UP 3985 70mph Highball @ PineBluffs in HD

Union Pacific Railroad's "Challenger" No. 3985, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, will be on a six-state, 2,200-mile tour from Cheyenne, Wyo., to Gorham, Ill., to celebrate railroad heritage. No. 3985 is on the Missouri River Eagle tour to help Sedalia, Mo., celebrate the community's Sesquicentennial on Sunday, October 10. "Sedalia has such a rich railroad heritage that it is only fitting that the world's largest operating steam locomotive help in celebrating their sesquicentennial," said Ben Jones, Union Pacific's director of public affairs for Missouri and Kansas.
During this tour, the 67-year-old locomotive will be on display in:
Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 3 and Oct. 11;
Jefferson City, Mo., Oct. 5; and
St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 8; and
The Challenger will make overnight stops in:
Denver, Colo., Sept. 28;
Cheyenne, Wyo., Sept. 29;
North Platte, Neb., Sept. 30 and Oct. 13;
Marysville, Kan., Oct. 1 and Oct 12;
St. Louis, Mo., Oct.6 and Oct. 7; and
Sedalia, Mo., Oct. 9.
Union Pacific's No. 3985, an articulated locomotive with a "hinged" frame to allow it to negotiate curves, is 122 feet long. It weighs more than one million pounds, has six-foot diameter drive wheels and can reach a top speed of 70 miles per hour. No. 3985 was built in 1943 for fast freight service and was retired in 1959. In 1981, it was restored to running condition by UP employee volunteers for special service. This is the first trip for the locomotive after undergoing maintenance work during the last two years. The Challenger is based in Cheyenne, Wyo.
A Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) transmitter was installed on one of the rail cars that will travel with No. 3985. The GPS system has been integrated with a map on UP's website. Enter the word "Steam" in the search box on the homepage for a shortcut to the map.
Website visitors will be able to access route maps with varying amounts of detail. The GPS system will update the map every five minutes showing No. 3985's location. GPS updates are also available at http://twitter.com/UP_Steam.
This is the 9am Departure from Cheyenne Depot area at
9am. And I sure hope to see some of your video of this trip as I only had gas money for the run to No. Platte on the first day of its tour to Illionis. And Thanks for watching

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Steam
• train
• trains
• union
• pacific
• 3985
• challenger
• 4664
• UP
• Heritage
• fleet
• Missouri
• river
• eagle
• engine
• high speed
• railroad
• railway

[sgtredbluered]

Seventy per baby!

AWESOME!

Great work on this tour, Skip! *****

[SkipW]

@sgtredbluered some hard-chargin on the eastbound leg on for sure

[trainfann1]

Is she still in service?

[critchley3819]

I dont talk shit like most of you, this is just a man made work of art that seems to live and breath

[kiwicockers]

A boilermans steamer

[taylorb972]

Beautiful

[edavidsalways]

@SkipW This is riveting.....

majestic....

So beautiful it almost chokes me up......

Thanks.......

[steamingpoopfart]

back in the day they woul go 88mph

[Mikelandscaper]

I believe 70mph is full speed for a challenger locomotive.

[JuanPPalazonNavarro]

Wow.......splendid movie of train and locomotive Big Kid. Greetings.

[juanjesuschong]

Hi folks , any idea what is the maximum speed of this locomotive?

[PghTrainFanatic]

Wow that's soo cool! I bet seeing that beast going that fast in person is unexplainable! You should feel lucky to have the opportunity to see it!