Great video if just a tiny bit misleading, although nothing about the UP Big Boy is tiny.
I have a photo somewhere of my wife standing inside one of the wheels of the Big Boy at Steamtown.
There is at least one other operating live steam Big Boy because I read an article in Live Steam magazine about a man in Abington, PA who built one in his basement. It had to be between '81 and late '84, because I was out of the Navy, and living in our first house. I called the builder, and he very graciously asked if I wanted to go up and see the engine. Massive size, and he had cut through the wall of the basement to allow the engine and tender to be loaded onto his truck. He also said it took ten years to build it. If I remember right. I searched the Live Steam archive but wasn't able to nail down the exact date or title of the article, and I wonder what became of the engine. Absolutely huge and beautiful work.
I think this video is the Kiwi Big Boy running on Tom Miller's track in Oregon. https://vimeo.com/90420693
And a Google search for "Tom Miller Live Steam" produces information and photos.
Yeah, they roped me in too..... :)
ReplyDeleteGreat video if just a tiny bit misleading, although nothing about the UP Big Boy is tiny.
ReplyDeleteI have a photo somewhere of my wife standing inside one of the wheels of the Big Boy at Steamtown.
There is at least one other operating live steam Big Boy because I read an article in Live Steam magazine about a man in Abington, PA who built one in his basement. It had to be between '81 and late '84, because I was out of the Navy, and living in our first house.
I called the builder, and he very graciously asked if I wanted to go up and see the engine. Massive size, and he had cut through the wall of the basement to allow the engine and tender to be loaded onto his truck. He also said it took ten years to build it. If I remember right.
I searched the Live Steam archive but wasn't able to nail down the exact date or title of the article, and I wonder what became of the engine. Absolutely huge and beautiful work.
I think this video is the Kiwi Big Boy running on Tom Miller's track in Oregon.
https://vimeo.com/90420693
And a Google search for "Tom Miller Live Steam" produces information and photos.
Great post and thank you.