But before we say that steam can't make a comeback, we have a responsability to try if it is the cleanest way. I think one thing we can all agree one, is how awesome it would be to see these machines hitting the rails again.
All politics, environmental issues, and theories of what "they" should do aside, this locomotive is magnificent. Period. The steam locomotive is as close to a living thing as a machine can get. It is the steam locomotive that built this country. ...and lets not forget the millions of tons of war materials moved during WWII. There was a time when the steam locomotive was soley refered to as "a locomotive." Few machines are as significant.
If ever there was a time for steam to make a comeback, it would be now. They will efficienly burn just about anything as fuel and do it well. It took about 20 years before diesels could match their power output.
People don't realize that just in refining crude to make diesel fuel, so much energy is lost, whereas these steam locos can use crude right out of the ground. Thjey will even run on petroleum waste and by products that can't go to the dump. If ever there was a time to rethink steam engines as viable, now is it.
this train is scary enough to be used in a horror flick. It's so amazing though, it has a ridiculous amount of power from what i know. Would anyone happen to know what torque does this thing put out?
at 1:50 the text says "The Worlds Largest Operating Mainline Steam Locomotive" i was always told that it was the Largest ever built. not the last of the largest?
Wow this vid is amazing. They sure look majestic busting out at the speed. Makes for an ompressive sight for sure. Awesome vid. By the size of that man in the engine yo get a good sense of the size of this beast, Way to go Union Pacific
Just imagine what you could do with her if you used some of Andre Chapelon, L. D. Porta & David Wardale's advanced steam tech on her. More speed, less fuel and water consumption, and way less pollution.
I don't know for sure but that it like around 3 or 4 thousand pounds of reciprocating weight alone. Almost magical to watch. American engineering, bigger better faster, gotta love it.
it's so amazing seeing these things in motion. all the moving parts, the smoke, the sounds. beautiful craftsmenship. i like the diesel locomotives too, and understand the environmental aspect of the newer trains. but, seeing all this motion working in agreement. they just don't make them like they use to.
@deloreanman14 NO, My father heard the big boy when he was stationed here in Cheyenne, he said it was DEAFENING.............you could be on 4 mile road, and hear it like it was next to you.
I'd say yes, because I think that both the Big Boy & the Challenger locomotives had nearly the same kind of whistles, since they were built on very similar body plans-on the Big Boy was a newer larger type of machine, not much difference if any @ all in whistle tones.
Norfolk Western has a system called Roadrailers--- semitrailers put on the track and lined up behind an engine. Looks like that is where the load belongs -- on the railroad.
MAGNIFICENT! Is that an IRON HORSE, or WHAT? Reminds me of when I was a kid and we STILL HAD A COUNTRY, instead of a POLICE STATE run by a bunch of CRIMINAL HIJACKERS. We need to TURN THIS ALL AROUND, get our railroads back in business and slack down on all these dangerous 80- ton trucks rolling down our highways with bald tires and bad brakes. RAILROADS for FREIGHT, HIGHWAYS FOR PEOPLE!
Yeah my dad tells me we need our country back. But I think we'll see the railroads come back next decade. Truck compebnies & airlines won't be able to handle incresed fuel costs.
@4freespeech In Australia we got lots of trucks too but we still use Freight at night alot ,some places the Freights cant go tho so trucks are still needed. The sad thing is iv never seen any beautiful ones like this tho nowdays they are all new or 10-20yrs old. I love Diesel,Steam and Hit&miss engines nowdays becouse i think it shows the roots of the modern day engine. Top Fuel and touring cars is what iv always been into and never thought much of old engines now i cant get enough,
@4freespeech tractor trailer dont weigh 80 tons,they gross max for most loads at 80,000 - 20 ton..I do agree tho about what you typed,this coun try isnt nowhere like what it used to be.
1 interesting fact about the challenger class locomotives is the fireboxes were so big that it would take too long to shovel anough coal into them to get them up & running so the factory built a special auger into them running from the tender to the firebox that fills the coal.
i live in wisconsin so we got a train museum in greenbay that has a UP Big Boy No. 4017 stored in the Train shed along with a PRR GG1, an Aero Train, & a LNER/British Railways A4 No. 60008 "Dwight D. Eisenhower"
Multi80sfan 1 week ago
@Multi80sfan Most big steam locomotives has a augar to feed coal.
dueltruckman 6 days ago
@dueltruckman
wow that's 1 thing i did not know thnx for telling me that.
as far as i knew it was just the 4-6-6-4 Challenger & 4-8-8-4 Big boy both had augers
Multi80sfan 4 days ago
.......great! and she doesn't even seem to be trying!
johnniebj 3 weeks ago
These locomotives weren't meant to be stored, they're only happy when their out on open track.
clam502 1 month ago
@clam502
the only reason it's still running is they converted it from Coal to Oil.
but man she looks gr8
Multi80sfan 1 week ago
great video
lmogden1 2 months ago
super 112 km/h
bermark57 3 months ago in playlist Więcej filmów od użytkownika SkipW
super maszyna
bermark57 3 months ago in playlist Więcej filmów od użytkownika SkipW
quit flashing the god damn copyright....it is annoying!!!
frodeskibrek 3 months ago
NICE i love this
sugarjacki 4 months ago
they mush of added fuel in it now
mquiroz90 4 months ago
70 mph no time wasted there! Cool! Thanks for sharing!
simonspics1 5 months ago
ON EST TROP CON EN FRANCE POUR AVOIR DES TRAINS COMME CA
bollargeau 5 months ago
I had the pleasure of seeing this magnificent locomotive along with it's passenger train at Kansas City's Union Station about 1997.
Impalamark64 5 months ago
That is one beast of a train. If only they ran on something cleaner than burning coal.
AndyJay15 5 months ago
@AndyJay15: she has been converted to oil burning in 1990
rallysta74 5 months ago
@rallysta74 Oh sorry I didn't know. I'm quite a rail fan but I prefer the old trains for some reason. They just sound amazing :P
AndyJay15 5 months ago
@AndyJay15 it must be fuel in it can u ever imagine that train in the video it had crazy lights and tech controls and it had voice command on it
mquiroz90 4 months ago
Well done on this parallel-drive vid of American Locomotive's largest currently-active product. This single-expansion articulated with trailer booster has the reserve power to handle trains that would choke the comparably-large British 4-6-2's (e.g. the London & Northeastern's Gresley Class A3, with their 80" drivers, which are optimized for express passenger and mail duty).
bcschmerker 5 months ago
I've read that Cheyenne, Wyoming is a mecca for railroad enthusiasts. After seeing this video, I don't doubt that statement one iota.
Stussmeister 5 months ago
superb video, but it would have been good to see what it was hauling. 70 mph is nothing special with a light load.
titup2 6 months ago
@titup2 It doesn't matter that much really once you get it up to 70 MPH. The real telling would be the grades, but for this 4-6-6-4 Challenger, I don't think that would be much of a problem...
Prestologs 4 months ago
heard the 3985 is down 3 years for boiler issues......this true?
jdoggybizzle 6 months ago
amazing that this fine piece of machinery weighs 560+ tons and can reach up to 70 mph travels for several hours with out stopping, and pull 1000's of tons of freight behind it. this is raw power. trains period, are very efficient technology.
hasnachos 6 months ago
@hasnachos is it true they didnt make that speed of 70 mph back than it would aways go 15 to 23 mph and wats efficient technology that good didnt they add in some kind of fuel in it make it go faster
mquiroz90 4 months ago
@mquiroz90 ur gonna have to retype that, i have no idea what ur asking me or telling me dude.
hasnachos 4 months ago
@hasnachos may not understand
mquiroz90 4 months ago
Now that...That is an engine. You can hate us yankees all you want, but by god can we build them!
554687858 6 months ago
i have a hard time expressing myself watching this.
554687858 6 months ago
THIS ONE OF THE LARGEST STEAM ENGINES THE BIG BOY 4-8-8-4 WAS THE BIGGEST SEATM ENGINE THAT WAS EVER BUILT GREAT VIDEO
grizzleybearz282004 7 months ago
Thank YOU for sharing, my Grandfather worked on this particular BigBoy in the forties!!
MrDrifter57 7 months ago
DOC! THE RED ONE IS ABOUT TO BLOWWWW!
MrTheStiffmeister 7 months ago
i dont know alot about these, but i love seein em. the first thought that crossed my mind when i seen this was, how fast do those piston arms wear out?? thats alot of movement! do they still run these regularly to move cars or just to excersize it an keep it running?? awesome vid
79lance 7 months ago
Beautiful. I found this while looking for 'choo choo' videos for my 2 year old son. It warms my heart to know that mainline steam powerhouses like 3985 and 844 are still in action. When my son is a little older a trip out west will be in order to see one of these giants in action.
StuartIvie 7 months ago
Beautiful. I found this while looking for 'choo choo' videos for my 2 year old son. It warms my heart to know that mainline steam powerhouses like 3985 and 844 are still in action. When my son is a little older a trip out west will be in order to see one of these giants in action.
StuartIvie 7 months ago
Hey Skip.....What kind of sound equipment do you use that allows you to get all the great sounds of the locomotive and almost no noise from air passing your car window? It's almost like a Hollywood production ! Very outstanding videos, by the way, Skip !!!
huskyjerk 7 months ago
the big boy- one of the biggest trains ever built
MRoesterreicher1 8 months ago
in total power even a lima berk has just as much power if not more so then 80 percent of the diesel electro ge ever turned out. at 4000, and they would often pull alone if I hear correct dont know how many times they would double head, but they are much more labor intensive and resource intensive then electro locos, and have better thermal effecentcy then a steamer, I wish the steamers could return to the rails at steam turbine or something but so far nothing viable yet, turbine use much fuel
manga12 8 months ago
wow
that has got to be diesel steam
just flying
chena3 9 months ago
Glorious, just fuckin' glorious! Performance art at it's best.
554687858 9 months ago
What a beautiful giant.Lets put the money Biden proposed for highspeed souless rail and reintroduce steam and turn out some all new and improved giants,heck you'd see me buying tickets to ride behind those.
blitzspeer 10 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
you will die in seven days if youn dont post this comment in 10 videos if you do tomoroew will be the best day of your life
FusionBeyblader 11 months ago
So thats what they call hauling the mail! :-)
bwd81977 11 months ago
Anyone know how long that engine can run, with out filling the feed water for the boiler again?
321boileranimal 1 year ago
Many thanks for your reply sir. China is many things,but what it isn't is stupid. lt will never put all it's eggs in one basket. China has vast reserves in the coal fields and it knows the value of it. No one can hold you to ransome on fuel when you have coal,but we seem to have forgotten that fact..at least for now.
crankbv1 1 year ago
Is that Casey Jones, in the window, with orders in his hand?
zeak62 1 year ago
Personally,l don't believe the age of steam locomotion is dead just yet. Correct me if l'm wrong,but didn't the Swiss build a brand new state of the art engine a few years back? l seem to remember seeing it on a trial run. l believe it was an ultra clean alcohol burner and had lagging so efficient that 12 hrs after shut down the boiler was still close to temperature and she could roll in just minutes. lt even looked like a classic loco,'cept no smoke,just a trace of steam. So,don't give up yet !
crankbv1 1 year ago
@crankbv1
China is STILL using amazing amounts of steam power...
The third world generally should stay with steam...
Because they can perform all tasks with local talent AND use local fuels.
Importing refined diesel is a bleeder.
Ask RSA.
staydput 1 year ago
that thing is BLAZING in more ways than one.
MegaTitanicboy 1 year ago
whatexactly is a highball?
bassboy923 1 year ago
@bassboy923
means Top Speed in Railroad Terms.
headsh0tproducti0ns 1 year ago
is this basically a smaller version of the 4-8-8-4 "big boy"?
a1awind 1 year ago
Comment removed
denis81793 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Jai toute une collection au complet a vendre . Grosseur o scale .Avec décors pont tournant , pont monter a l échelle d un original . S V P laisser message a zoe_l.brin@hotmail.com Merci .
denis81793 1 year ago
GOT THE VIDEO GREAT
quintoflyer 1 year ago
Hard to believe now with China building all our machinery that once upon a time American heavy industry built incredible iron masterpieces like this.
UNTIL the U.S. gets back to building OUR OWN PRODUCTS IN OUR OWN FACTORIES, (42,000 factories shut down since 2000), WE ARE HEADING DOWN THE TOILET.
BOYCOTT CHINESE- BOYCOTT WALMART, TARGET & K MART.
4freespeech 1 year ago
Steam rules when...
Water is PURE
Labor is cheap
Coal is abundant
and whenever altitudes are high.
Steam loves low pressure air -- i.e. Peru, Bolivia, etc.
staydput 1 year ago
Awsome video !!!Ole 3985 is my favorite bigboys little brother ha ha little noway!!Powerfull fast great engine yes!! Will someone tell me why the heck won't they rebuild one of the 4000 class bigboys ??They got a lot of them i have heard and with all the money there is in this country and all the steam fans around it makes no sense to me why not bring atleast one back to life? Bigboy 6,000 horsepower those disels would be scared of that ...
arkansastrash320 1 year ago
@arkansastrash320
Too brutal on the rails....
Big Boys could only ever run on the the biggest mainline rails.
Hence, they are all in museums.
staydput 1 year ago
@staydput A bigboy can run on any track that a challenger can and 3985 goes every where!!Thats not why bigboys are in museums.Nobody can tell me why even one bigboy is not been rebuilt?
arkansastrash320 1 year ago
staydput 1 year ago
@staydput Cool thanks for the information !!
arkansastrash320 1 year ago
staydput 11 months ago
@staydput
Steam "pounds the rails" due to the fact that the cylinders are are "quartered" - 9o degrees offset in order to avoid stalling if you accidentally stop on top or bottom dead center.
This results in what is known as "dynamic augment" (a twisting force that causes the locomotive to roll from side to side) and "nosing" as the forces also lift and drop the nose of the locomotive. The cure for this is simple, and has been known for years - cylinders at each end. Google the "ACE 3000".
fairportfan2 9 months ago
Great video!! Wonderful engine! I'd like to be the driver...
MarciusJV 1 year ago
3985 can go faster than this... right?
bluesguitardude 1 year ago
@bluesguitardude
Original top end was 100mph...
But, now that she's an heirloom...
70mph is all that the RR wants to push.
BTW, track wear REALLY takes off at higher speeds...
Steam POUNDS the rails... Not like electric trucks.
staydput 1 year ago
What a beauty! Makes me smile too. I suppose 70mph would be an easy cruise for this locomotive, and could probably just as easily do 80 or 90, were it not for the hammer effect on the rails of those con rods pounding up and down. Some rail road owners permit private steam excursions but impose a speed limit for the above reason. Thanks for the fine posting. Greetings from New Zealand.
peteacher52 1 year ago
How do these hold together, truly amazing! I love it!
num1ksfan 1 year ago
Im not much of a train person, but seein that old girl boogy like that brings a smile to my face.
phillymetalhead 1 year ago 21
@phillymetalhead same here. Seeing one of the 4000 Class out there would be even better, but it would take 15-30 years to restore one to running order.
Fireheart528 1 year ago
What a pleasure to watch this fine loco at speed:-))))
G0IMB 1 year ago
Skip is almost right about it being the world's largest engine.The Big Boy which is a 4-8-8-4 is the largest steam locomotive ever built, weight's in at one million two hundred thousand pounds locomotive and tender and the 4-6-6-4 weight just at a million pounds. Sorry Skip,But 5 stars for the video buddy
ajkopy 1 year ago
@ajkopy Skip IS correct in stating that #3985 is the World's Largest OPERATING steam locomotive... Unless you know of a Big Boy that is operating somewhere and kept from the rest of the world....
sgtstop 1 year ago
@sgtstop I was just about to emphasize the fact that Skip stated OPERATING. You beat me to it. They tried to get a Big Boy up and running a few years back but the moving rods were too far gone.
8747csx 1 year ago
Another neat thing was your locale. You filmed the steamer coming into a town with a cylindrical water tower & corrogated sheet metal sided grain elevators; steam era structures!
Petemonster62 1 year ago
great video!!! I do not see how they stay together...it is a true marvel....
rongenman 1 year ago
Okay... let me get this straight. I heard the Challenger was retired. Now I find out it's in such good shape it can go 70 mph... next there's going to be footage of the Daylight if it keeps going at this rate!
dash9wyoming 1 year ago
The men who built the modern rail road beds to lay the tracks for this pieces of art are to be saluted too!.
If we were a Nation OUR men would have have Skilled jobs, and young jobless would not be forced in the far away tragedies IMO>
Nationsnotregimes 1 year ago
Yet another fine train video,,,,,, great job!!!
can49th 1 year ago
Part Six. The result is a machine that can really look its diesel brethren in the eye in respect of of such important matters as availability and cleanliness, and really wipe the floor with them when it comes to fuel costs in South Africa and other places with limited oil reserves. These concepts were first pioneered by the Argentinian Steam Locomotive Engineer L.D. Porta, and improved upon by British engineer David Wardale. Due to Youtube's character limit there will be a seventh part.
MrFarmer110 1 year ago 6
@MrFarmer110 Good info & thanks, At Cheyenne Depot Days a few years back I listened to Lynn Nystrom discussing that research development for steam stopped in the early 50s on slide rules, and Diesels have enjoyed the advantages of computer and CAD in their development since the 60's So what would a really modern steam locomotive have looked like, if the concentrations on their design and development had been the same.
SkipW 1 year ago
@SkipW Probably like the A1 Tornado in Great Britain. Designed by David Wardale.
MrFarmer110 11 months ago
@SkipW In fact, during the 1970s a major engineering project that never came to full fruition worked on developing steam power that could compete on an economic basis with diesel. Fluidised bed coal firebox, more efficient extractors, cylinders at both ends with cranked axles (to elimniate track damage from dynamic augment) and a lot of other stuff. (Google "The Ultimate Steam Page" "ACE 3000")
fairportfan2 9 months ago
well I would love to know myself, the brits did build one from scratch but it took 20 years to make that replica due to funding and so on, and there is only soo much you can get out of a steamer due to lots of the conversion of the coal to steam, only soo much can be done.
I would love to see one with a fancy steam turbine but they just cant make it fesable yet, and its a shame with our coal reserves it will last longer then oil.
manga12 4 months ago
@SkipW cant they soon make the train go green have tech in them be dope if that train go like 130 mph
mquiroz90 4 months ago
@MrFarmer110 Glad to see you write that. You know the REAL REASON all developed nations changed from coal steam engines to oil? THE WORLD BANK. The World Bank's "currency" is crude oil. If a nation runs on coal it can stay independent. Coal is abundant, cheap and can be used mostly "as is" out of the ground. Crude oil must be refined. They've done this to the U.S., India, Africa & China. Get a nation dependent upon crude oil and the World Bank can CONTROL IT. That is what's wrong now.
4freespeech 1 year ago
@4freespeech Not only that but in my opinion it's more environmentally friendly. Think about it, as you said coal can be pretty much used the minute you dig it up, just clean it and your good to go. Oil on the other hand requires you to, pump it out of the ground, transport it, refine it, transport it AGAIN, and then put it in your tank and then use it. All of which requires energy which means that you are polluting more by using diesel than you would coal.
MrFarmer110 1 year ago
@MrFarmer110
Yes, yes...
But it still needs clean water and cheap labor.
staydput 1 year ago
@staydput
So long as the water doesn't have any major impurities, like silt or leaves it is fine. Also what is your definition of 'cheap labor' ? Personally I don't think you need to have cheap labor to run a steam locomotive, on top of that steam locomotives are more flexible than diesel or electric, just so long as they have fuel and water you will have steam.
MrFarmer110 11 months ago
The amount of water used by these engines is simply tremendous. The boiling process step-wise concentrates what ever trivial impurities in the feed water to serious levels faster than you might imagine. Everyone of the procedures exists due to shear experience.
Once the first diesels faced off against steam the industry was stunned at the reduction in maintenance. A century ago it took 1,000,000 men to operate the rails. And now? !!!
staydput 11 months ago
@staydput Well let's look at the facts here. 100 years ago they didn't have computers, nor did they have the same technology that we have today. Such as Ballast Regulators, Bridge Crane's, On Track Brushcutter's, Tie Crane's and Yard Cleaner's just to name a few. So right there we have brought down the amount of man power needed to run the railroad by a considerable amount. As for the water comment. I'll have to go over that one in the next part. End Part One.
MrFarmer110 11 months ago
@staydput Part two. Now for the water. The firebox is surrounded by a water jacket. Inside the boiler there are smoke tubes which heat the water and convey the hot exhaust to the smoke box where the gases are drawn out through the chimney. So any impurities would remain in the the water jacket seeing as they would be heavier than the steam, which is then sent to a steam dome and then to the cylinders.
MrFarmer110 11 months ago
Part Five. Adding this to the contribution made by the avoidance of unburnt fuel in the residues of combustion gives the startling result of one third less fuel burnt for a given output. The maximum power is increased, whilst both the quantity and the difficulty of disposal of the residues is considerably reduced. End of Part Five, last one next.
MrFarmer110 1 year ago 2
Part Four. The existing mechanical stoker is retained: the hard labor of running steam power is reduced both when putting the fuel in and when taking the residues out. Other improvements made include increased superheat (with consequent provision of improved cylinder lubrication), better draughting and a feed-water heater, all of which contribute to a further improvement in thermal efficiency. End of Part Four, Part Five is next.
MrFarmer110 1 year ago 2
Part Three. It reacts chemically with the hot coal to produce cleanly combustible water gas, while at the same time the reaction is one which absorbs rather than produces heat. So the temperature of the firebed does not reach the level at which fusion takes place and clinker forms. The air passing through the hot (but not too hot) firebed makes producer gas and it is this mixture of gases which burns cleanly, using the air entering through openings in the side of the firebox.
End of Part Three.
MrFarmer110 1 year ago 2
Part Two. The first big change is that now only half the air needed for combustion enters the firebox itself, the amount of reduction being set by smaller and exactly calculated openings between the bars of the grate. This change cuts down waste by eliminating fire-throwing when the locomotive is working hard. Steam is also fed into the hot firebed from the sides. This comes from the auxiliaries and from the exhaust side of the main cylinders. End of Part Two. Part Three is next.
MrFarmer110 1 year ago 2
I'd like to put my two cents worth in as well, steam can be efficient, cheap and clean all by making a few simple changes. (This has been proven on South African Railways, with the Class 26 2-D-2, also known as the Red Devil. Before conversion a Class 25NC.) The main change is in the way the coal is burnt, it is now gasified before being burnt, the other altercations are more in the way of fine tuning. End of Part One. Look for Part two.
MrFarmer110 1 year ago 2
This has been flagged as spam show
Big Boy is super ! bebtozoltan@hotmail.com
bebtozoltan55 1 year ago
Excellent! I enjoyed watching. 5 stars
etypebob 1 year ago
WHAT A FANTASTIC JOB TO HAVE!!!!!! (As long as you aren't burning coal)
7vitaman 1 year ago
Why is there chinese in the tags?
UP5140SD70M 1 year ago
steam power - the best power ever! )))))))))
manfromodessa 1 year ago
3985 is AWSOME AWSOME just a tad smaller than her big brother bigboy but so amazing the power and speed.Even though they had diesel in the days 3985 was made it took 3or 4 units to equal her power.I think steam giants of the past were modern advances way ahead of their time!!! just my 2cents on it but then I am very bias toward steam locomation ha ha....
arkansastrash320 1 year ago
Comment removed
tdufreaky 1 year ago
This old lady looks better then the girls in my village!
Unabomber2 1 year ago
I have to say, I don't agree with everything Obama is doing, but I do like that the attitude of this admistration is that Rail travel will become the primary mode of transportation in the 21st century. I hope this comes to fruition. But before we say that steam can't make a comeback, we have a responsability to try if it is the cleanest way. I think one thing we can all agree one, is how awesome it would be to see these machines hitting the rails again.
Vandal316 1 year ago
This is far better then The Lion King. This is history in the making from the past.
Thank you for posting it.
Psyche777able 1 year ago
How can 23 people dislike this?
That's un-American!!!
Amtrak1194 1 year ago 2
@Amtrak1194 I agree with you!
Dinosorable 1 year ago
Amazing sight. That's one serious piece of machinery...
Pamberjack 1 year ago
All politics, environmental issues, and theories of what "they" should do aside, this locomotive is magnificent. Period. The steam locomotive is as close to a living thing as a machine can get. It is the steam locomotive that built this country. ...and lets not forget the millions of tons of war materials moved during WWII. There was a time when the steam locomotive was soley refered to as "a locomotive." Few machines are as significant.
guitboxchicken 1 year ago
Very cool vid. Awesome job pacing her. Keep them coming.
CVandergriff2008 1 year ago
That there is the a the world's largest penis extension.
kenblacksmith 1 year ago
not only these engines nice looking,they were fast for their size,this is nice
jdubbjazzbass 1 year ago
Pardon me for swearing in church... is it coal burning?
1339LARS 1 year ago
If ever there was a time for steam to make a comeback, it would be now. They will efficienly burn just about anything as fuel and do it well. It took about 20 years before diesels could match their power output.
gattosub 1 year ago
nice some power there....ha ha
MegaDavid1960 1 year ago
People don't realize that just in refining crude to make diesel fuel, so much energy is lost, whereas these steam locos can use crude right out of the ground. Thjey will even run on petroleum waste and by products that can't go to the dump. If ever there was a time to rethink steam engines as viable, now is it.
gattosub 1 year ago
damn that RPM is scary! look at those rods! F%&@
CGiordano464 1 year ago
this train is scary enough to be used in a horror flick. It's so amazing though, it has a ridiculous amount of power from what i know. Would anyone happen to know what torque does this thing put out?
GigaMinion 1 year ago
4-6-6-4 FTMFW
jdoggybizzle 1 year ago
put in a small nuke plant to convert water to steam and all you need do is stop for water every so often!
rextolen 1 year ago
@rextolen
You, know that is a serious idea!
Large locamotive's designed to use a small plant like a sub,
They could run in the open parts of the West.
But IMO we would have to be a Nation to be able to use them or have them.
Nationsnotregimes 1 year ago
Great video. She's just strollin' along...
erniegannsmate 1 year ago
Yeahhhhh!!!!!!! I love the steam.......
malixistis 1 year ago
How do you mount your camera, Skip? It nevers shakes or bobs.
huskyjerk 1 year ago
you know that China had been running these up until a few years ago.
silentmovie55 1 year ago
I don't know why The Age of Steam came to an end. In a way, diesels are less clean than steam locomotives.
ExcaliburLink 1 year ago
Steam engines can run on Vegtable oil, for example the grand canyon railroad before they cut steam.
southparkline1 1 year ago
Who are the 20-some gumbys who voted thumbs-down on this video?
DroverChicago 1 year ago
This was the featured video at least twice today! Congrats. I about had a heart attack knowing that so many people care! Kudos!
Weiberts 1 year ago
makes me wish they still operated a u.p. big boy. those things were monsters!
admiralackbar999 1 year ago
lets pull the air on him
oldstumpcutter 1 year ago
at 1:50 the text says "The Worlds Largest Operating Mainline Steam Locomotive" i was always told that it was the Largest ever built. not the last of the largest?
olds7cutlass7salon 1 year ago
Amazing how something THAT big can move THAT fast. 5 stars!!!
nyshortline 1 year ago
Damn, he's really haulin some balls. And that whistle, so desperate. Like "you need to get the f*** out of the way!
bwd81977 1 year ago
Wow this vid is amazing. They sure look majestic busting out at the speed. Makes for an ompressive sight for sure. Awesome vid. By the size of that man in the engine yo get a good sense of the size of this beast, Way to go Union Pacific
KiwiTrucker1 1 year ago
Just imagine what you could do with her if you used some of Andre Chapelon, L. D. Porta & David Wardale's advanced steam tech on her. More speed, less fuel and water consumption, and way less pollution.
ostlandr 1 year ago
They really are graceful at that speed for such enormous machines. Like a dreadnought.
oldhatrs25 1 year ago
that's realy fast:O ..for a steam loco wow amazing:D!
Jean793 1 year ago
Just think of the kinetic energy of just the engine alone doing that speed.
scythelord 1 year ago
I don't know for sure but that it like around 3 or 4 thousand pounds of reciprocating weight alone. Almost magical to watch. American engineering, bigger better faster, gotta love it.
whiskerbiscuit1965 1 year ago
more like 20-30 tons! One axle set and two of the driving wheels weigh like that much. This beast has 12 driving wheels.
vector6977 1 year ago
@vector6977 The wheels and axels don't count as reciprocating weight.
whiskerbiscuit1965 1 year ago
Look at her go!
09JDCTrainMan 1 year ago
Excellent footage of an epic testement to Robert Fulton's steam powered engine! I posted a vid response.
OmahaTom 1 year ago
That would suck to get your hand stuck in between the crankshaft and the mounting assembly on the wheel. Outch!
tooldrums1000 1 year ago
70 mph to ok. 112km/h
lesbuk 1 year ago
Zarabista maszyna a 120 km/h to zawrotna pretkośc
marjotto 1 year ago
Que belo! Quantos km/h?? 100??
vgnrdnzttmcl 2 years ago
@vgnrdnzttmcl around 120 km/h
WolfenGeist 2 years ago
@WolfenGeist make that 112 km/h
melconify 1 year ago
Grazie! Obrigado! Thank you!
vgnrdnzttmcl 1 year ago
it's so amazing seeing these things in motion. all the moving parts, the smoke, the sounds. beautiful craftsmenship. i like the diesel locomotives too, and understand the environmental aspect of the newer trains. but, seeing all this motion working in agreement. they just don't make them like they use to.
itsmister2u 2 years ago 2
cool!
CebuChess 2 years ago
beautiful..just beautiful...!
xxxavier63 2 years ago
Is this fairly close to what the Big Boy whistle sounded like?
deloreanman14 2 years ago
@deloreanman14 NO, My father heard the big boy when he was stationed here in Cheyenne, he said it was DEAFENING.............you could be on 4 mile road, and hear it like it was next to you.
At least thats what he told me.
KingOfTheClutch 2 years ago
I'd say yes, because I think that both the Big Boy & the Challenger locomotives had nearly the same kind of whistles, since they were built on very similar body plans-on the Big Boy was a newer larger type of machine, not much difference if any @ all in whistle tones.
niguelbootboy55 2 years ago 2
I think the Big Boys and the Challengers both used what are called "steamboat" whistles.
7845lptape 2 years ago
the highway system was built for trucks look it up and its 40 ton
jd359exh 2 years ago 2
Norfolk Western has a system called Roadrailers--- semitrailers put on the track and lined up behind an engine. Looks like that is where the load belongs -- on the railroad.
Trekkerjon 2 years ago
no really...when the roads were built they did not do that back then. now the trucking co. hire the railroads to take the trailers....
jd359exh 2 years ago
The railroads can move it several hundred miles, while trucks make the local deliveries. Sounds good to me.
Trekkerjon 2 years ago
Comment removed
jd359exh 2 years ago
I remember watching this run the last time it was in California. I wish it would come back through again.
disturbedone5009 2 years ago
4freespeech 2 years ago 20
Yeah my dad tells me we need our country back. But I think we'll see the railroads come back next decade. Truck compebnies & airlines won't be able to handle incresed fuel costs.
Jared1452 2 years ago
@4freespeech In Australia we got lots of trucks too but we still use Freight at night alot ,some places the Freights cant go tho so trucks are still needed. The sad thing is iv never seen any beautiful ones like this tho nowdays they are all new or 10-20yrs old. I love Diesel,Steam and Hit&miss engines nowdays becouse i think it shows the roots of the modern day engine. Top Fuel and touring cars is what iv always been into and never thought much of old engines now i cant get enough,
fpvshitsonhsv 1 year ago
@4freespeech tractor trailer dont weigh 80 tons,they gross max for most loads at 80,000 - 20 ton..I do agree tho about what you typed,this coun try isnt nowhere like what it used to be.
ProjectIronclad 1 year ago
@4freespeech I, too dearly miss the mid late fifties. Can't remember much form the 40's. Just kindergarten.
7vitaman 1 year ago
He is MOVING! Go Challenger GO!
09JDCTrainMan 2 years ago 2
While it is easy for a steam train
anduhackeru 2 years ago
the lion king came out on dvd the day you taped this did you know that?
cbolanz 2 years ago 4
i had no idea, but i do like the lion king movie
SkipW 2 years ago
@cbolanz who cares, he could see that any day....
alexander1485 1 year ago