History comes back to life in Silvis rail shop

Tickets are on sale now for an event Oct. 18-19 where you can tour the shop, see the locomotives up close and even ride in a historic coach.
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[@tommyt329]

Can't wait to see 3985 & 5511 run the rails once again. I'm from New Zealand.

[@opiumextract2934]

I swear the 3985 was running. We had it at a family day and I have a picture of my son in the cab. Unless it got put away within the last 10 years or so

[@Yoyle_cakebfdi]

@@opiumextract2934yeah it did 2010 was its last run

[@chooch1764]

@@opiumextract29343985 hasn’t run since the early 2000s. UP Big Boy 4014 has been running since May 2019.

[@Tjrissi96]

@@opiumextract2934 it was restored in the 80's and ran until 2010 when it was taken offline due to mechanical problems. Eventually someone decided to continue running the engine until 2020, when it was taken offline again due to severe mechanical problems.

[@makinggeologyfun8968]

@@opiumextract2934 3985 last ran in 2010.

[@andyerwin3535]

I hated seeing all of the locomotives leave Cheyenne but it sure is nice to see them getting restored

[@seabeeusn76]

I road on the 3985 back in 2004... cant believe its been 20 years already

[@AlTilleyTheBum-pt4mx]

Lucky you. I sat in 4014’s cab last year during a private tour of UP’s steam shop in Cheyenne, WY. I hope to do the same for 3985.

[@garryferrington811]

I blew the whistle on 4014 back in Pomona. Hooked up to a compressor.

[@patk1254]

You rode

[@seabeeusn76]

@@patk1254 Ah yes ze grammar Notsee has make zeir prezent known!!!

[@heckingaxle6618]

@@seabeeusn76 ah Du sprichst Deutsch?

[@garryferrington811]

It's nice that the female newsreader understands that those are locomotives rather than trains.

[@dennisbailey6067]

Without the hard work and dedication of all involved,history would be lost.

[@TranscontinentalRailfan]

The Railroading Heritage of Midwest America is awesome at what they do and think about the experience these volunteers will gain from restoring UP 3985, UP 5511, the DDA40X diesel locomotive 6936, the passenger cars, caboose, and do any necessary work to the shop complex itself.

[@844SteamFan]

Don’t forget about ATSF/BNSF 537, which they have restored to Super Fleet (iirc that’s what the upcoming event is for).

[@MP-ph6ob]

Can’t wait to see the restoration finished

[@ThatFalloutFoamer]

Finally, after so long 5511 and 3985 from UP is back!

[@apricotandwesternrailroad5662]

I would love to see UNION PACIFIC No. 3985 Challenger in person!

[@matthewlastrapes8104]

This is good news can’t wait to it run with 4014 and 844

[@RishantYT747fan]

Um no . 3985 will stay at RHMA and not go back to UP

[@RishantYT747fan]

@@davidcave7986 yea . It GIVES them the option. Will they actually get it back? Probably no

[@dillonohlemiller401]

@@davidcave7986they already have 4014. That’s the big attraction now. They don’t need 3985 at this point

[@therailfanman2078]

​@dillonohlemiller401 they donated 3985 specifically because they didn't have the budget for three big steamers

[@FruitBrute2003]

@@RishantYT747fan doesnt mean they'll never run together again, theyre both popular enough that im sure up and RHMA will probably run together at some point, alot of people wanna see that and im sure its a PR Move

[@ns4270railfan]

It will be amazing once these two steamers are back on the rails and pulling passenger excursions along this rail system, and both 3985 and 5511 will make great scenes and really reel in some big bucks for this museum to keep these old steamers maintained for generations to come, and something is special with number 5511. 5511 is the only surviving steamer with the Young Valve Gear setup, which will be cool to see operate again. Other steamers that had been restored to operation have either Stephenson, Walschaerts, Baker, or Southern type valve gear. So with that, it's going to be a heck of a sight to see the only steamer in the USA with a Young valve gear to be restored to operation. Keep up the great work, Silvis and we hope to see these two steamers back in operation really soon. :)

[@jeffmiller3150]

The most awesomest lokies in the most awesomest shoppe!!!

[@garryferrington811]

"Lokies?" Eew...

[@vettebecker1]

Would love to see 3985 and 4014 double head!!!

[@Painisme9]

I’m sooo hype for the return of the beauties time can’t go quick enough

[@GhostlywandererofAmericanrailr]

Great job. My beautiful dream is work with this guys. It is a Great Honor to be a volunteer involved in preserving Heritage.

[@natejenkins8645]

Finally an update lol. 3985 is almost ready to run again! Hopefully we can get a 3985 and 4014 doubleheader, that would be off the page! The first articulated steam doubleheader since 1959!

[@davewallace8219]

Well done!

[@adriaanboogaard8571]

Great job and video. We until recently had an old shop building like that in Salt Lake City. It was a Rio grand facility and then a steel fabrication building after the railway sold it. My uncle retired from their. He passed away a few years ago. Our local transist system brought it, and It broke my heart to see them demolishing it. I fought them tooth and nail. It was a very tough building.

[@billmccabe9601]

Looks like a lot of hard work makes great progress.

[@robertbrouillette6767]

I’ve lapped in a number of valve seats on steam ships. I wished I lived closer to the shop. I worked as an outside machinist in a shipyard, then did precision machining. The local community college should set up an apprentice program for future machinists, pipe fitting etc. Using todays CNC machining and modern day casting techniques you can build replacement parts.

[@centamangila1217]

And that's what happened when UP restored #4014 back to operating condition. Just watch the Jay Leno's Garage video about 4014.

[@awildjared1396]

Can't wait for 5511 to come back, it'll be the only operable 2-10-2 in the states.

[@certifiedcitydestroyer]

More interested in the 2-10-2, honestly.

[@EngineerDaylight]

Im more excited to see the 5511 return. That engine never had a chance at excursions service

[@draytonblackgrove]

Great report.

[@tahornaday9961]

Can't wait to see the UP Challenger next to UP 4014. The two railway giants together.

[@kennethmccann6402]

Beautiful!

[@rockguitarist931]

It's crazy that I chased the Challenger into Kansas City back in October 2010, then they parked it shortly afterwards.

[@bakerboat4572]

If you saw video footage from on the ground, there were multiple spots where the firebox wall was failing with water bubbling around the stay bolts.

[@richardhawkinson3020]

I really want to see the 5511 run again under steam. The last time it ran I was 1 year old. And yes, that was a LONG time ago.

[@garryferrington811]

A 2-10-2 won't run very quickly, as they hammered the daylights out of the rails and roadbed over 25 mph.

[@richardhawkinson3020]

@@garryferrington811 That's not hard to believe. The 9000 class must really have been a beast.

[@centamangila1217]

​@@richardhawkinson3020the Santa Fe type (aka the 2-10-2) is more of a drag freight locomotive, with small driving wheels, which was supplanted by fast freight locomotive types like the Texas (2-10-4) type and the Northern (4-8-4) starting in the late 1920s.

[@richardhawkinson3020]

@@centamangila1217 Thanks for the info!

[@travelingtom923]

It is good that a new generation of younger people are learning this obsolete trade!

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

Very interesting history

[@IowaTrainGay]

Now we just need an Amtrak train to the QCA and Iowa city so people can come from anywhere and see it

[@junelipinski2025]

If only Steve Lee was there He would join right in to help. The 3985 was his baby. Steve knew that locomotive inside and out and how to drive it. What you have there is the Jurassic Park of steam locomotives bringing those dinosaurs back to life. Those locomotives were not designed by any computer but by people with pencil and paper with slide rulers and draft boards. Hope to see them back home with their family in the steam shops in Wyoming along with 4014 and 844. Made in USA.

[@JAdg75oo00]

I hope the Challenger becomes a part of the up steam program again. Making it a trio 🙂🚂

[@natejenkins8645]

You’re definitely right, Steve was part of the group that gave 3985 its first restoration back in 1981 so that locomotive is definitely special to him.

[@jtbassgambler2594]

Sweet can't wait

[@Andrew-uf6vq]

Awesome I love the idea of the steam locomotive being oil fired and I’d like all steam locomotives 🚂 and diesel locomotives to work together as one Not to combine them together but to have the steam locomotive and the diesel locomotive working together

[@phantombrakeman4983]

Holy crap. That’s Alex that works with Darrell at the Merrick Light Locomotive shop in Marshall, Wisconsin building and rebuilding park trains. Where does he find the time?

[@artsyminecrafter745]

Scream, cry into the wind big girl. I cannot wait!

[@Beechnut985]

Were the tube sheets cut out?

[@jwrailve3615]

Wish they’d take on the T1 trust. It’d be fully built within a couple years the way this shop works so consistently. Cannot wait to finally catch a challenger, but 5011 is the one I wanna see most. The moment they have it finished and allow some public looks I’m taking the eagle that direction and staying a couple days there. I’m sure 5011 will only ever be in the flatlands, 3985 I could see meet 4014 one day, considering they have to swap tenders

[@rayvaul3539]

Yeah but its 5511 not 5011. While 5011 was a TTT class like 5511, but 5011 was a TTT-3, and that was a subclass of the TTTs, while the 5511 is a TTT-6. 5011 was sold for scrap and none of the TTT-3s survived. The 5511 is the last TTT in existence anywhere. The T1 is still coming along, but i think it might be finished earlier than I expected. Maybe between 2027 and 2029.

[@Andrew-uf6vq]

Can’t wait to see her in full steam ahead are you going to keep it coal or convert it 5510 to oil burners

[@davewallace8219]

Pretty sure it will be oil fired....

[@Train_Tok_Man]

The #3985 has been an oil burner for a long time, having been converted in 1990. #5511 has always been an oil burner.

[@ЛЬВИНИ]

Good video, like

[@heckingaxle6618]

Yeah it is a lost art. Many of those that worked on those locomotives from that era are now gone.

[@simonapeters4372]

A boilermaker make a boiler and it's a good drink

[@thomasdeturk5142]

81 year old locomotive

[@Oviedo_Train_Trust]

(Finnish the lyrics) Where A Great Big Rolling Railroad One That Everybody Knows,

[@FrisktheFurret]

Wow!

[@Wolfman053a]

Ex-UP3985…

[@Andrew-uf6vq]

Please keep me updated on KZbin

[@Optimusprime0418]

Save as United state

[@TrainLover-wt9ix]

If only UP took care of 3985

[@hariharandeebak]

Union pacific lagendary

[@planebois]

Sigmaaa

[@Beechnut985]

ref

[@geoffadams5537]

Not trains but locomotives