Wednesday, July 3, 2024

UP 4014 Big Boy Trip, and The Supra Files

 Sunday morning I hopped in my Little Red Truck, and headed up to Tie Siding, Wyoming to meet up with Well Seasoned Fool and watch Union Pacific 4014 cruise past. 

Not much in Tie Siding...

 

Bunch of interesting rocks on the other side of the tracks.


One of the things that always impress me is how quiet it is when just coasting along. We were standing there jabbering away, when all of a sudden, here she comes around the bend in the tracks.


Silently gliding along majestically.


And she's spotless....

And it felt really good to get out and about on a beautiful Sunday morning.

The right eye seems to be better in the morning than the afternoon. I'm still on the eye drops for another 3 weeks, so hopefully it improve to the point that it's the same 24/7.


Work proceeds on the Supra while my "High Resolution Eyes" get back to normal. I can do lots of mundane things, like clean parts and refurbish them. This stuff falls into that category nicely, so I started on the wiring harness. The plastic "Split Loom" tubing they use to protect the wire was crumbling like a 100 year old potato chip, so it was pretty easy to get off. The tape wrap under it was gooey from exposure to oil vapors under the hood, and high temperatures as it was positioned above the radiator, in the channel that runs across the front. It's now been unwrapped, untangled, and 'broken out' of the harness according to it's place and function.



This makes it much easier to clean the wires, add my new wires, rewrap them, and put new split-loom tubing back on.


This is one of the two harnesses I have to refurbish. I haven't even started on this one, which has all the sensor and fuel injector leads in it.


This is tons of hand labor, and a bit frustrating at times, but it's sure gonna look good when I'm finished.

Enjoy Hump Day.....It's all downhill from here!




10 comments:

  1. Love the pix of the steam locomotive. My grandpa was an engineer on Pacific Electric in Long Beach. Very nostalgic for me.

    Hang in there with the eye progress. It should be OK soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The last time I saw it was when it was sitting on a siding waiting for a clear track. It seems alive just sitting there hissing, dripping some water, and making steam noises. Incredible technology!

      Delete
  2. You were faster with your camera than I was.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Until I turned my zoom lens the wrong way! I missed a really nice shot as she went past!

      Delete
  3. Happy Independence Day, DRJIM. I thought you had finished with that Super Supra. The train looked cool!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Happy Independence Day, LL! Brought to you by People With Guns!
      The Supra is a bona fide Project Car, which means it's a long term Work In Progress.

      Delete
  4. Great pics of Big Boy and no diesel following along...interesting... The Supra is coming along nicely!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, yeah! Big Boy is really cool. If you ever have the chance to see it, or any big Live Steam engine, DO IT! It's archaic technology, but it works, and works well. And they really do seem alive just sitting there.

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    2. The diesel is used for breaking to save wear and tear on the locomotive brakes. In the consist are several hopper cars to provide braking. Once in Laramie those cars will probably be dropped and a diesel plus many passenger cars will be added.

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    3. I know that they can connect several diesels together with a control cable so one Engineer can run them all, but how do they control a combined steam/diesel consist?

      Delete

Keep it civil, please....

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