It was fun watching the move and all the great coverage. Jim did an excellent job out there...so did the UP.

Here's another video, posted by Union Pacific on YouTube, on December 2nd:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI8Oz7PuOfc


This latest Big Boy flick focuses on the track panels & shows the work through Nov 17th.

It wasn't easy but the UP guys sure made it look that way. It will be interesting to watch them cut in to Metrolink and get out on to live track.

Though not a UP video, I thought this YouTube was worth linking here (it shows 4014 nearing the fence on November 22nd; it's the fastest I've seen 4014 move in any of the videos posted thus far):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQLHUEPawHU

Does 4014 deserve a ballad? Well, it has one courtesy of the AltarBillies' "Ballad of the Big Boy":


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHzN7UCjki8

Here's the newest UP official video in which Mr. Dickens updates efforts through December 12th:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F00-IJ2pLnk

Definitely a lot of work they have done out there.

Another update...well kind of.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TWLn5kF2C4

So, they traded a 4-8-8-4 in halfway decent shape for a SD?
Wow, I wish I had trading skills like that!

That's what I said. An SD and a caboose for a 4-8-8-4. What a trade.

Remember the P.R. angle of: "See that huge engine racing by? We took care of it for 52 years and that's why it can run today."

Any museum that has such an artifact should look at the P.R. side of trades that outside parties request. You can still say "No, it is part of our permanent collection, and is not for trade" or "This piece is integral to our primary displays/mission statement, and is therefore not available.", just look before you say no.

I actually think the trade was a decent idea. What can children of today relate to? What do they see every day? Yes, a Big Boy brings a sense of pride and awe to people, but whats better to bring that, sitting in a museum, cold and dead, or running out on the road for all to see. Children today see SD-40's every day, its one of the more common types of power, so they can relate and connect to it. Like it or not, diesel preservation is what is going to bring the current generation of railfan's to museums, they grew up around diesel, not steam.

And of course if nothing is done to preserve modern diesels, some of the examples are actually getting up there in years anyway, there won't be any left in the future, so its time to think about whats worth saving now, rather then wait till its too late.

The Southern California Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society will also receive the proceeds of a 4014 California excursion which could end up netting the Chapter several hundred thousand dollars. When this is figured into the trade, the 4014 trade appears to be equitable to both the UP and the Chapter.

A blue 0-6-0T with a big smiley face. "Diesels" become a generic category since the differences between modern diesels are not as visually obvious as those between steam locomotives. A SD whatever and a GP whatever are differentially indistinguishable to children....and rightly so.

dave

quite frankly, if that blue 0-6-0T with the smiley face get kids into this, and makes them want to be an engineer, so be it. Honestly that's what got me started about 20 years ago, and now I work with steam for a living. And I can thank that little blue 0-6-0T for implanting the dream