Union Pacific's No. 844 Suffers a Seized Bearing

One of the main reasons that the railroads switched from steam-powered locomotives to diesel-electric locomotives was the high level of maintenance that the steam giants require.  With thousands of moving parts, most under tremendous strain and pressure, parts are due to wear rather rapidly.  In fact, steam locomotives typically require a good oiling and greasing of all critical components every several hundred miles or so.

An example of the issues associated with moving such a mass of steel using a mechanical drive train occurred to Union Pacific’s famed steam locomotive No. 844, while en route to Kansas City, Missouri with the UP’s special run, the Valley Eagle Heritage Tour.  The No. 844 apparently had a connecting rod bearing seize on one of her massive 80” drive wheels.

While browsing the web for posts regarding the progress of the Eagle’s 28-day tour, I happened upon a great post by a serious Olathe, Kansas railfan on one of the railroad discussion boards. Here is his post that describes the issue in detail:

I stopped by Union Station in Kansas City, Mo., late this afternoon to see U.P. 844 which was on public display from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. today. What I found, however, was that 844 evidently was ailing when it reached KC yesterday. Repairs were taking place right before my eyes. 

The mechanical crew that accompanies 844 on its far-ranging tours was furiously attempting to replace a bushing-style bearing on the right side of the third drive-wheel axle. Word at the scene was that the bearing had caused lots of concern most of the trip from Cheyenne to KC. It kept overheating and finally “seized”, according to one reliable source. 

I stuck around for awhile to watch the initial try at installing a new bearing. It was found that the new part needed some more attention in the tool car. The bearing reportedly had been custom manufactured at a machine shop in KC today to specifications supplied by U.P. Can you imagine the pressure on all of the mechanical people involved? 

I imagine this type of emergency has occurred on previous U.P.-sponsored steam trips and there is great relief once the problem is solved. In this case, there may be a few U.P. employees who will lose some sleep in getting the repair work finalized. 

Guess we’ll just have to wait until 8 a.m. tomorrow to see if the train leaves KC Union Station on time. Its next destination is an overnight stop in Parsons, KS, tomorrow (Tuesday) night. 

Attached are some “up close and personal” photos of the repairs being made to 844 this evening, between 6 and 7 p.m. I felt a bit privileged to get such close-up photos of the mechanical workers. Having an audience of several persons “from the general public” probably didn’t make them comfortable but no one ordered anyone to leave. Everyone was behaving themselves and talking in hushed tones. With no one being run off from the scene, the U.P. steam program gained another measure of goodwill. It is my opinon that the U.P. steam program is a class act, even when in emergency mode. 

Skilled craftsmen and machinists assess the situation and form a plan.

Judging by the presence of the sledge hammer and the size of the replacement bearing (on the towel) this is going to be no easy task.

The connecting rods, which link the driving wheels together, are braced to remove the tension on the bearing.

The replacement bearing, made of brass, is inspected and prepared for insertion.

The replacement bearing is carefully inserted.

An appropriate amount of grease is pneumatically forced around the new bearing by the crews using an “alemite” gun.

Fortunately, but unlike the steam engines of days gone by, UP’s No. 844 travels with a complete entourage of dedicated and talented men and women, all of whom are extremely skilled craftsmen and are complemented by the requisite tools, materials, and knowledge to keep No. 844 running. Also playing a critical role in the maintenance and repair of No. 844 are the myriad of Union Pacific’s employees in the facilities along the way.  For this particular trip, here are the crew members:

• Penny Braunschweig - Concessions
• Rick Braunschweig – Fireman
• Jim Coker - Conductor
• Ed Dickens - Manager Heritage Equipment & Facilities – Steam/Fireman
• Jack Holland - Machinist
• Henry Krening - Mechanical Foreman
• Steve Lee - Superintendent Heritage Operations/Engineer
• Lynn Nystrom - Engineer
• Mary Nystrom - Concessions Coordinator
• Ed Smith - Boilermaker/Welder
• Scott Turley - Boilermaker/Welder

Believe it or not, this is a rather common occurrence for steam excursion trains these days.  To wit, here is the “roster” of support cars that travel with a train like this:

• Howard Fogg – Boiler Car  The Howard Fogg still has a steam generator on board to provide steam if maintenance is required while locomotives No. 844 and No. 3985 are on the road.
• Art Lockman – Maintenance Tool Car  The Art Lockman is a rolling “machine shop”. It carries tools, parts, machines, lubricants and numerous other items to maintain and repair the steam locomotives while on trips.
• UPP 9336 – Boxcar  The boxcar carries steam locomotive spare parts, oversize supplies and steps used to allow visitors to see inside the cabs of No. 844 and No. 3985.
• UPP 814 and UPP 809 – Water Tenders  Water tenders enable excursions using steam locomotives to travel farther between water stops.
• Golden State Limited – Baggage Car  The Golden State Limited is used to transport supplies during excursions.
• Reed Jackson – Concession Car

I echo the railfan’s sentiments regarding the talent and skill of the mechanical workers to effect such a repair and do it with without ushering fans away.  This gave us all a glimpse into the effort and talent required to keep a steam program alive.  Thanks to the men and women of the Union Pacific Railroad and particularly the folks of UP’s Steam Program.  Job well done.

Tracking a Legend on Her Journey and Kudos to UP!

Now that the Union Pacific’s Valley Heritage Tour is underway, you can follow the train’s progress and current location on a map that is updated every 5 minutes thanks to the generosity and talents of the Union Pacific Railroad!  Here is what the application looks like with an overview of the route highlighted:

Union Pacific’s Steam Locomotive Tracking Application - Overiew Map

And here is a view of the map zoomed in:

Union Pacific’s Steam Locomotive Tracking Application - Detailed View

You can also follow the train, and Union Pacific, on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest updates. There is even an RSS feed of their “tweets” available as shown below:

RSS Feed Showing UP_Steam’s Tweets

I would like to tip my hat to the Union Pacific Railroad for extending these services out to the public. It is a very good use of technology that allows us to follow the train’s journey while I am a mere 900 miles away and still feel like I am there.  Thank you Union Pacific.  Your Public Relations and Information Technology groups are doing a great job!  Keep it “up.”  (Get it?, UP - oh nevermind…)

Now if we could only stream live in cab video…!

RSS Feed of UP_Steam's Tweets

Union Pacific Railroad Unveils No. 2010 Boy Scouts of America Commemorative Locomotive

UP 2010, Special Locomotive Celebrates Scouting’s 100-year History

Houston, Texas, March 31, 2010 – Union Pacific Railroad today unveiled the UP No. 2010 Boy Scouts of America Locomotive, created as a tribute to the organization’s centennial celebration. The UP No. 2010 honors Scouting’s 100-year impact on the nation and the many Scouting enthusiasts in Union Pacific’s work force and communities.

“Union Pacific and the Boy Scouts of America have played leadership roles in shaping America’s history. With the UP No. 2010, we are proud to celebrate 100 years of Scouting, progress and patriotism,” said Robert W. Turner, Union Pacific senior vice president-Corporate Relations.

“We are deeply honored by the tribute Union Pacific has given to Scouting through the creation of the commemorative locomotive,” said Bob Mazzuca, Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. “We also owe a great deal of gratitude to our UP employee Scouting alumni base, which has spearheaded the movement to create the UP No. 2010. Their efforts mean that for years to come, the locomotive will serve as a reminder of the impact millions of Scouts have had on this country for 100 years.”

A very rare honor, Union Pacific has created only 14 commemorative locomotives in its nearly 150-year history. The Boy Scouts-themed locomotive is decorated with a series of four distinct graphics:

•     The national Boy Scouts of America logo
•     The BSA’s 100th Anniversary logo
•     The words “100 Years of Scouting”
•     Ten emblems representing stages of Scouting and an 11th emblem for the 2010 National Scout Jamboree

Union Pacific No. 2010 Boy Scouts of America Locomotive

The Union Pacific No. 2010 Boy Scouts of America Locomotive was built at the General Electric plant in Erie, Pa., and delivered to North Little Rock, Ark., as UP No. 7469. In the process of having graphics applied in honor of the Boy Scouts of America’s 100th Anniversary celebration, the locomotive was renumbered to UP No. 2010.

Because it is one of the newest, most reliable and most fuel-efficient locomotives in the Union Pacific fleet, the UP No. 2010 likely will carry service-sensitive consists such as automotive and intermodal trains traveling from facilities in Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Marion, Ark., to West Coast facilities in Los Angeles, Northern California and the Pacific Northwest.

Model:  GE 4400-horsepower “C45AC”
Weight:  207 tons
Length:  73 feet, 2 inches
Width:  10 feet, 3 inches
Height:  15 feet, 6 inches
Maximum Speed:  75 miles per hour
Engine Diesel:  12-cylinder
Emblems:  11, representing 10 “stages of Scouting” and National Scout Jamboree