Big Boy Farewell
August 30, 2021 - Today would be my 6th and Final day of chasing the Big Boy through the Mid and Southwest and fittingly, the day starts at "home" for me. I have so much material from my time with Big Boy that I'm sure it will be months of posting here before it's all through, but I wanted to stop, mark this moment, and reflect a bit. If y'all don't care, just skip down to the end where the captioning info is.
UP 4014 and train depart from the Amtrak leads onto the TRRA. From here it will be a short trip to Grand(Theresa) Ave. Interlocking and onto ex-MoPac tracks to start her westward journey, a scene I've watched unfold countless times for countless trains over the years. BB's journey will ultimately lead to Cheyenne and soon another docket of Steam Trips will be complete.
Over the 6 days chasing this beast, I've found myself hot, tired, and exhausted at the end of each day...and I do this as something for FUN! No doubt the UP Steam Crew enjoys what they do, but if I do it as a hobby and feel fully wiped out at the end of each day, I can't imagine what it takes out of the people who not only do it as their JOB, but are doing it in the middle of the summer (with most of the trip in the southern US) while in, on, and around this locomotive who's basic premise of operations starts with getting things really HOT! So, hat tip from this Railfan to the whole UP Steam Crew!
Cheers to the cool folks I've met and in many cases re-met along the way! I hope our paths cross again soon. Thanks to towns like Parsons and McAlester and others along the way who had their normal daily routine overrun by a bunch of foamers and welcomed me with friendliness and hospitality -- and usually really good food! For the nasty, petty, mean-spirited, or just plain annoying types that this hobby seems to attract a far greater rate than seems fair (you know who you are), my first inclination is to wish for chain-saw enemas for the lot of you. But upon further consideration, I'll settle for the final portion of the Irish Blessing.
From here, I pass the torch to those in Jeff City, Sedalia, Warrensburg...and on into Kansas, towns like Hayes and Salina...and points west to Denver and Cheyenne - Good Luck! in your endeavors to see, photograph, and just plain enjoy the 4014. Here's Hopin' for another epic Journey for UP 4014 and friends - because there's nothing ever guaranteed in this world.
-Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy #4014
-Terminal Railroad Association
-Jefferson Ave Overpass, Downtown St. Louis, MO
-August 30, 2021
TT1_0027_edited-1
Big Boy Farewell
August 30, 2021 - Today would be my 6th and Final day of chasing the Big Boy through the Mid and Southwest and fittingly, the day starts at "home" for me. I have so much material from my time with Big Boy that I'm sure it will be months of posting here before it's all through, but I wanted to stop, mark this moment, and reflect a bit. If y'all don't care, just skip down to the end where the captioning info is.
UP 4014 and train depart from the Amtrak leads onto the TRRA. From here it will be a short trip to Grand(Theresa) Ave. Interlocking and onto ex-MoPac tracks to start her westward journey, a scene I've watched unfold countless times for countless trains over the years. BB's journey will ultimately lead to Cheyenne and soon another docket of Steam Trips will be complete.
Over the 6 days chasing this beast, I've found myself hot, tired, and exhausted at the end of each day...and I do this as something for FUN! No doubt the UP Steam Crew enjoys what they do, but if I do it as a hobby and feel fully wiped out at the end of each day, I can't imagine what it takes out of the people who not only do it as their JOB, but are doing it in the middle of the summer (with most of the trip in the southern US) while in, on, and around this locomotive who's basic premise of operations starts with getting things really HOT! So, hat tip from this Railfan to the whole UP Steam Crew!
Cheers to the cool folks I've met and in many cases re-met along the way! I hope our paths cross again soon. Thanks to towns like Parsons and McAlester and others along the way who had their normal daily routine overrun by a bunch of foamers and welcomed me with friendliness and hospitality -- and usually really good food! For the nasty, petty, mean-spirited, or just plain annoying types that this hobby seems to attract a far greater rate than seems fair (you know who you are), my first inclination is to wish for chain-saw enemas for the lot of you. But upon further consideration, I'll settle for the final portion of the Irish Blessing.
From here, I pass the torch to those in Jeff City, Sedalia, Warrensburg...and on into Kansas, towns like Hayes and Salina...and points west to Denver and Cheyenne - Good Luck! in your endeavors to see, photograph, and just plain enjoy the 4014. Here's Hopin' for another epic Journey for UP 4014 and friends - because there's nothing ever guaranteed in this world.
-Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy #4014
-Terminal Railroad Association
-Jefferson Ave Overpass, Downtown St. Louis, MO
-August 30, 2021
TT1_0027_edited-1