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Offline SteamNut  
#1 Posted : 07 July 2019 23:33:01(UTC)
SteamNut

United States   
Joined: 11/05/2013(UTC)
Posts: 488
Will anyone has or will see the run of the Big Boy "great race across the Midwest"? I plan to see it at West Chicago were it will stay a short while along with two other friends. I can not imagine how much blood, sweat, tears and money was spent to get that great locomotive to run - Fred

Edited by user 08 July 2019 12:28:26(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

thanks 1 user liked this useful post by SteamNut
Offline jonquinn  
#2 Posted : 25 July 2019 21:44:41(UTC)
jonquinn


Joined: 15/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 1,591
Location: Pennsylvania
I just got back from watching it at a couple locations in Wisconsin.
First was heading into Altoona, WI, then at the depot there.
Yesterday I saw it heading out of Altoona at a small town called Falls Creek.
Then later in the day as it passed over a causeway/trestle over Castle Rock Lake (?) as it pulled into Adams, WI
I used bing maps (satellite view) to figure out where I wanted to see it from, not being familiar with the region.
Don’t think you will be able to follow along in your car if the tracks parallel the road - there will be a caravan of cars following it and unless you wait at a crossing grade and take off after the gates come down, forget it. It’s crazy.

It attracts a huge crowd wherever it goes. Get there early if you want to see it go by some crossing, etc to get your spot.
On the straight-aways the engineer Ed Dickens and crew have him hauling at maybe 50-55 mph. What a beast it is!
Make sure you stay well off the tracks - they want people 25’ away. But there are more than enough morons out there. This thing brings them in like moths to bug light. Eventually someone will be dumb enough to get rolled over. You really get to see foamers in real life. Some of these people are not adjusted to conducting themselves properly in public.

There must’ve been a couple thousand people who came into Altoona once it was stopped for the day. It was nice as they set up something like a little street fair by the depot. Johnsonville had a cool tractor trailer mega grill set up and they were selling brats. Other food vendors set up too.

The UP heritage steam webpage has schedules as well as tracking for the big boy. The tracking is updated every couple minutes once it’s moving.
Rochelle IL might be a good place for you to see it too. Be prepared for big crowds.

It was well worth the drive. Go see it people.
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