Friday Night Steam

Let's visit Union Pacific's steam shop for a close look at the 844 an the 4014!

Union Pacific 844 is a 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company in December of 1944 for the Union Pacific Railroad. Constructed as a member of the FEF-3class of 4-8-4's, the 844 was the last steam locomotive delivered to Union Pacific. Originally built for high-speed passenger work the 844, along with the other FEF class Northern's, was pressed into a variety of dual-service work. While commercial Union Pacific steam operations ended in the late 1950's, the 844 was retained by the railroad for special activities. Today, it is one of UP's oldest serving locomotives and is the only steam locomotive never retired by a North American Class I railroad.^[2]

No. 844 was one of ten locomotives that were ordered by Union Pacific in 1944 and designated as class FEF-3. The FEF-3 class represented the epitome of dual-service steam locomotive development; funds and research were being concentrated into the development of diesel-electric locomotives. Designed to burn coal, they were converted to run on fuel oil. Like the earlier FEF-2 class, FEF-3 locomotives were designed as passenger engines. They pulled such trains as the Overland Limited, Los Angeles Limited, Portland Rose and Challenger.

Union Pacific 844 hauling the Pony Express in 1949.

From 1957 to 1959, UP 844 was reassigned to freight service in Nebraska when diesel-electric locomotives took over passenger service.

Union Pacific 844 on display in 2009.

Saved from scrapping in 1960, 844 was chosen for restoration and is now used on company and public excursion trains, along with revenue freight during ferry moves.
Built and designed in a joint-effort between the Union Pacific and ALCO, the 844 and the rest of the FEF-3 class could safely handle 120 mph. On one occasion, one of the engines of the FEF-3 class pulled a 1,000-ton passenger train at a 100 mph. All FEF classes were considered by the Union Pacific to be capable of producing between 4,000 and 5,000 drawbar horsepower.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Union Pacific 844

UP 844 at Painted Rocks, Nevada, on September 15, 2009
Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Builder	American Locomotive Company
Serial number	72791
Build date	December 1944
Specifications
Configuration	4-8-4
UIC classification	2′D2′ h2
Gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Driver diameter	80 in (2,032 mm)
Wheelbase	Loco & tender: 98 ft 5 in (30.00 m)
Weight on drivers	266,490 lb (120,878 kg; 121 t)
Locomotive weight	486,340 lb (220,600 kg; 221 t)
Locomotive and tender combined weight	907,890 lb (411,812 kg; 412 t)
Fuel type	No. 5 fuel oil, originally coal
Fuel capacity	6,200 US gal (23,000 l; 5,200 imp gal)
Water capacity	23,500 US gal (89,000 l; 19,600 imp gal)
Boiler	86 3⁄16 in (2189.2 mm) diameter
Boiler pressure	300 lbf/in2 (2.07 MPa)
Firegrate area	100 sq ft (9.3 m2) (grate removed in 1945)
Heating surface: – Tubes	2,204 sq ft (204.8 m2)
– Flues	1,578 sq ft (146.6 m2)
– Firebox	442 sq ft (41.1 m2)
– Total	4,224 sq ft (392.4 m2)
Superheater area	1,400 sq ft (130 m2)
Cylinders	Two
Cylinder size	25 in × 32 in (635 mm × 813 mm)
Performance figures
Maximum speed	120 mph (190 km/h)
Power output	4,500 hp (3,400 kW)
Tractive effort	63,800 lbf (283.8 kN)
Factor of adhesion	4.18
Career
Operator(s)	Union Pacific Railroad
Class	FEF-3
Number(s)	844 (8444 from 1962-1989)
Disposition	Overhaul, based on Cheyenne, Wyoming, in roundhouse

Union Pacific 4014, or UP 4014, is a four-cylinder articulated 4-8-8-4 Big Boy-type steam locomotive owned by Union Pacific Railroad. 4014 was retired from service on July 21, 1959 and donated to the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society in Pomona on December 1961. The locomotive reached its destination in January 1962 and was displayed in Fairplex until November 2013. Union Pacific 4014 is currently in Union Pacific's Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming, undergoing extensive restoration work which is intended to return the engine to operational status. When 4014 officially returns to service, it will displace UP 3985 as the largest, heaviest and most powerful operational steam locomotive in the world.

History

UP 4014 was one of 25 4-8-8-4 class locomotives developed by Union Pacific and Alco to overcome issues with the preceding 4-6-6-4 Challenger class locomotives. It was determined that the goals that Union Pacific had set for its new class of locomotive could be achieved by making several changes to the existing Challenger design, including enlarging the firebox to approximately 235 by 96 inches (5.97 m × 2.44 m) (about 155 sq ft or 14.4 m²), lengthening the boiler, adding four driving wheels and reducing the size of the driving wheels from 69 to 68 in (1,753 to 1,727 mm).
The Big Boys are articulated, like the Mallet locomotive design. They were designed for stability at 80 miles per hour (130 km/h). They were built with a wide margin of reliability and safety, as they normally operated well below that speed in freight service. Peak horsepower was reached at about 35 mph (56 km/h); optimal tractive effort, at about 10 mph (16 km/h). The locomotive without the tender was the longest engine body of any reciprocating steam locomotive in the world.
Alco delivered No. 4014 to Union Pacific in December 1941 and it was fully retired on December 7, 1961^. 4014 traveled 1,031,205 miles (1,659,564 km) for Union Pacific during its 20 years in service^.
The last revenue train hauled by a Big Boy (No. 4015) ended its run in the evening of July 21, 1959. 4014 completed its last run earlier the same day at 1:50 in the morning. Most were stored operational until 1961, and four remained in operational condition at Green River, Wyoming until 1962. Their duties were assumed by diesel locomotives and gas turbine-electric locomotives (GTELs). Of the 25 built, 8 were preserved at various locations around the United States. 4014 was donated by Union Pacific to the Southern California chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in 1961. It did not reach its destination of Pomona until January 8, 1962.

Union Pacific "Big Boy" Number 4014 on static display at the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, California, United States
Type and origin
References:[1]
Power type	Steam
Builder	American Locomotive Company
Serial number	65572
Build date	September 1941
Specifications
Configuration	4-8-8-4
UIC classification	(2′D)D2′ h4
Gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading wheel diameter	36 in (914 mm)
Driver diameter	68 inches (170 cm)
Trailing wheel diameter	42 in (1,067 mm)
Wheelbase	72 ft 5.5 in (22.09 m)
Length	Locomotive: 85 ft 7.8 in (26.11 m) Overall: 132 ft 9 7⁄8 in (40.48 m)
Width	11 ft (3.4 m)
Height	16 ft 2 1⁄2 in (4.94 m)
Weight on drivers	540,000 lb (244,940 kilograms)
Locomotive weight	762,000 lb (345,637 kilograms)
Tender weight	342,200 lb (155,219 kilograms) (2/3 load)
Locomotive and tender combined weight	1,250,000 lb (566,990 kilograms)
Fuel type	Coal
Fuel capacity	28 short tons (25.4 t; 25.0 long tons)
Water capacity	24,000 US gal (91,000 l; 20,000 imp gal)
Boiler	95 in (2,400 mm)
Boiler pressure	300 lbf/in2 (2.1 MPa)
Firegrate area	150 sq ft (14 m2)
Heating surface: – Tubes and flues	5,035 sq ft (468 m2)
– Firebox	720 sq ft (67 m2)
– Total	5,735 sq ft (533 m2)
Superheater type	Type A
Superheater area	2,043 sq ft (190 m2)
Cylinders	4
Cylinder size	23.75 in × 32 in (603 mm × 813 mm)
Performance figures
Maximum speed	80 mph (130 km/h)
Power output	6,290 hp (4,690 kW)
Tractive effort	135,375 lbf (602.18 kN)
Factor of adhesion	4.11
Career
Operator(s)	Union Pacific Railroad
Number(s)	4014
Nicknames	Big Boy
Last run	July 21, 1959
Retired	December 7, 1961
Restored	Commenced August 2013
Current owner	Union Pacific Railroad
Disposition	Undergoing restoration for excursion service
Restoration includes conversion from coal to no. 5 oil.

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Today's funny

Awwwww!

:o)

Free range chickens....

.... for a little while the other day:

The girls lined up on a branch in the run:

(probably trying to get away from Benji)!

It was cold yesterday:

Had snow flurries and..

.... some sunshine ....

....  and wind!

:o)

Don't junk that old engine!

Look at what you can make!!!

A cool lamp shade for the garage:

What a rockin' chess set!

A "piston" guy:

A wine rack:

Or one just to hold a single bottle:

 

A coffee table....

...... and a neat head lamp!

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Today's funny :o)

A big H/T to Roberta for sending!!  :o)

Now THAT'S a rooster!!

:o)

Pushy Wilma..

Wilma molted and her new feathers turned brown, (she was blondish) She is still queen over the girls:

Notice how she pecks at the others when I put melon rinds under the fence. 

Poor Benji didn't even get any!

They didn't like the raspberries either. They ate all the greens though:

Another tiny egg! I don't know which one is laying them!

Hubby finished splitting that big pile of logs:

:o)

Unicorn of the sea

Source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narwhal

The narwhal (Monodon monoceros), or narwhale, is a medium-sized toothed whale that possesses a large "tusk" from a protruding canine tooth. It lives year-round in the Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada, and Russia.

It is one of two living species of whale in the family Monodontidae, along with the beluga whale. The narwhal males are distinguished by a long, straight, helical tusk, which is an elongated upper left canine. The narwhal was one of many species described by Carl Linnaeus in his publication Systema Naturae in 1758.

Like the beluga, narwhals are medium-sized whales. For both sexes, excluding the male's tusk, the total body size can range from 3.95 to 5.5 m (13 to 18 ft); the males are slightly larger than the females. The average weight of an adult narwhal is 800 to 1,600 kg (1,760 to 3,530 lb). At around 11 to 13 years old, the males become sexually mature; females become sexually mature at about 5 to 8 years old. Narwhals do not have a dorsal fin, and their neck vertebrae are jointed like those of most other mammals, not fused as in dolphins and most whales.

Found primarily in Canadian Arctic and Greenlandic and Russian waters, the narwhal is a uniquely specialized Arctic predator. In winter, it feeds on benthic prey, mostly flatfish, under dense pack ice. During the summer, narwhals eat mostly Arctic cod and Greenland halibut, with other fish such as polar cod making up the remainder of their diet. Each year, they migrate from bays into the ocean as summer comes. In the winter, the male narwhals occasionally dive up to 1,500 m (4,920 ft) in depth, with dives lasting up to 25 minutes. Narwhals, like most toothed whales, communicate with "clicks", "whistles", and "knocks".

Narwhals can live up to 50 years.

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Today's funny :o)

:o)

Morning rush hour

Who will make it to the feeder first???

Had beautiful weekend weather for a change! Sunny, sunny skies - but chilly:

Saturday in the morning:

Not a cloud in the sky!

Sunday was nice too:

It was a good day for our neighbor to work her horse:

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Friday Night Steam

A big H/T to Pastor Bob Homer for sending!!!

Now what is better than a Big Boy steam engine and Johnny Cash????

Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison

I hear the train a comin'
It's rollin' 'round the bend
And I ain't seen the sunshine
Since, I don't know when

I'm stuck in Folsom Prison
And time keeps draggin' on
But that train keeps a-rollin'
On down to San Antone

When I was just a baby
My Mama told me, "Son
Always be a good boy
Don't ever play with guns"

But I shot a man in Reno
Just to watch him die
When I hear that whistle blowin'
I hang my head and cry

I bet there's rich folks eatin'
From a fancy dining car
They're probably drinkin' coffee
And smokin' big cigars

Well, I know I had it comin'
I know I can't be free
But those people keep a-movin'
And that's what tortures me

Well, if they freed me from this prison
If that railroad train was mine
I bet I'd move it a little
Farther down the line

Far from Folsom Prison
That's where I want to stay
And I'd let that lonesome whistle
Blow my blues away

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Today's funny :o)

:o)

Still quiet....

........except for Hubby and his log splitter:

A beautiful BLUE sky:

Neighbor's horse soaking up the sun's rays:

(Notice the damage the dang woodpeckers have done to our tree on the right)

A good treat for the gang: green beans, apples, grapes, tomatoes, carrot shavings and celery:

Yesterday morning when I let them out. Brrrrrrr!

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How many do YOU know?

Knot

A knot is an intentional complication in cordage which may be useful or decorative. Practical knots may be classified as hitches, bends, splices, or knots. A hitch fastens a rope to another object; a bend unites two rope ends; a splice is a multi-strand bend or loop. A knot in the strictest sense serves as a stopper or knob at the end of a rope to keep that end from slipping through a grommet or eye. Knots have excited interest since ancient times for their practical uses, as well as their topological intricacy, studied in the area of mathematics known as knot theory.

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Today's funny :o)

Saint Nancy

Last Saturday afternoon in Washington, D.C., an aide to Nancy Pelosi visited the Bishop of the Catholic Cathedral. He told the Cardinal that Nancy Pelosi would be attending Sunday's Mass and asked if the Cardinal would kindly point out Pelosi to the congregation and say a few words that would include calling her a saint.

     

The Cardinal replied, "No. I don't really like the woman, and there are issues of conflict with the Catholic Church over most of Pelosi's views."

Pelosi's aide said, "Look, I'll write a check here and now for a donation of $100,000 if you'll just tell the congregation you see Pelosi as a saint."

The Cardinal thought about it and said, "Well, the Church can use the money, so I'll work your request into tomorrow's sermon."

As Pelosi's aide promised, Nancy appeared for the Sunday worship and seated herself prominently at the forward left side of the center aisle. As promised, at the start of his sermon, the Cardinal pointed out that Ms. Pelosi was present.

The Cardinal went on to explain to the congregation, "While Ms. Pelosi's presence is probably an honor to some, the woman is not numbered among my personal favorite personages. Some of her most egregious views are contrary to tenets of the Church, and she tends to flip-flop on many other issues. Nancy Pelosi is a petty, self-absorbed hypocrite, a drunken thumb-sucker, and a nit-wit. Nancy Pelosi is also a serial liar, a cheat, and a thief. I must say, Nancy Pelosi is the worst example of a Catholic I have ever personally witnessed. She married for money and is using her wealth to lie to the American people. She also has a reputation for evading her Representative obligations both in Washington and in California. Just look at the streets in her district! Feces everywhere. The woman is simply not to be trusted."

The Cardinal concluded. “But, when compared with Hillary Clinton, Ms. Pelosi is a saint."

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Sunshine!

Monday was just a beautiful day - It was warm enough for Hubby to wash his jeep and the gang enjoyed running around the yard!

Look! A blue sky!

They love to dig in the old potato patch:

It rained yesterday afternoon:

Such a tiny egg!

:o)

For all the pilots out there....

A genormus H/T to terry for sharing!!!

L-1049 Super Constellation
Nordair L-1049H
Role	Airliner
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Lockheed Corporation
First flight	14 July 1951
Introduction	15 December 1951
Status	Retired from commercial service. Preserved examples exist as private aircraft.
Primary users	Eastern Air Lines Trans World Airlines
Produced	1951-1958
Number built	259 (Commercial) 320 (Military)
Developed from	Lockheed L-049 Constellation
Variants	Lockheed C-121 Constellation Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star
Developed into	L-1249 (R7V-2/YC-121F) Super Constellation L-1649 Starliner

More info here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_L-1049_Super_Constellation

 

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Today's funny :o)

:o)

Same 'ol, same 'ol...

Nothing interesting going on in Coopville...

Woke up on Friday to this:

The sun DID shine for a bit and it made for a beautiful morning:

But it was cold!

Friday was bitter cold ...  below 0:

A lot of firewood being burned around here:

Some of the local boids getting a bit of sunshine:

The gang enjoying some treats:

Why does Spring seem so far away?????

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Fiday Night Steam

All aboard the Patagonian Express!

We're off to Argentina tonight for a wonderful ride with beautiful scenery!

Source: https://wander-argentina.com/the-old-patagonian-express-today/

The Old Patagonian Express is advertised as ‘a journey through the landscape and time.’ The train ride serves principally as a tourist attraction and for most this will entail a trip meandering from Esquel through the hills to the village of Nahuel Pan 22km away. The train is stationary for fifteen minutes before departure, allowing spectators time to take it the sight as well as a lungful of the characteristically thick steam-engine smoke as the train gets ready to depart.

photo: Markus Feldt

The journey itself takes almost an hour, with the train rumbling along the tracks and affording excellent views of the vast, sparse landscape as it lists on one of the many broad bends in the track.



A tour guide gives a brief explanation in Spanish of the history of the train and its destination and will try and answer questions in English.
Much of the land through which the route travels is part of a vast estancia, an Argentine ranch. A herd of horses might playfully gallop alongside the train, and the journey affords the ability to spot other Patagonia wildlife, including packs of llama-like guanacos, ostridge-like rheas and occasionally, condors.
It is fitting that Paul Theroux championed in his work of the same name the importance of the journey itself, not the destination. The little pueblo of Nahuel Pan is an underwhelming, sparse place to arrive.
Half a dozen shacks greet the passengers disembarking the train each offering different services: soft drinks, snacks and several local handicraft workshops. The torta fritas, literally ‘fried cakes’, are very similar to a doughnut without the jam and are a delicious value. A tiny museum offers an exhibit on the history of the area and its native Mapuche Indian inhabitants.
The highlight of the Nahuel Pan stop is getting a look at the pair of disused trains resting beside the tracks. It is a sad sight to see these formerly imperious engines, brown with rust, lying dormant and slowly being eroded by the Patagonian breeze, but they are fascinating objects to inspect close-up and pose for a photograph with (bonus points for those clutching their copy of Theroux).
The schedule changes according to the season and unfortunately The Patagonia Express has developed a reputation as being unreliable. As well as the trip from Esquel to Nahuel Pan, another more substantial 406km journey is offered from the town of Maiten, near Bariloche, to Bruno Thomas Pass 55km away.
The official website is now up and running again but the information can be at odds with what the stationmaster has to say in his authentic wooden ticket office at Esquel station. Those interested would do best to just show up to see if the train is running, you can also try to double check details over the telephone, if anyone answers.
The last word should go to Paul Theroux, who after his journey on board ‘La Trochita’ in the 1970s noted, ‘The engine looked derelict, as if it would never run again – but it had a hundred more years in it, I was sure.’ Nearly halfway there, he might just be right.
—by George Warren

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Happy Valentine's Day!

To all my special "peeps"........

......... and Chickenmom 

XOXOXOX

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