Living in the Upper Peninsula has its advantages. For starters, Duluth was not a very long drive for me in terms of what I normally drive to get to and from school. So, when I heard 4014 was coming to Duluth, I thought I'd go check it out.
Arriving in Superior, WI where I was staying, I got there a little early and thought I'd give a little chase to it. I only managed to catch it operating on the road once before catching it at BNSFs yard in Superior. It was amusing since the rail crossing that crosses Business US-2, kept on activating, even though Big Boy was not on the path headed to that crossing.
It was quite the feat, watching it slowly crawl through the tight curves so that it could cross the bridge and ultimately stop at the Lake Superior Rail Museum. While it did take a long time for the Big Boy to overcome the curve, it gave everyone an opportunity to see the giant engine up close while running. Throughout the video, you may see the crew oiling the tracks. This was done to make the flanges on the engine turn easier; reducing the risk of the wheels climbing over the rail or cause the rail to roll over, lowering the probability of a derailment. This normally isn't needed, but the 4014 is not your typical six axle locomotive.
7 сен 2024
