Big Boys and Challengers

SKU: DVD-GSVP-149
(4 customer reviews)

$24.95

UP’s biggest power, the 4-8-8-4 “Big Boy”, and the 4-6-6-4 Challenger.

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Producer

Greg Scholl Video Productions

Run Time

45 Minutes

Narration

Yes

Shrink Wrap

Yes, Brand New

Technical Details

No Region Code

Union Pacific had some of the largest steam power ever built, and the two biggest engines were the 4-8-8-4 “Big Boy”, and the 4-6-6-4 Challenger type. Enjoy both types of Challengers, the 3800 and 3900 series, as well as plenty of coverage of the famous Big Boys, including over half of the 25 that were built. This video has been years in the making, as we have attempted to accumulate enough footage to justify such a release. We have 8mm footage by Warren Scholl, shot in 1954, but the majority of footage is 16mm color footage, including film shot by Perry Becker who made more than one trip to the area. Locations shown are North Platte, Cheyenne, Laramie, Rawlins, and of course action on Sherman Hill between Cheyenne and Laramie.

You will see interesting things such as “Big Boy” number 4006 on fire as it exits Hermosa Tunnel, with its stack hood still on as well. Also see a Gas Turbine leading a Big Boy in 3 different scenes. You will see engine service areas, and see some of the dead engine lines late in the steam era. This footage is all shot silent of course, and we have added music and informative narration. However, there is a segment with some 16mm sound footage on Sherman Hill which includes several doubleheaders, such as 5500 series 2-10-2’s with Challengers and Big Boys. There are also a couple of Big Boy scenes by Everett Rohrer, and some film he shot of the first test run, and first excursions in 1982, when Challenger 3985 first operated.

4 reviews for Big Boys and Challengers

  1. Mwdonoughue

    This program contains scenes of both the 3800 and 3900-class Challengers and the 4-8-8-4 “Big Boys” in regular service, along with scenes of UP 3985 during its first two years of excursion service.

  2. Jeremy C. Schultz

    Thank you, Greg Scholl, for compiling this… Unfortunately, as another reviewer stated, the sound seems to be intentionally missing from certain segments… and the overall DVD is not very long at all.

  3. Steam King

    This is a rare look at these big locomotives from 1954 all the way to a return to steam in the early 1980s. Some film is silent (typical for the 50s and 60s), but we still get to hear quite a bit from these monsters. I enjoyed this program.

  4. Ricky

    Sadly for me though, the only segments with sounds however are from Fred McLeod, as the 1981 & 1982 Segments of 3985 are 100% silent. I wish that there are lost sound films of the engine in first excursion service. After all, During that time, early Videocassette cameras with a professional Microphone built-in are still making they’re debuts to retailer stores to upgrade the customer’s home movies.

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