UP No. 844 to Visit South Texas

[Loblolly Logger]

From UP Steam Shop Press Release

Union Pacific Railroad's Legendary Steam Locomotive to Visit South Texas On a Heritage Tour

Omaha, Neb., March 15, 2010 – Union Pacific Railroad's historic steam locomotive, No. 844, will travel more than 3,500 miles from its base in Wyoming on a 28-day, eight-state tour to South Texas, to celebrate the railroad's history and heritage.

The "Valley Eagle Heritage Tour" will begin April 2 when No. 844 leaves Cheyenne, Wyo., and travels to North Platte, Neb. The locomotive will make overnight stops and be on display in the following cities before arriving back in Cheyenne April 29:

* North Platte, Neb.;
* Marysville, Parsons and Coffeyville, Kan.;
* Kansas City, Mo.;
* McAlester, Okla.;
* Ft. Worth, Hearne, Houston, Bloomington, Raymondville, Harlingen, Palestine and Longview, Texas; and
* North Little Rock and Van Buren, Ark.

Tour Schedule

Read full UP Press Release with links to Schedule, Map, GPS Locator and Twitter Tweets.

Looks like this might be one heck of a Railfan Event!

[MudbugnTX]

This is taken from the website for 844.
UP: Steam Locomotive No. 844



Steam Locomotive No. 844

The Last of the Steam Locomotives
View larger

Steam Locomotive No. 844 is the last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific Railroad. It was delivered in 1944. A high-speed passenger engine, it pulled such widely known trains as the Overland Limited, Los Angeles Limited, Portland Rose and Challenger.

Many people know the engine as the No. 8444, since an extra '4' was added to its number in 1962 to distinguish it from a diesel numbered in the 800 series. The steam engine regained its rightful number in June 1989, after the diesel was retired.

When diesels took over all of the passenger train duties, No. 844 was placed in freight service in Nebraska between 1957 and 1959. It was saved from being scrapped in 1960 and held for special service.

The engine has run hundreds of thousands of miles as Union Pacific's ambassador of goodwill. It has made appearances at Expo '74 in Spokane, the 1981 opening of the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans and the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Los Angeles Union Station in 1989.

Hailed as Union Pacific's "Living Legend," the engine is widely known among railroad enthusiasts for its excursion runs, especially over Union Pacific's fabled crossing of Sherman Hill between Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming.

For more information on steam locomotives, as well as No. 844, take a look at our Historical UP Locomotives section.

If No. 844 is traveling, information will be posted on the Steam Schedule page. Excursion information is updated annually in April.
Vital Statistics
Weight: 907,980 lbs. or 454 tons Engine & Tender
Length: 114 ft. 2-5/8 in. Engine & Tender
Tender Type: 14-wheeled
Water Capacity: 23,500 gallons
Fuel: 6,200 gallons
No. 5 oil
Gauge of Track: 4 ft. 8-1/2 in.
Cylinder: Diameter: 25 in.
Stroke: 32 in.
Driving Wheel Diameter: 80 in.
Boiler: Inside Diameter: 86-3/16 in.
Pressure: 300 lbs.
Fire Box: Length: 150-1/32 in.
Width: 96-3/16 in.
Tubes: 2-1/4 in. Diameter: 198 x 19 ft. 0 in.
5-1/2 in. Diameter: 58
Wheel Base: Driving: 22 ft. 0 in.
Engine: 50 ft. 11 in.
Engine & Tender: 98 ft. 5 in.
Weight in Working Order,
Pounds: Leading: 102,130
Driving: 266,490
Trailing: 117,720
Engine: 486,340
Tender: 421,550
Evaporating Surfaces,
Square Feet: Tubes: 2,204
Flues: 1,578
Fire Box: 442
Circulator & Arch Tubes: Removed, 1945
Total: 4,224
Superheating Surface,
Square Feet: 1,400
Grate Area: Removed, 1945
Maximum Tractive Power: 63,800 lbs.
Factor of Adhesion: 4.18

[MudbugnTX]

Here is the link to follow 844's GPS.

UP: Steam Locomotive Trace