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.
Mwdonoughue –
This program showcases the test runs made by 3985 on July 24th, the APL stack train on August 1st, and the freight train pulled for the return trip on August 2nd, 1990. Tons of great action, along with a cameo appearance by a quartet of MPI locomotives.
NRH –
Pulling 143 cars, you can see the true power of 3985, the sound from the smokestack is orgasms for the ear.