Union Pacific 844 in East Texas

I'm always excited to get some shots of a good train and when the UP844 was scheduled to come through East Texas I couldn't pass up a good chance to chase it. It was the first steam engine that has come through my city of Nacogdoches since probably around the 1950s. Hearing that incredible whistle echo through the piney woods just gives you chills. If you ever get a chance to see this engine, DO IT! The weather wasn't cooperating in the second picture but it is still a beautiful engine.

I know this is for photos, but here is a video I put together as well if anyone is interested. Shot with my Canon 60D.
Union Pacific 844 in East Texas

Shot with my Canon 5D

#1

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Nice shots -- I got some of 844 a year or so back when it came thru Missouri .

Cool shots...Love 1 and 2.

Nice! #2 = Wall Worthy!

Very nice set. 1 and 2 are both great.

Very nice!! I like #2

Good shots. The whistle in the video gave me shivers.
Put a piece of foam over the mic to cut down wind noise... & don't kick the tripod. ; )

I didn't even notice the video until Frank pointed it out(thanks Frank)...What a great video!...That whistle is really haunting.

Can't help but notice that there is a diesel engine behind the steam engine...Is it being towed or does that little steamer need some help?...I hear only the steamer.

The Diesels usually provide HEP for the Passenger cars (Head End Power or Electricity). Steam Engines do have Generators on the Tenders Trucks or the Engine Trailing Trucks at times. I can't comment on this specific instance though.

Very colorful shots! Loved the Video too, again, nice colors. Could use a Blue sky if you can order one up next time.

Probably both...

When she came through my area for the Arizona Centennial, they had to back the entire train south out of Phoenix with the diesel leading and 844 trailing in reverse the whole way.

A little disappointing but it did make for nice "head on" shots as she backed down the track.

Thanks everybody! My dad and I love trains and it was a lot of fun getting to experience this with him. He's the white haired guy you see at the beginning of my video.

When we saw it a few years ago it did not have the helper diesel, but it also was only pulling half the amount of rolling stock. I never thought about it providing electricity. I know it had a generator car of some kind down towards the end. I believe it was hauling 14 or so cars. Last time it was hauling only half as many.
Here is the link to to pictures I took a few years ago.

Yeah, a few notes on the video. I had an external mic, but the battery was dead for the first few sections of video and so it was just the crappy on board mic. We stopped and got a battery halfway through and the wind wasn't quite so bad after that. As for the kicking of the tripod, I can't believe that my dad accidentally stepped on my tripod when I was getting shots of it coming over the bridge! Had no idea until I pulled the video later, haha. Just decided to leave it on there in its entirety.

Good stuff here. My wife went to college up there.

great stuff...... living in Omaha, NE I see / hear that thing almost every year.... never gets old..... that whistle is great... Great job !!!