The fault lies not with the 4014. The problem is Ed Dickens.

He's an egotistical @#$%&.

I was on the UP Facebook Steam Page having a debate with someone who was claiming that the diesels were in dynamics ascending Cajon Pass. I told him that numerous railfans with scanners heard Dickens calling out power notch settings over the radio to the diesel helpers and that they were in at least Run 6 the whole way to Summit.

All of a sudden I get a half-assed reply from the Union Pacific "God of Steam" himself.

I say half-assed, because all it was was an emogee, rubbing its chin quizzically.

I replied, asking him if he cared to confirm or correct me.

I received no reply, but instead the entire thread was deleted within minutes.

The Great and Powerful Oz is actually a pitifully small little man hiding behind a curtain.

He is an island unto himself in the steam community. None of the other big players, whom I have spoken directly with, have anything good to say about him.

In mobspeak "he eats alone". He shares no knowledge with anyone else nor does he seek nor accept any counsel from anyone, even those who have been doing things right for decades.

He has his sycophants, including Jim Wrinn from "Trains" for whom Ed Dickens walks on water.

So be it.

My greatest problem with him is his trashing of the previous Steam Boss, Steve Lee, a man that I have the utmost respect for.

Once when Steve was asked about the possibility of restoring a Big Boy, he said that even if the UP could acquire one (which at the time they had no desire to do)it would be a giant and expensive undertaking to restore the locomotive to it's full operating capabilities. He went on to say he had no interest in operating a caricature.

IMHO, that's what we have right now.