Does Steamtown ever move the Big Boy?

I visted steamtown for the first time a few weeks ago and i had a couple of question about the big boy. Does the big boy always stay in that same spot? Do they ever move it around for special events or anything? What does it take to move it anyway?

It would be cool if they could have it lead an excursion being pushed by a gp9 or something.

The Big Boy stays in that spot always. it's to big and to heavey to move around.

Len
Steamtown Volunteer

Not on the topic of moving that wonderful monster, but this past week we saw a worker finally stencilling Union Pacific lettering aboard the tender.

A few years back, the Big Boy at Dallas TX almost had a chance of running. A movie was going to be made about it with a full restoration preceding filming but fell through. The whole collection is set to move from Fair Park in Dallas to Frisco TX. This may be the only chance to see one of these beasts move although not under its own power. Maybe a road trip is in order when the move happens.

Is there any news on when this move down in Texas will take place?

In the past ten years, the Big Boys at Denver, Green Bay, and Omaha have moved on their own wheels, and in the case of 4023, via road! It does happen, once and awhile.

Joshua

I live in Scranton and i remember Big Boy was displayed in front of the Radisson hotel. I think it was in the early 90s sonetime. i don,t no how they moved it but i am positive it was there

4012 was moved in the early 1990s from the hotel site after the Lackawanna Avenue bridge was replaced.

Supposedly it has to be moved once in a while just because it's so heavy it does a number on the track structure under it, just sitting there.

The 4012 doesn't get moved, the track that it is sitting on has been reinforced so it can sit there . Before moving it to that spot from above the Lackawanna Station, the area was dug out and filled with reinforced cement and the railroad was built on top. There are iron bars welded between the rails for strength.

I discovered Steamtown's secret method of moving the Big Boy:

The Dallas Big Boy will be moving but it has nothing to do with a movie or restoration. The museum is moving to Frisco.

If one ever gets restored it will problably not be the TX one. Its in kinda bad shape with its rods cut etc....

We were there today and poked around the Big boy, Oil house and yard. I looked for those steel bars between the rails, I was unable to find them or see the concrete pad below. I had kids in tow and they were more of a concern at the time. We took the 1:30 steam ride and our Conductor mentioned the Big Boy required 300 gallons of paint to restore it to the appearance we see today.

Triker wrote:Do they ever move it around for special events or anything?

No.

What does it take to move it anyway?

Steam.

It would be cool if they could have it lead an excursion being pushed by a gp9 or something.

Absolutely no way anything like this would ever happen.

There has been only three times in the History of Steamtown NHS, that they moved the 4012.
The first time was from above the Lackawanna Station in to the old City yard, Then the second time was from the yard to the track it's now on.
The third time was back in May of this year. They moved it three feet back to have enough room to bring out the 0-4-0 for the Abatement program.
They moved it with the help of NKP 514.
The 4012 is just too large and heavy to move around and it's too long to handle the curves in the complex.

Len
Steamtown Volunteer Co - Lead