A special request from American President Lines for a steam-hauled APL doublestack train led the Union Pacific to assign steamer 3985 to pull an eastbound heavy freight from Cheyenne to North Platte. Not since the 1950’s has a steam engine like this 4-6-6-4 Challenger pulled such a train .. 143 cars . . .7657 tons . . . 8900 feet long! WB Video presents complete coverage of this extraordinary event in this all-steam special video program.
The action begins a week earlier when the U.P. schedules 3985 on a test freight run to LaSalle, Colorado. Then, on the morning of August 1, 1990, 3985 thunders out of Cheyenne with the long APL Doublestack train. Multiple on-the-scene broadcast camera crews capture all the action. Famed railroad illustrator Howard Fogg narrates this extraordinary event.
NRH –
Pulling 143 cars, you can see the true power of 3985, the sound from the smokestack is orgasms for the ear.