{"product_id":"preorder-athearn-genesis-ho-g2077-4-8-8-4-big-boy-locomotive-ca-11-caboose-with-lights-union-pacific-4014-25809-681-5858","title":"PREORDER Athearn Genesis HO G2077 4-8-8-4 Big Boy Locomotive \u0026 CA-11 Caboose with Lights, Union Pacific #4014\/25809","description":"Big Boy No. 4014 departed on the  “Heartland of America Tour ” on Wednesday, August 28, 2024 from Cheyenne, Wyoming, traveling across nine additional states: Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. The eight-week tour concludes in late October 2024. Union Pacific modified a total of five CA-11 cabooses to serve as  ‘Snowbuses ’. Two of these had their porches fully enclosed for this assignment. These cars were equipped with MU and signal hoses as they were positioned in the middle of back to back locomotives which amounted to the entire train. The Snowbus would ferry crews to locations otherwise unreachable in the worst weather. Recently, 25809 was included in 2023 ’s Big Boy #4014 excursion train. This special set includes UP 4014 and snowbus caboose 25809 (part of the Big Boy ’s 2024 excursion train). Special box art will be featured with a Texas motif, which is unique to this one-time-only release. Additionally, the 4014 will feature details and decoration to better match its current appearance, such as polished cylinder heads, rear tender markings, Sinclair antennas on the cab, and various commemorative plaques on the loco and tender. Athearn is tooling new details as well, such as the triple dynamos, PTC boxes, and tender oil bunker details.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eATHEARN GENESIS BIG BOY STEAM LOCOMOTIVE WITH SNOWBUS CABOOSE PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUnion Pacific wanted something that could make the same speeds as the Challengers but could carry the entire 4,290-ton train over the Wahsatch Mountains without a helper. The easiest solution was to scale up the successful Challenger design by adding another pair of drivers to each half of the locomotive, thus making a 4-8-8-4.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1941, UP placed an order for twenty 4-8-8-4's, numbered 4000 through 4019, with the American Locomotive Works. According to legend, an unidentified machinist at the ALCO plant is responsible for the name  “Big Boy ”, having scrawled the name in chalk on a partially completed locomotive.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Big Boys were exactly what the railroad wanted. They were coal burners with 68-inch drivers, 135,375 pounds of tractive effort and 6,000 horsepower. They started service on the line from Ogden to Green River, Wyoming and their operating range soon increased to cover the line all the way to Cheyenne.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTraffic during WWII resulted in five more Big Boys, numbered 4020 through 2024. being built in 1944. These versions were slightly heavier than the original order due to wartime materials restrictions. Despite the influx of diesel locomotives following WWII, the Big Boys and Challengers remained the prime power on the Overland Route. They also say service as helpers, leading gas turbines and diesels over Sherman Hill. They remained active through the 1950s and weren't retired until the early 1960s. By then, the first twenty units had been run well over one million miles.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eATHEARN GENESIS BIG BOY STEAM LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIlluminated number boards and headlights\u003cbr\u003eHeadlight turns off in reverse\u003cbr\u003eIlluminated directional back-up light in the tender\u003cbr\u003eCorrectly operating eccentric cranks\u003cbr\u003eAdjustable top cab vent and cab windows\u003cbr\u003ePivoting front and rear engines for negotiating 18 ” radius curves\u003cbr\u003eBoiler backhead with full details and printed gauges\u003cbr\u003eSynchronized chuff, whistle, bell, blow-down, air compressor, dyno and pop-off valve sounds\u003cbr\u003eUser-controlled whistle, short whistle, bell, squeal, coupler crash, injector, water stop and light dimmer\u003cbr\u003eCurrent pick-up on all driver and wheels\u003cbr\u003eIndividually-applied detail parts, including brass-painted bell and whistle, piping, valves, generator, steps, air pump, air tanks, reverser and coupler lift bar\u003cbr\u003eFront coupler pocket can be inserted to mount operating coupler\u003cbr\u003eDual speakers for great sound quality\u003cbr\u003eUpgraded headlight lighting with brighter LED\u003cbr\u003eImproved loco-to-tender connection harness for increased durability and serviceability\u003cbr\u003eMinimum recommended radius: 22 ”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eATHEARN GENESIS CA-11 CABOOSE FEATURES:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBetter than brass detail ™ including roadname and road number specific detail and laser-sharp painting and printing\u003cbr\u003eFully detailed interior including conductor's desk, stove, sink, bathroom, radio stand, and more\u003cbr\u003eLighting functions in DCC with brightness control\u003cbr\u003eLit walkway lights; an Athearn Genesis ICC Caboose first\u003cbr\u003eSee-through end platforms and steps\u003cbr\u003eEtched metal window screens on door and some side windows\u003cbr\u003eFlush window glazing\u003cbr\u003eWire-form grab irons\u003cbr\u003eCaboose trucks with rotating roller bearing caps\u003cbr\u003eAxle generator details\u003cbr\u003eBody-mounted McHenry scale knuckle-spring Couplers\u003cbr\u003eMultiple road numbers\u003cbr\u003eSeparate wireform grab irons, etched metal coupler platforms\u003cbr\u003eCoupler lift bars, trainline hoses, brake hoses, and hardware\u003cbr\u003eFull underframe detail: air brake reservoir, control valve, and brake cylinder with plumbing and brake rod details\u003cbr\u003eMachined metal wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track\u003cbr\u003eWeighted for trouble-free operation\u003cbr\u003eFully-assembled and ready-to-run out of the box\u003cbr\u003eAccurately painted and printed for prototypical realism\u003cbr\u003eHighly-detailed, injection-molded body\u003cbr\u003eWindow packaging for easy viewing, plus interior plastic blister safely holds the model for convenient storage\u003cbr\u003eMinimum radius: 18 ”","brand":"Athearn","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42187368824914,"sku":"ATH-G2077-PRE","price":68.16,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0581\/3410\/2098\/files\/ATHG-2077_A0_KWK3LZXB.jpg?v=1784736304","url":"https:\/\/modeltrainstuff.com\/products\/preorder-athearn-genesis-ho-g2077-4-8-8-4-big-boy-locomotive-ca-11-caboose-with-lights-union-pacific-4014-25809-681-5858","provider":"Model Train Stuff","version":"1.0","type":"link"}