Valley residents awed by 8444

Engine 'steams up' crowds

The whole thing works on the principle of boiling water—all 221 tons of it. A technological triumph of the oldest theory in physics; of expanding steam, Union Pacific Railroad locomotive No. 8444 is the last bastion of a dying art.

It survived the era of railroad dieselization, destined to become a curiosity. In 1978 terms, the engine is a relic of time gone by. Even 8444 in action can't bring the steam era back to life completely.

But for a little while Sunday and Monday, steam awed valley residents with its power and presence. Brought up from home base in Cheyenne, Wyo., 8444 arrived in magnificent style for National Transportation Week in Boise. The locomotive will be on display at Boise's Union Pacific depot today, along with assorted UPRR freight and passenger cars, and other transportation exhibits.

It steamed into Nampa Sunday afternoon on the last leg of a journey west, which also brought it through Pocatello. Along the Union Pacific mainline, railfans with cameras and tape recorders congregated to enjoy the sight of steam in full glory.

Engineer Frank Accord visibly enjoyed showing off his iron steed. He babied his throttle and brake levers for maximum effect, using the engine's throaty steam whistle to enhance the showmanship. Accord serves the railroad as its chief mechanical officer. Based in Omaha, Neb., he is responsible for the servicing of every engine the railroad owns, including all the diesels.

But this particular model, built by the railroad in 1944 to handle war-swollen passenger traffic, is clearly his favorite. "It's great to see them running," he said. "We really enjoy this steam engine." He admitted having put many miles under his belt aboard Union Pacific steamers.

Sharing the duties in 8444's cab Monday was John Bowen, a Nampa resident who works for the railroad as an engineer. He worked the steam locomotive into Boise Monday as the fireman. Bowen also spent years running the engines. "It was quite a while—from 1942 (sic) until they (UPRR ) stopped running them in service." He echoes Accord's sentiments about having the engine in town. "It was great," Bowen said.

Another occupant of the cab Idaho Gov. John Evans. an armchair railroader, whose grin widened visibly when he talked about riding up front. "This was always my ambition as a little boy, to drive one of these," he said. "It was a thrill being in the cab." He didn't try to handle the throttle because, he explained, " it's very complicated. I was perfectly satisfied just to pull the whistle cord."

The engine whistled loudly on its dash into Boise, startling motorists at every crossing. Crowds gathered along the tracks to watch, waving at the trains passengers. Many of the passengers, including Nampa Mayor Ernest Starr and his wife, and Steve Leroy, press aide to Gov. Evans, waved back from perches in the vestibule of their coach.

The image of steam in 1978 was etched in the wide-eyed, open-mouthed stare of a little girl—no more than 5 years old—who watched in surprise wonder from her backyard. "I wonder how people would react to this if they ran steam again, with today's concern over the environment," Starr asked. "We used to have smoke around here at Nampa all the time, but we never paid any attention to it."

Bowen was positive, when the question came up, that Union Pacific officials would never willingly return to using steam as the primary motive power. "They'll never do it," he said.

"We used to say it took seven minutes to find what was wrong with steam, then seven days to fix it," said Howard Burnett, Union Pacific vice president, executive department, from Portland. "With diesels, it takes three days to find the trouble and seven minutes to fix it. If we still ran all our operations with steam like this, even the Union Pacific would be broke," Burnett said.

Frank Accord, the man responsible for maintaining 8444, agreed. "I don't know the exact figures, but this is a very expensive operation. 8444 will last maybe another 10 years if we baby it. We're running out of people., who know how to run them (steam engines) and keep them operating," he said. Still, while 8444 is available, Union Pacific uses it as a kind of corporate good-will symbol—wringing every bit of publicity from the engine's appearances.

8444's appearance in Nampa and Boise is the result of efforts by Don Fowler, traffic manager for Ore-Ida Foods, who served as chairman for National Transportation Week. "We like to do this because this engine 'is' the Union Pacific Railroad to many people," said Clarence R. "Rocky" Rockwell, UP publicist from Salt Lake City. No matter what the railroad does with 8444, the engine remains a curio, a remnant of times past. Old time railroaders spent the weekend reminiscing about the days when steam ruled the rails.

"Those 800s, they could easily do 80 miles per hour," said Laverne Hoffer, assistant trainmaster and road foreman of engines in Nampa. "I liked the 3800s (Challenger 2-6-6-2) best, but the 800s had enclosed cabs—you could close the doors in the winter. On the 3800s with the curtains, you would look down and see snow piling up around your feet." UPRR has one operational Challenger, No. 3985, stored and maintained alongside 8444 in Cheyenne, Wyo.

Author's Note: Article written during 25-year period when Union Pacific #844, a 4-8-4 Northern class F-E-F, wore a fourth digit in its operating number. It was renumbered to 8444 from in 1962 when a diesel was given the three-digit number. The locomotive reverted to its original 844 number in 1987.

Published by The Idaho Press-Tribune, Pioneer League Newspapers, Boise-Nampa-Caldwell, ID, 83652