You are all wrong! They are doing ATSF 3460 the Blue Goose next!

Any chance you have enough more for one more under there, or do I need to find somewhere else to hide?




Don't get me wrong. It would be nice to see #3985 run again someday, but I'm perfectly happy with "The Living Legend" and "The King of Rails" running right now.

Challenger #3985 is a mighty impressive machine (I saw her in 2010 when she came through St. Louis), but she is definitely overshadowed by her bigger brother, "The King".

If anything, I think we can all agree that Ed Dickens, the UP Steam crew, and UP (for allowing the steam program to continue and grow) have done something phenomenal by both keeping the last steam locomotive they received running (and never retiring it) and for returning the largest, successful steam locomotive back to operation.

Well done, Ed and the steam crew. Your hard work speaks for itself. I can't wait to see what the future holds.

Personally, a lot of my interest in #3985 came from the fact that it was the closest thing to seeing a Big Boy in operation (which was NEVER going to happen...) Now that #4014 is running, I don't stay up nights worrying about when or if #3985 will return to operation. That being said, I hope it gets a dignified retirement, cosmetically restored and on display somewhere where people can enjoy it. I'll be really disappointed if it gets parted out over time to support #4014's operation the way #838 has been for #844.

(There's a beautifully restored UP roundhouse-now-community center in nearby Evanston, WY, that is just begging for a steam locomotive for display!)

Actually, they are building an Erie Triplex next!

Hi railfan59, since that was your first post at RYPN I'd recommend using the search function concerning 3985 and read those old threads. No new information has been released, and as you can see from the responses, it's a somewhat sore subject. Welcome to RYPN!

Wow. Think he’ll be back?

Should I start the weekly "the future of preservation is doomed" post?

I keep hearing rumors that the UP 0-6-0 #4420 displayed in Evanston will be moved to the roundhouse.

Evidently the OP didn't see Ed Dickens at West Chicago or he would know the story.

I PMed him with the details, which is what I think, personally, any of you should have done instead of going to this length of snarkfest. If he is genuinely concerned, that solves his concern without affecting the rest of us; if he's trolling, it puts the ball back in his court to see what he does next.

Either way I think the entertainment aspect of this particular thread has come to an end. About the end of its informational content there can be little doubt.

I'd rather keep 3985 on the eventually-operating pathway for now, instead of mounting & stuffing it. Union Pacific #5511 is the locomotive that ought to be destined for Evanston's roundhouse display!

George Jenista
Fort Worth Texas USA

I went on one of the shop tours last month, and the tour guide said that they'd like to put 5511 in there at some point. Main issue is moving it, however. It has friction bearings, so it can only be moved by truck or on a flatbed. And neither UP or Evanston wants to pay for it.

As for the main subject here (3985), the guide said that it won't be going anywhere, regardless of whether it gets restored or not.

Well then, how about UP #4420 (Lima #1414, built 1914, 0-6-0)? It's a playground toy at Evanston's North Elementary School. A roundhouse display would be a much more dignified resting-place for the locomotive!