Almost got it...except the wheel arrangement is 4-14-4...Which ever way you look at this machine, it is still a monster. It only ran once...It preformed well enough on straight track no problem...but as soon as it came to the first curve, instead of following the radius, it started to straighten the tracks. And then there comes in that part you have, part I haven't heard yet, but I find it just as believeable. Add the pounding action to the fact that it is all on one frame AND the fact that that boiler is EASILY larger in circumference then a Big Boy, Yes, that bridge would have failed!!! There is a big difference between crossing a bridge with a bigboy and one of these. The main fact is that a bigboy puts more of it's mass over a greater length of the bridge, giving more bridge support points. This machine, on the otherhand, puts a whole lot of weight(just looking at it, I would say about the same weight) onto a much shorter span of the bridge. I cannot find the website that I saw earlier, but it gave the history rather well. In the 1930's, the Russians toured Locomotive shops such as Alco, and then returned home where in typical soviet fashion they built this which measures in as the longest rigid body locomotive ever made. It only ran once, and then it sat until 1957 when it was finally scrapped. Thse technologies that the engineers saw here in America that they also used on this resulted in one of their other classes of steamers, which were highly successful. I wish I could refind the site that I was reading...it gave the history really well...If of course it is true in the first place. [ 04 May 2002, 21:16: Message edited by: Benny ]
well i might have a couple in my web page for you under the wrecks, scrap track and repair work take a look http://home.mchsi.com/~railroadphotography/
you should hear how the trains seem to "sing" after the railgrinder has done its job. If you get a train with few or no flat spots, they will really set up a whine on continuous welded rail!
Best place to hear the singing rails Colorado or Wyomin' on the coal lines!!! Mmmm could put a baby tosleep....................until the helpers/pushers come along!!
Now here is an insult for you. This picture was taken from a moving truck as my daughter and her husband drove by. Sorry this is out of focus. The location is the La Grange IL GM plant Imagine moving a loco shell by truck.
