# UP Heritage Fleet and S Gauge



## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

I spent several hours online watching run-by‘s of BigBoy 4014 on its tour around the US. It is truly a magnificent engine. Ten years earlier UP restored and operated a Challenger, #3985 so I watched some of those run-by’s. The UP also operated a big F-E-F, #844. Eastern railroads call them Northerns.
One of the things that really impressed me is the rotational speed of the main rod connector to the driver. At what looked like 79mph it was just a blur of motion. Even at an apparent 60mph I was surprised by the rotational speed.
I am not sure everyone realizes that Lionel made both the 3985 and 4014 engines as Legacy engines in S gauge. I have both of them on my layout. After watching the videos I decided to fire up those engines and watch how fast I would need to run them on the layout to duplicate what I saw in the videos. I typically operate my articulated engines at a maximum scale speed around 45smph. The engines were really flying around the layout to duplicate the rod motion I saw in the videos. More like running my old Gilbert engines than the modern scale Legacy engines. Good thing all the curves on the layout are wide radius with easements and super elevation. It made for an entertaining afternoon.
Here a pictures of the American Flyer by Lionel S scale Legacy engines from the UP Heritage fleet.


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## AFGP9 (Apr 8, 2015)

Wow quite the story about the run-by videos you watched and pictures of the Legacy engines. Those engines are sure impressive looking especially when a yard stick is laid by them. Broad curves are sure nice but the super elevation has to be the biggest part for containment of your locomotives high speed. I have that on my layout although I don't need it for speed since I don't run much at high speed. It just looks prototypical. 


Kenny


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Sorry Tom. I just now saw your post. Yes, those UP steamers are impressive. I have seen and video taped 3985 and 844 here in St Louis. I have also seen the E8s. I just happened to be out and saw the E8s. Did not know they were coming through. In HO, I have a 3985, I have a 8444 (which is the 844). When UP
rebuilt 844 there was a diesel numbered 844. So UP numbered the 844 to 8444 until the diesel retired. You can't have 2 engines numbered the same. I also have a HO 4014. 4007 is on display about 3 miles from me. I am a big fan of the UP steam program. I have been in the cab of 3985 and 844. They were parked, not running.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Nice collection of HO items you have. Very little is made in S gauge so it is great Lionel made those two engines. For 9 years in Chicao I rode the BN to and from the Loop. The polished double deckers were pulled by green E8's. Now I understand why the FEF is sometimes 844 and sometimes 8444.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Some day I will probably black out the last 4 on my FEF. The challengers are so much like the Big Boys.
I guess one less driver on each side. In HO, I also have a 4005. It survived and is on display somewhere.
It is the only Big Boy that derailed and killed a couple crew members. It laid over on its side and was
repaired and put back in service,


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

4005 is at the Forney museum in Denver. 4012 is outdoors at Steamtown, I have visited that one.


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## AFGP9 (Apr 8, 2015)

AmFlyer said:


> 4005 is at the Forney museum in Denver. 4012 is outdoors at Steamtown, I have visited that one.


Tom I too have visited Steamtown and the 4012 plus everything else to see there, including the steam train ride. A great day.
On July 19, 2011 a Nickel Plate # 765 Berkshire, restored in 1979, under it's own power pulling 6 passenger cars, no diesel help, came down the TP&W track here in town headed west to the "Rock Island Train Festival, America's Celebration 2011", heading to East Peoria then heading north to Rock Island. It was a 98 degree day so the Berk was limited to 10 mph. because of the possibility track expansion due to the heat and humidity. It came through here around 5 AM because the whistle was sounded at 2 crossings and woke me up. That whistle didn't sound like anything diesel so I threw on some clothes and headed out the door to check things out. 
Although it wasn't a Big Boy as I originally wrote here, it was none the less impressive. Sometime around that time period the UP did move a large steam locomotive on the TP&W that was then moved over on to the UP tracks using the newly rebuilt diamond here in town. In my addled my I confused the two incidents. After posting my original story, I got to thinking about it so I went to a box I keep newspaper stories in pertaining to local railroad history and found this Berk story but nothing on what the UP moved around that same date period. I am sorry for the misleading story I originally tried to write from memory. I should know better. 

Kenny


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Sometimes our memory needs a refresh. I have a similar experience. Santa Fe 3751 made an excursion to San Diego in May of 2010. We have a home there directly across the tracks from the San Diego Santa Fe station. We did not know this event was happening and we fortunately were in San Diego that weekend. My son heard a steam whistle and ran to a widow, 3751 was parked right at the Ash Street crossing waiting for departure later in the morning. There is a great video of the trip on youtube, when I watched the video I realized my memory of the event was off by two years. We went out to get pictures, I have not been able to locate them recently. There are some stills in the online video that show 3751 parked directly behind our building. I did not find myself or my son in the pictures.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Here is a pic of the station where I met 3985 and 844. It is in Kirkwood, Mo. Kinda
famous spot to watch trains. It is a good spot. I believe the station was built around
1890 by the Missouri Pacific railroad. The town was named after James Kirkwood.
A UP exec. The station is not far from my house.






up 844 at kirkwood, mo - Bing


Find high-quality images, photos, and animated GIFS with Bing Images




www.bing.com





More Kirkwood train station pics.






Kirkwood Train Station - Bing images







www.bing.com





Here are pics of UP 844 diesel. I also see UP8444 diesel pics. I guess after 844 got its number
back, a diesel picked up 8444. When you see pics of 844 or 3985 or 4014 you will see 1 or 2
water tenders behind the steamers. UP has 2 of these water tanks. One with the American flag
on the sides. I have those 2 tenders (in HO) for my UP steamers.






up 844 diesel - Bing images







www.bing.com


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

That is a nice looking station. 
4014 runs with a water tank plus an SD70 or similar behind it. 3751 had an Amtrack engine in the consist when it came to SD. According to Ed Dickens of UP, the main reason is for dynamic engine braking to avoid wearing out the friction brakes on 4014. They hope to never have to replace the friction brakes again.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I would rather there not be a diesel in a steam consist but many times it is required. Kirkwood station is
still a working station. Amtrak is in the station. 4 Amtrak trains a day stops there.


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