1/8th size Big Boy

Bob Yarger · **Posted:** Sun Aug 31, 2003 1:05 pm

This is not a live steam website, but one has to stand in admiration of someone who could build such a beast. Live steamers (at least those who build their own) are often seen as eccentric old codgers who look like an adult on a pre-schoolers toy train, but they are actually some of the most skilled people among us.

http://www.trainweb.org/jlsrr/bigboy/4005-live-steam/4005-ls-1/bigboy%204005%20live%20steam%201.htm
ryarger@rypn.org

Bob Yarger · **Posted:** Sun Aug 31, 2003 1:11 pm

A wreck story about the real 4005 now displayed at the Forney Museum in Denver.

http://www.forneymuseum.com/NewsLetter_BBWreck.htm
ryarger@rypn.org

Jim Fitzgerald · **Posted:** Sun Aug 31, 2003 6:30 pm

Just had to do this. Image of 4002 when either brand new or just out of the shop. I'm sure this is a UP photo, from the collection of John McGovern, long time UP employee.

fitzrr@pioneer.net

Bob Yarger · **Posted:** Mon Sep 01, 2003 1:02 pm

This is not a nostalgia website either, but I have fond memories of my first visit to the Cheyenne roundhouse in September 1958 - and being in the cab of No. 4002.. What a museum that place could have been if they had just left it. Today, the remainder of the machine shop and passenger house have been nicely restored, but I think the rest of the site is just open land.

> Just had to do this. Image of 4002 when
> either brand new or just out of the shop.
> I'm sure this is a UP photo, from the
> collection of John McGovern, long time UP
> employee.

http://abpr2.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?january03/01-25-03/cb+q4001.jpg
ryarger@rypn.org

finderskeepers · **Posted:** Mon Sep 01, 2003 11:01 pm

An interesting site, but a fountain of misinformation too. Big boys did not have the largest firebox ever built..correct me if I am wrong but the yellowstones had 182 sq ft. fireboxes, and I believe that those upside down T shaped pieces are not supports for the firebox, but rather thermic syphons which aided in boiler circulation.

Dave Stephenson · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2003 6:43 am

NP's 2-8-8-4's did have the largest grate area at about 182 SF. Read somewhere that this was later reduced to about 261 SF to improve combustion.

Those T-shaped devices are actually called circulators. They run from the crown sheet to the side of the firebox as the photo shows, and improve water circulation. They were also used to support firebrick over the forward part of the grates. Thermic syphons serve a similar purpose but look like flattened funnels. They run from the crown sheet to the forward and lower part of the firebox.