Cprr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Father Time Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A very good question for the "experts" on this
> > board to answer.
> >
> > Let's see.
> > The 3985 was made runnable in 1981.
> > It was 9 years before the Old Steam Crew hooked
> up
> > that APL stack train to it.
> >
> > How many years should go by before the New
> Steam
> > Crew gets blasted for doing something similar
> with
> > the 4014?
> >
> > Come on Hotwater and Cprr, give us an answer
> with
> > an explanation..
>
> Um, why am I being dragged into this? Hot Water
> answered it for you already. In fact didn't the
> circus train pull also was set up by Ringling
> Bros?
>
> My biggest beef is with Ed, not the UP program.
> The man has single handily destroyed a department
> that had more than just two historic running
> locomotives in the stable. What a waste.

For Father Time,I will be rude enough to point out
that while the 3985 stack train run was indeed 9
years after it's return to service, it was only a
year or so after the locomotive had been converted
to oil fuel. Prior to the conversion, the locomotive
had been restricted (since the 1982 Idaho/Utah trip
that result4ed in dozens of lineside fires), to
operation between Cheyenne and Laramie ONLY. Once
it was oil-fired, that restriction was rescinded.

It might also be considered rude to point out that in
the late 1980's all through thee 1990's, both UP steam
locomotives handled freight on deadhead moves to and
from Council Bluffs and also to Kansas City. This
varied from 50-60 autorack cars to a complete empty
grain train. It wasn't even considered noteworthy at
the time to fans.

And while being rude, I might as well point out that
the esteemed person mentioned above has publicly,
sneeringly, and repeatedly dismissed previous UP steam
freight runs as "stunts." Doesn't seem to matter what
the customers wanted.

Now, it should also be noted that 4014 operates under
a 45 mph speed restriction and ALWAYS will have at
least one diesel in any consist it pulls. This is the
gospel per the UP's CEO (the diesel requirement) and
the brave, window-hanging engineer (the speed limit).
The diesel requirement also applies to 844.

Leaving the diesel thing aside, how many customers do
you suppose want to see their 70 mph intermodal train
loafing along at 45 mph? The 3985 stack train ran at
70, and the circus train ran at it's own specified (by
RBB&B) speed, so that was not an issue then.