Sailormilan2 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 http://news.yahoo.com/big-boy-locomotive-begins-california-farewell-tour-193612367.html Big Boy locomotive begins California farewell tour POMONA, Calif. (AP) — An enormous steam locomotive that has been entertaining train enthusiasts at a California museum for years began a trek of more than 1,200 miles on Sunday with the ultimate goal of putting the engine back on the nation's rails. The 600-ton Big Boy locomotive left the Pomona fairgrounds on its way to a Union Pacific rail yard in Colton, about 60 miles away, where it will be available for two weekends of public viewing before moving on to Cheyenne, Wyo., for restoration work. The goal is to eventually get Engine 4014 back on the rails, said Union Pacific spokesman Aaron Hunt. The engine, which weighs 1.2 million pounds when its fuel car, or tender, is included, was one of 25 massive steam engines that began riding the transcontinental rails in 1941. It pulled heavy freight trains over the Wasatch Mountains between Ogden, Utah and Green River, Wyo., and retired after a 17-year career. In 1962, the behemoth was donated to the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona. Since November, the locomotive has been slowly moved across the grounds at the Pomona fairplex on 4,500 feet of temporary track. On Sunday, Union Pacific pushed the locomotive onto the main tracks, where it will be towed by modern diesel freight locomotives 56 miles to Colton — a last stop before heading to Wyoming. The repairs there could take several years, Union Pacific has said. In exchange for getting No. 4014 back, Union Pacific plans to deliver diesel locomotive No. 3105, a caboose and a box car to the RailGiants museum, company officials said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShooterTom Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 That is something I would like to see. I didn't realize any still existed, I would have went and saw that during my many trips to the gunshows there. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougar69 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 There are I believe 7 or 8 still around on display through out the country. Some are maintained cosmetically & others are just rusting away. Sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FC Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Neat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odies dad Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 There are a couple big ones around Duluth. One really big one in Two Harbors and one in Cloquet. There is another near Fargo in Dilworth. Always wanted to climb around on one, but they have them all chained off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShooterTom Posted February 1, 2014 Report Share Posted February 1, 2014 I keep missing the ball, there is one here in north Texas. They just moved from Dallas to Frisco back in August. That would have really been something to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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