You'll have to pay admission to Lauritzen Gardens to see the model railroad, but high above to the south are the two largest, most successful locomotives in the world, free to see, Union Pacific's Centennial No. 6900, the most powerful diesel-electric, and U.P.'s Big Boy No. 4023, the world's largest, heaviest, longest steam locomotive, actually used as opposed to experimental, with the highest horsepower. They sit at right angles to one another in Kenefick Park, named for a former Union Pacific CEO and Chairman, and make a great entry poster day or night, "Welcome to Omaha!"
The view between them looks southeast down the Missouri River valley into Iowa. Walk up between their noses and look down on busy Interstate 80 between the two states. The two rows of trees line the river banks. Across the Interstate south to the right is the Doorly Zoo, with Rosenblatt Stadium farther to the right, west of the zoo.
Below are two views of the first of the series for the 100th Anniversary of the Golden Spike (1869-1969), hence Nos. 6900-6946, the Centennial No. 6900 at 98'5", 279 tons, 70-90 mph potential. (Council Bluffs has a Golden Spike Monument and, now, the Union Pacific Museum.) I included the shadowed shot for the man reading, again to give a sense of scale.
Below is Big Boy No. 4023, all 1,208,750 pounds (548.2 tons), 132'9 1/2" (40.47 meters), capable of 80 mph, the powerful Big Boy series specifically created for the long, steep grade of the Wasatch Mountains.
The drive wheels are almost as tall as I am, 68" to my 72", impressive giant that this is for the big and little boys of railroad romanticism, for either the Model Railroad Garden or these huge toys.
This is the view from the top of the high staircase to Kenefick Park, looking back north to Lauritzen Gardens Visitors Center, Council Bluffs' downtown to the right across the Missouri. The gardens curve around behind the hilly ridge at the left up a long, wide ravine between ridges.
Leave a comment