UP 4014 chase 8/2019

[Tranz4mr]

I drove up to Sidney NE with my friend on 8/7 and 8/8. Caught 4014 running by at speed just NW of Julesburg CO at Weir and just west of Lodgepole NE on the 7th. That night 4014 spent the night in Sidney NE. We ran into the steam crew in a bar/restaurant near I80.
https://youtu.be/Ov5G6f6k4wE
The next day we chased from Sidney west to Pine Bluff WY
https://youtu.be/e_1JQtC_9pw
From our radio we could hear the diesel was put into dynamic braking notch 4 from Sidney until they stopped in Pine Bluffs. Max speed was about 55 but mostly 45 with 25 thru each village.

[chuck]

Awesome!!! Thanks for posting!

[rogruth]

Very nice, Kent. Thank you.
I have never been much of a chaser but this one in that venue with apparently little traffic to slow you down is probably worth it.
I like to watch and ride trains of any type. Never cared for chasing because that can be difficult in the east.

[Tranz4mr]

You’re welcome. We chased the train for over an hour straight without a break. I had almost fifty minutes of chasing video before I edited it down. There were about 15 cars chasing to start about 8 at the end. My friend Susan was driving and had done this many times in the past. She drove that old Bronco pretty well for a 75 year old. She passed a string of cars a few times that had me sweating. First time chasing for me. Hardest part was holding the camera and holding it steady for so long. Time for a better camera and mic.

[webenda]

Kent, do you know this lady? Do you know what just happened to her? Was she OK?


4014 has an always-open when underway boiler blowdown system. It blows boiler sludge out the engineer's side continuously when underway. That is why you almost always see photos and videos showing the fireman's side of this locomotive. Photographers often learn this the hard way, the sludge being hard to clean off of their camera.

Reference: https://www.maddenmfg.com/blog/What-doe ... tor-do.cfm

[rogruth]

Wayne,
That is something I didn't know. the continuous blow down on those locos.
Thank you.

[Tranz4mr]

Wayne that’s my driver train friend Susan. By the time the steam got to us it was cool and actually felt good in the hot sun. The blow down system used to be a continuous blowdown. It had a device up top where the hot pressurized fluid/sludge from the bottom sides of the firebox was piped up top to a device that would shoot it into a centrifugal device separating the fluid from the steam. Steam would vent out the top and the water would drain unpressurized down a drain to the track under the cab. Problem was it made a mess on top of the engine and allowed moisture under the outer sheet metal skin into the insulation and onto the boiler. Now it’s been replumbed just like any other steam engine where the fireman opens a valve to blowdown his side of the boiler and the engineer has one for his side. As you can see it’s more dangerous for people along the track or working in a yard. 844 was changed to this too. So ex old UP steam shop people have been reduced to bitching about that change and the fact that Ed Dickens hangs out the window too much.

[webenda]

Wayne that’s my driver train friend Susan. By the time the steam got to us it was cool and actually felt good in the hot sun.

Thank you Kent, I was worried about her.

Now it’s been replumbed just like any other steam engine where the fireman opens a valve to blowdown his side of the boiler and the engineer has one for his side. As you can see it’s more dangerous for people along the track or working in a yard.

Hmmm, Ed Dickens must have a thing for the blowdown on his side.

[Tranz4mr]

That’s probably why he hangs out the window so much, so he can blast old ladies and dumb asses like me with blowdown sludge steam!

[Tranz4mr]

Webenda
After watching my video from the fireman's side it appears you're correct, that both sides of the firebox are plumbed to the engineers side.

For you engineering types here is the Wilson Centrifugal Blowoff Muffler info from the 1941 Locomotive Encyclopedia.

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