UP 844 Steam Logomotive

azguy · Jan 9, 2012

A few weeks ago I put up an image of Union Pacific 844 steam locomotive. It is an amazing machine that represents the height of manufacturing technology in 1944.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1039&message=39844519&q=844&qf=m

Here is a series of images. Comments welcome. D300, D200, 12-200mm VR, 17-55mm 2.8, Tokina 12-24mm.

No. 1, Arriving in Picacho, AZ

No. 2, Crew member (wasn't born when this was built) showing maintenance.

No. 3, On display in Phoenix

No. 4, Last car in exhibition train.

No. 5 UP 844 nose, black and white

No. 6, the 844's 4300 horsepower friend that helped it with acceleration and hills.

No. 7, Wiiping down the 844's linkage with WD 40.

No. 8, Got to know all the knobs and levers to drive this thing.

No. 9, Leaving Picacho, AZ

No. 10, HUGE crowd greeted 844 at Gilbert, AZ.

No. 11, UP Security warning everyone to stay off the tracks.

No. 12, Leaving Picacho, AZ. Came right past me. Cool!

--
JohnE
Some of my work is shown here:
http://www.biltmorephoto.com
My RailFan images are posted at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/azguy

azguy · Jan 9, 2012

Sorry, locomotive. You can only edit for 15 minutes, which is pretty lame, in my view.
--
JohnE
Some of my work is shown here:
http://www.biltmorephoto.com
My RailFan images are posted at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/azguy

Gale Bizet · Jan 9, 2012

Beautiful crisp clear. Color is great.

Love those old trains. As I look at them I can hear them as I did when I was a kid.

I loved to wave to the enginer and the guy on the caboos...I lived by the railroad tracks.
--
Nikon Gal
Best Regards
Gale

http://www.pbase.com/techwish

Robert Cohen · Jan 9, 2012

I really like #2, it dramatically shows how big that equipment is compared to the mortals who made it.

I'm jealous again.

I'll be in the Phoenix area in two months and don't see any mention on UP's web site of 844 having any tours in 2012.
--
--Bob

azguy · Jan 9, 2012

Gale Bizet said:
Beautiful crisp clear. Color is great.

Love those old trains. As I look at them I can hear them as I did when I was a kid.

I loved to wave to the enginer and the guy on the caboos...I lived by the railroad tracks.
--
Nikon Gal
Best Regards
Gale

Thanks for the comments. The steam trains have (this one anyway) a true "steam whistle," while the new trains have an air horn. It is a very different sound. Yes, also like trains. My father in law was a conductor on Southern Pacific.
--
JohnE
Some of my work is shown here:
http://www.biltmorephoto.com
My RailFan images are posted at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/azguy

azguy · Jan 9, 2012

Robert Cohen said:
I really like #2, it dramatically shows how big that equipment is compared to the mortals who made it.

I'm jealous again. I'll be in the Phoenix area in two months and don't see any mention on UP's web site of 844 having any tours in 2012.
--
--Bob

It is truly massive. Here is an image of my wife next to the 80" drivers. The driving wheels are press fitted onto the axels. The axel roller bearings are so good that they have not changed them out since the 50's, just serviced them.

Now, don't know where they will be going next. This trip was Wyoming > Colorado > New Mexico > Arizona > California > Nevada > Utah, and back to Wyoming. This machine goes out on tour almost every year though. You can follow on their site. Thanks for commenting.

--
JohnE
Some of my work is shown here:
http://www.biltmorephoto.com
My RailFan images are posted at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/azguy

Glen Brewer · Jan 9, 2012

Great pictures of a great locomotive. Here in Denver, we are lucky enough to see it (or its stable mate 3985) once or twice a year.

--
Glen
http://RailroadGloryDays.com

orackd · Jan 9, 2012

Fabulous gallery it must have been fun to shoot, thanks for sharing.
--
Oscar

azguy · Jan 10, 2012

Glen Brewer said:
Great pictures of a great locomotive. Here in Denver, we are lucky enough to see it (or its stable mate 3985) once or twice a year.

--

Yes, I have noted that it gets over to Denver more often than all the way down here. The crew told me that the 3985 is undergoing a major overhaul. Thanks for commenting. I read some of the information on your site. I have visited the Colorado RR museum.

JohnE
Some of my work is shown here:
http://www.biltmorephoto.com
My RailFan images are posted at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/azguy

azguy · Jan 10, 2012

orackd said:
Fabulous gallery it must have been fun to shoot, thanks for sharing.
--
Oscar

You know, it really was fun. I visited it in Tucson, Picacho, Gilbert, and Phoenix. I wanted to follow it again when it went from Phoenix to Yuma, but I had work appointments. Thanks for commenting.
--
JohnE
Some of my work is shown here:
http://www.biltmorephoto.com
My RailFan images are posted at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/azguy

rubicon · Jan 11, 2012

Great shots;

I had the chance to shoot the same train about 20 years ago with FILM, somewhere around the house I still have the negitives,, the 844, came through the midwest and I shot it on B&W film, sorry it doesn't make it back to midwest again.
Thanks for sharing.

Rubicon:

azguy · Jan 13, 2012

rubicon said:
Great shots;

I had the chance to shoot the same train about 20 years ago with FILM, somewhere around the house I still have the negitives,, the 844, came through the midwest and I shot it on B&W film, sorry it doesn't make it back to midwest again.
Thanks for sharing.

Rubicon:

Thanks for commenting. Yes, it is popular wherever it goes. They have not announced the 2012 tours yet.
http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/steam/index.shtml
--
JohnE
Some of my work is shown here:
http://www.biltmorephoto.com

shutterbugbytes · Jan 13, 2012

Awesome!!

AntnioGM · Jan 13, 2012

Hi John.

Very good photos. Both these set and the other one.
As for the locomotive, she's a beauty.

This locomotive looks very well maintained. It is a pleasure to see one of these great steamers in working order.

I really like your photos. Good work.

António
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/91908602@N00/

thomas2279f · Jan 13, 2012

Beautiful

azguy · Jan 13, 2012

AntnioGM said:
Hi John.

Very good photos. Both these set and the other one.
As for the locomotive, she's a beauty.

This locomotive looks very well maintained. It is a pleasure to see one of these great steamers in working order.

I really like your photos. Good work.

António
--

Thanks for the comments. Yes, it has been owned by Union Pacific and has been maintained by them since they took delivery in 1944. They have a steam shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where they maintain this engine and one more. Mechanics travel with it, and they have a couple of cars full of parts and machine tools back in the train.
--
JohnE
Some of my work is shown here:
http://www.biltmorephoto.com

azguy · Jan 13, 2012

Here is the engineer, waving at me while doing some switching. It was very cool to watch it go back and forth. It runs on fuel oil, and has an injection firiing system. I could see the sequence of the ignitions.

My wife, standing next to the 80" drivers. Shows how huge they are.

Crew member showing how they torque and lock the huge nut on the driving arms.

This truck has been converted to pull rail cars for track maintenance. Saw it in the yard while visiting the 844 in Phoenix. Note the rail couping in the front. Interesting.

--
JohnE
Some of my work is shown here:
http://www.biltmorephoto.com

Robert Cohen · Jan 13, 2012

Fascinating seeing that truck converted to play the role of a locomotive. Usually in railroads "truck" has a very different meaning!

I wonder about the efficiency of a (presumably) regular truck engine and rubber tires. Traditionally railroad rolling stock has had steel wheels.
--
--Bob

Danny W. · Jan 13, 2012

Robert Cohen said:
Fascinating seeing that truck converted to play the role of a locomotive. Usually in railroads "truck" has a very different meaning! I wonder about the efficiency of a (presumably) regular truck engine and rubber tires. Traditionally railroad rolling stock has had steel wheels.
--
--Bob

The truck is riding the rails on steel wheels--look closely.

Danny W.

Danny W. · Jan 13, 2012

These are great!

I'm sorry I didn't know about this visit--have to pay more attention.

Danny W.

UP 844 Steam Logomotive

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Forum Pro

Senior Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Member

Forum Enthusiast

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Senior Member

Veteran Member

Well-known member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Senior Member

Leading Member

Leading Member

Keyboard shortcuts