My good friend Edgar Dayries traveled out west in (he recalls) October of 1977. His mission was to photograph the Union Pacific’s steam locomotive #8444 on it’s travels through Colorado. He located a spot overlooking the rails and patiently waited for the train to appear. And this is what he was rewarded with.
The big 4-8-4 doesn’t seem to be having any trouble pulling the generous passenger train over these hills. Note that it doesn’t have a diesel locomotive buried in the consist.
The 8444 was originally the 844, but was renumbered when one of those diesels demanded it’s number. But the steamer outlasted the diesel, and when it was retired, it regained it’s original number of 844 which she still carries today.
Nice shot, Edgar!
And now we have a chance for U.P. Big Boy may come into Oklahoma.
Saw the U.P. challenger in El Reno some yrs. ago.
Thanks for the pic.
Hope you get to see it Boudreaux. It was down our way in 2021 and we got to see it on three different days . . . what a sight!
-Jack