Why am I letting myself get dragged into the troll argument. I absolutely LOVE reading armchair boiler operators spout off about all their supposed knowledge of what's working and what isn't.

For those that didn't read a previous post of mine, I am not affiliated with UP in any way shape or form. I am not even out on the chase, even though I would absolutely love to be. Right now, I'm at work in Elkhorn Nebraska. My work is as a stationary engineer. I'm sure all you trolls know exactly what that is, but for those who might have just an ounce of humility, let me explain it to you... I am a licensed boiler operator. I oversee 7 boilers on my shift each night. The license that I hold is the 2nd most difficult boiler license to obtain in the country, behind New York City. In addition, I also work with the steam trains at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo. These trains are not toys, but actual working engines.

For all you "experts" what are you using to determine whether a locomotive is "working" or not? Is it all that pretty smoke that comes out of the stack? Go back and read a basic boiler operations book. All that smoke means is that there is incomplete combustion. Yes, that's right, means the fireman isn't doing his job quite right. If you're trying to compare pictures from when all 25 big boys were in service to now, don't. Stop right there. As you know, those engines burned coal. While possible, it is harder for the fireman to balance his fire perfectly for complete combustion (What's that? look it up in a boiler operations book) as the coal takes longer to burn. Oil on the other hand is much cleaner, and easier to make fine tuned adjustments. What does the 4014 burn now? Oil.

Are you griping because that diesel sounds like it's working hard? Suck it up buttercups. Its not unusual to throttle back a steam engine and let the diesel do the bulk of the work to save on fuel, and especially water. Yes, as much as I'm sure all you drooling "experts" probably hate to admit it, even the 844 and the 3985 would sometimes back off the throttle and let the diesel do the work. And UP is not alone on this. the 4449, 3751, 261, and others have also done the same thing, for the same reason. You think obtaining water is a simple thing? Obtaining water isn't as simple as just pulling up to a fire hydrant, not for the long term health of a boiler. EVERY boiler needs to have the water treated for softness, the right alkalinity amounts, sulfates, etc. If they can save water, they will.

Now, my challenge from an earlier post remains the same. For all you "expert" haters out there, why don't you quite hiding behind an anonymous handle, and actually identify yourself, and exactly what your grievance is with the program. I've yet to see any credibility from any one of you lousy complainers who make the rest of us want to bang our heads on the wall. Or, are you too much of a "professional" or too much of an "expert" to be able to do that and share your knowledge with the rest of us, if you have "knowledge" worth sharing? Until you have the balls to do so, if all you want to do is complain, please, go write in your own diary so the rest of us don't have to deal with your baggage. Sorry, your baggage missed that train.