The LNER Encyclopedia

Our local railroad museum ("Museum of the American Railroad" nee "Age of Steam") has finally started on its big move from its Dallas Fairpark location up to Frisco (a town to the north, in some ways a dormitory town but it also has stuff iyswim). The move has been a slow one getting started. I'm not party to all of the delays, but general lack of funds and the City of Dallas deciding to sue the museum because they weren't moving fast enough, didn't help. I have yet to see the new site, but it is next to the BNSF line, enabling better rail access, and is apparently a lot larger. The plan is to put everything under cover in a roughly 10 year time frame. Locomotives include a DD40, GG1, Frisco 4-8-4, and the Big Boy.

The first movement was a couple of weeks ago and was of stock that had been stationed elsewhere for a Thomas event. Although it came through Irving, the move was announced after the event.

Consist #2 is "in progress" and includes the rail-worthy stock - a caboose, and some older Santa Fe & Amtrak coaches:

· Amtrak Economy-class (Slumbercoach) Sleeping Car #2090 ex-Northern Pacific Railway, built 1959

· Amtrak 10-6 First-class Streamlined Sleeping Car #2997 “Pine Ring” ex-Santa Fe Railway, built 1950

· Amtrak First-class Streamlined Sleeping Car #2532 “Gull” ex-Baltimore & Ohio, built 1954

· Santa Fe Railway Streamlined Lunch Counter Dining Car #1550, built 1948

· Algoma Central Railway Streamlined Lunch Counter Dining Car #1554 ex-Santa Fe Railway, built 1948

· Santa Fe Railway Steel Caboose #999311, built 1949

DGNO (Dallas Garland & North Eastern - a local short line) took the stock up to Irving last Wednesday. There have been some delays, but I managed to photograph the consist at South Irving Station this afternoon. The current schedule is for BNSF to continue the move to Frisco tomorrow morning.

The next consist includes some heavyweight coaches (nicely restored inside btw). This will be a hospital train and is awaiting FRA approval. After that, I believe it will be the locomotives, with the 4-8-4 and Big Boy bringing up the rear. There are fears these two might derail or wreck the S-curves coming out of the old museum site, so they will be the very last to move.

Hopefully I'll be able to photograph more as they come through - I know a lot of people are awaiting the Big Boy move. I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes international news - they don't move very often!

Consist #3 - primarily "heavyweight" coaches moved from Fairpark to South Irving this lunchtime - arriving about an hour ago.

I was actually driving from S.Irving to Mockingbird Yard hoping to catch them there, but we must have passed in opposite directions. A bit surprising as there's a stretch over the Trinity River where both the rail and road are on embankments and have a good view of each other.

The State Fair starts this weekend (the primary reason for Fairpark) so this will probably be the last move until after the fair closes.

Consist #4 finally moved yesterday, and was sat at South Irving waiting for a pickup this morning. The two steam engines are considered the most fragile so they were loaded on flatcars back on 31st October. It has taken two and a half months for them to get out-of-gauge clearance, and then final approval.

This consist includes the first locomotives: The "7 Spot" (Dallas Union pilot), a Frisco Decapod (2-10-0), a DD40X 'Cenntenial' (most powerful N.American diesel locos), a VO-1000, and a FP-45.

Consist #5 moved yesterday, and for the first time, they actually made it all the way to Frisco in one day (although they kept stopping with hot boxes).

I missed it as I was out at Mineral Wells playing with trains (Springbok performed well - hadn't run it for a little while).

Shame I missed the consist. Most of it were cars and the remaining diesels, but it did include GG1. A few GG1s survive, but this is the only one west of the Mississippi. One of the best looking electric locomotives ever built, IMHO.

I believe the only stock left down at Fairpark is the Frisco 4-8-4 (complete with booster), and the Big Boy. TV crews will be present to film the Big Boy - apparently National Geographic are sending a crew down. They're currently hoping for late May - but of course, I'll be back in the UK then!

thanks for sharing Richard , just imagane how many road wagons that lot would have involved in the UK

mr B

I think you'd have trouble moving the Big Boy by road, although as it is, they're going to have trouble moving it by rail. They've already had to re-lay some of the sleepers on the exit tracks just to get the GG1 out. There is also at least one reverse curve. The Big Boy is last because of the likelihood of it wrecking the track on the way out.

The two buildings were moved by road last year - the signal tower had to be chopped in half to do this (it may well have been divided already from the original move that put it in Fairpark).
These moves were during the night and announced after the event.

Just saw a UP Big Boy move within the last hour

I did try to take photos but it was dark.
It has reached as far as South Irving (where I was waiting). Rumour is that they will complete the move to Frisco tomorrow - should be a better opportunity for photos if I catch it in time (my planned photo location isn't far from South Irving so it might be short notice trip).

It is still parked at South Irving Station.


The tankers are to provide breaking. There's also a BNSF diesel hooked up, but word on the street is that there's no move planned for today. (it also looks like an MOW gang have line occupation!)

There was an announcement by UP last month re 4014 if anyone missed it.

http://www.uprr.com/newsinfo/releases/h ... 4014.shtml

...which is going to be a heck of a move, although the bulk of it will by UP who are taking ownership, so once they get it on some connected rails, it should be relatively straightforward.

The above photo is No. 4018 btw.

richard wrote:It is still parked at South Irving Station.


The tankers are to provide breaking. There's also a BNSF diesel hooked up, but word on the street is that there's no move planned for today. (it also looks like an MOW gang have line occupation!)

Whatever the current details and machinations, that photo certainly gives an impressive sight Richard.
Thanks v.m. for sharing.

And the last of the museum items moves on its last leg - it set off about 11am from South Irving and I caught it a couple of miles further north at Rochelle & Northgate.

Now I've indisputably seen a Big Boy moving - and in daylight!

As I type this, it is still moving but must be about half way to its destination - it is making much better time than last week where there were a lot of delays due to tight curves and traffic on the UP main.


Shame I missed their Frisco 4-8-4 move in May (I was in the UK) and also missed one of the consists that contained the GG1 electric - I had a train show out in Mineral Wells.

As a point of interest.
What is the max and minimum axle loading of a Big Boy?

Apparently just under 34 tons according to this older thread:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/r ... ?1,2582902

Some film of the attempt to move 4014.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... rKSmPzsePw

However if you look at the also available at the right of the page
There are a number of clips of 4018 being moved including a practice run in the siding at a reasonable speed.