Kenefick Park NE: home of Union pacific Big Boy #4023 and Centennial DDA40X #6900

Kenefick Park is located next to Lauritzen Gardens, Nebraska's botanical gardens, on Bancroft Street, Omaha, NE, just off the I-80. The park was relocated from Abbott Drive, north of downtown Omaha, to its current location in 2004 to make way for construction of the Qwest Center Omaha.

Union Pacific Big Boy #4023 and Union Pacific EMD DDA40X Centennial class diesel-electric #6900 are the main attractions. Both locomotives, the park itself, and the "Welcome to Omaha" sign, are clearly visible from I-80 crossing the Missouri River Bridge westbound. They are, in fact, a fitting welcome to Omaha considering the Union Pacific Railroad's involvement in the city over more than one hundred and fifty years.

The park is open to the public 9.00am-5.00pm daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. There is no charge to enter, and parking is free in the Lauritzen Gardens car park right alongside. There is a ramp from the car park, so the exhibits are also wheelchair accessible.

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At the foot of the stairs from the car park, a sign shows the entrance to the park and the park layout.

Above, a multi coloured sandstone and granite inlay has been installed at the top of the stairs. It shows the original route of the transcontinental railway from Omaha, NE, to Sacramento, CA.

Right, four plaques around the inlay give a short history of the transcontinental line and Omaha's role. The Union Pacific has a long history in the city. From its inception in 1862, the railroad has been headquartered here, and a grand civic ceremony on 2nd December 1863 signalled start of construction of the railway west, although the first rails were not laid until 10th July 1865.

The eastern terminus of the line was established by Act of Congress across the Missouri River in Iowa. After consideration of several potential sites, Council Bluffs, IA, was decided on (you can see a 1939 commemoration on the Golden Spike Monument page of this website). While the Union Pacific drove west, the Central Pacific Railroad headed east from Sacramento, CA, the two lines officially joining at Promontory, UT on 10th May 1869 (you can see the historic site on the Golden Spike NHS page of this website).

A walkway leads to the two locomotives.

Below, several panels along one wall give details of Union Pacific's involvement in Omaha, as well as its history.

The chronology is brought up to date with a view of Union Pacific's Harriman Dispatching Center in a converted UP freight house at 8th and Jones Streets in Omaha.

The park was opened on 15th October 2005, and is named in honour of John C. Kenefick, who began his career with UP in 1947. He was elected CEO in 1970 and became President of the company in 1971. In 1983, he was named company Chairman and CEO. He retired in 1986.

Left, at the centre of the park there is a bust of John Kenefick, as well as a plaque outlining his career with the Union Pacific and his various contributions to the company.

Right, the I-80 and Missouri River Bridge from the eastern edge of the park.

Above, a winter view (top) and a summer view (bottom) of Union Pacific Big Boy #4023.

The 4-8-8-4 Big Boys were the last steam locomotives built for the Union Pacific. Although by the late 1930s, the railroad believed it should be committing to diesel-electrics as its primary motive power, the threat of war and the lack of an immediately available high horse power diesel-electric freight locomotive in volume led to development of the Big Boy, as well as redesigning of the Challenger class locomotives. You can see Union Pacific Challenger #3977 on the UP #3977 page of this website.

There are a couple of pictures of #4023 and an information panel fixed to the railings next to the locomotive.

The panel gives a brief history of the development and construction of the Union Pacific Big Boys, and some additional information on #4023 and its operating life.

#4023 was one five "Class 2" Big Boys built in 1944 by Alco (#4020-#4024). The first twenty, designated "Class 1" were also built by Alco in 1941 (#4000-#4019). All twenty-five were 132' 10" from front coupler to rear tender coupler. The locomotive alone was 85' 10" long.

#4023 last operated in July 1959 and was retired in July 1962 after logging nearly 830,000 miles on the road.

The immense firebox and boiler required the use of much lower domes to maintain clearances, which partly contributes to their massive, hulking profile.

The engines exhausted to two separate smoke stacks enclosed in a sheet metal casing. A smoke hood to deflect the powerful exhaust from tunnel roofs was also installed and could be raised hydraulically.

Big Boys' pilots were cast separately with an opening left for a Buckeye Steel cast coupler. #4023's coupler is closed.

Big Boys' tenders weighed 342,2000 lbs light and had a capacity of 28 tons of coal and 25,000 gallons of water.

Although a clear perspex cover has been fitted to the window, you can look inside the cab of #4023 from the gangway. On the right, the backhead. The fireman's seat is in front of window. A brakeman's seat was originally positioned behind the fireman's, but this appears to have been removed.

To see a full backhead view of a Big Boy with the various controls marked, check out Union Pacific Big Boy #4017 on the National Railroad Museum page of this website.

Above, the left front cylinder.

The lead truck was Alco standard with rack and roller centering and SKF roller bearings.

Above, the right front cylinder in the foreground. Also showing the steam supply piping, Walschaert valve gear, Laird crosshead and main rod.

Above, another view of the left front cylinder.

The automatic lubrication lines are just inside the upper surface of the multiple guide.

Above, the right front cylinder, steam supply pipe, valve gear, crosshead and main rod. The metal cowl on the left covers the automatic lubricator chain drive.

Above, left front cylinder and Walschaert gear.

The metal cowl at the centre covers the automatic lubricator chain drive.

Above, the right side of firebox. The red handles are to release the ash pans. The foam meter blowdown is in the middle left of this photograph.

Above, both left cylinders, Walschaert gear and driving rods.

At the middle right, the reverse actuating rod, which connects to the reverse lever on the right side of the locomotive, connects to the radius rod.

Above, a side on view of the rear right cylinder. The reverse lever, mounted "backwards" with a large lever connecting to the radius rod of the gear is at the top. This was operated by a rotary valve, which offered good control and less "creeping" while in operation.

Above, the left cylinders, Walschaert gear, driving rods, Boxpop driving wheels and the firebox.

With a diameter of 68", Big Boys had the largest wheels of any articulated locomotives.

Above, the left side of firebox.

The manual blowdown is on the front side of the firebox. The washout plug is at the corner.

Above, the left side of the firebox and cab.

The trailing truck is a General Steel Castings frame with SKF twin roller bearing journals.

Above, another view of the left side of #4023.

The Elesco feedwater centrifugal cold water pump is on very lower right.

Above, the left side of the tender and locomotive.

The tenders are carried on a 14 wheel (4 + 10) centipede truck.

Above, a view of the deck apron (top), the stoker feed connection (upper middle), the radial buffer (centre) and the drawbars (lower centre).

Above, another view of the tender and locomotive. The Big Boys' tenders were amongst the largest ever fitted to a steam locomotive.

Above, the rear of the tender. A Pyle-National back up light was originally recessed in the blank just below where the grab rails join the tender top.

Much of the Big Boys' piping was under the insulated external jacket to protect against the winter cold of the mountains and high plains where they were designed to operate.

Big Boys weigh 762,000 lbs, the tenders 171,500 lbs light. With a 150 sq ft grate, 155 sq ft firebox and 23¾" x 32" cylinders, they operated at a boiler pressure of 300 psi, delivering 135,370 lbs tractive effort.

Above, another information plaque next to UP #4023.

Although they were cleared for other lines, Big Boys operated almost exclusively on the Ogden-Council Bluffs divisions. Despite being designed for heavy freight over the most difficult part of that route, however, the challenge they faced is demonstrated by the fact that they were reduced to just 3 mph on the most adverse parts (climbing heavy grades and tackling reverse curves) and averaged only 17 mph on the entire 24 mile Echo-Wahsatch section eastbound. As a result, the Union Pacific soon reverted to Challengers on head end with another pusher for very heavy freight until the end of steam on that division in 1954.

You can see photos of more Big Boys on the Southern California RLHS, Cheyenne Big Boy, St. Louis Museum of Transportation and National Railroad Museum pages of this website.

#6900 (EMD DDA40X) is a Centennial class diesel-electric, built in 1969 by EMD for high speed freight. It is one of forty-seven built between 1969 and 1971.

The class was named in honour of the 100th anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike at Promontory, UT, on 10th May 1869. In fact, #6900 was rushed to completion so that it could participate in the associated ceremonies that took place in May 1969. You can see photos of the Golden Spike NHS on this website.

#6900 weighs 521,980 lbs and was equipped to operate at 90 mph.

The DDA40X has two 16 cylinder 645E3A prime movers developing 6,600 hp to power eight GM D77 traction motors, one on each of axle of the two trucks. The wheels are 40" in diameter. The locomotive developed 103,000 lbs continuous tractive effort at 12 mph and 19,800 lbs at its top speed of 90mph.

The Centennial is the most powerful hp rated diesel-electric locomotive ever built. At 98' 5", it is also the longest.

Above, information panels beside #6900.

Above, another information panel beside #6900 gives technical data on the locomotive.

By 1980, the Centennials had accumulated an average of 2,000,000 miles each on the road, but their service life was actually relatively short. With a decline in freight traffic in 1980, the DDA40Xs were taken out of service and went into storage at Yermo, CA. Four years later, an economic recovery brought a resurgence in demand for motive power, and twenty-five Centennials were returned to service. However, growing maintenance costs led to retirement of most of the DDA40Xs by the end of 1986.

Thirteen DDA40Xs have been preserved. #6936 has been overhauled by the Union Pacific and regularly runs as part of the railroad's Heritage Fleet. The other twelve are on static display in various museums across the country. You can see DDA40X #6913 on the Museum of the American Railroad page of this website, #6915 on the Southern California Chapter RLHS page, #6916 on the Spencer S. and Hope Fox Eccles Railroad Center page and #6922 on the UP Challenger page.

Kenefick Park NE: home of Union pacific Big Boy #4023 and Centennial DDA40X #6900

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