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vagabond

I realize this is off topic (hey, it’s big, kinda armored and from WW2) - but thought some folks might be interested in a gallery of photos of this 1943 built Union Pacific Challenger 3977 Steam Locomotive - one of two 3900 series Challengers still in existence. It is on display at the Cody Railroad Museum in North Platte, NE.

www.vgbimages.com/Trai...th/n-5L6Tw

the_shadock

that's a big toy... I want one !!

Kurt_Laughlin · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 577

P-O, that's not even the biggest steam locomotive there was. The largest was the ALCo "Big Boy", 26m long, 5m tall, and with a combined locomotive and tender weight of 567,000 kg. Truly gigantic and amazing machines.

www.trainweb.org/jlsrr...nsions.htm

KL

Doug_Kibbey

Chally's, Big Boys and Mountain Types were pretty much the only steam operating in non-execursion routs post 1949*, almost always on mountain routes where they had an advantage in tractive effort. There's a show on a travel channel that features some great footage (in color!) from operations into the 2000's on excursions. At least one Challenger is operated for excursions...I think from Cheyenne or nearby.

A few steam passenger routes from Atlanta to Florida were still operating in my chlldhood, and I rode them...back when "Underground Atlanta" was actually still an operating station and not a shopping center.

binder001 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 25, 2006 Posts: 363

As long as we have drifted into this area; I am also a model train buff and am a fan of the Union Pacific. 1) Biggest steam loco in North America: Union Pacific's 4-8-8-4 "Big Boy" type. 25 built, eight still in existence. Last summer the UP made railfan headlines by re-acquiring Big Boy UP 4014 from a museum group in LA and has moved it to the Cheyenne, WY steam shop for reactivation (for PR and excursion work). 2) UP's other two "active" steamers are sidelined at the moment. Northern type, UP 844, needs boiler work, and the operational Challenger, UP 3985, also needs mechanical work. Unfortunately the funds are likely to support the full restoration of UP 4014 and the UP manager of the "Heritage Fleet" got himself into very hot water. Hopefully things will get better in Cheyenne and all three steamers will get full and proper repairs.

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