Pacific Northwest Images

No. 3985 last operated in ‘regular’ train service in 1957. It was retired in 1962 and stored in the roundhouse in Cheyenne, Wyoming, until 1975, when it was placed on display near the Cheyenne depot. A group of Union Pacific employees volunteered their services to restore the locomotive to running condition in 1981.

The name Challenger was given to steam locomotives with a 4-6-6-4 wheel arrangement. This means that they have four wheels in the leading ‘pilot’ truck, which helps guide the locomotive into curves; two sets of six ‘driving’ wheels, and finally, four ‘trailing’ wheels, which support the rear of the engine and its massive firebox. Each set of driving wheels has its own steam cylinder. The result, in essence, is two engines under one boiler.

The frame of the locomotive is ‘articulated,’ or hinged, to allow it to go through curves. When watching the approaching locomotive go through a curve, you can see the boiler swing out left or right independently of the lower half of the engine, as the rear half of the locomotive remains in a straight direction until its wheels and frame are halfway through the curve.

The Challengers were designed for fast freight service, but occasionally pulled passenger trains. No. 3985 originally burned coal and pulled a tender with a 32-ton capacity. In 1990, it was converted to use No. 5 oil. The top speed of No. 3985 is about 70 miles an hour."

I was in Klamath Falls when a friend told me that this train was coming through. I got on UP’s website and read the above information about the train and knew I needed to get a picture.

If you would like to see a black and white version of this photograph you can go to www.crh3.com