EXIT Union Pacific "Big Boy" number 4014 Steam Locomotive at Cache Junction, Utah. Duration: 5 min 35 sec. No sound.
1 K 1280x720 pixels 5 megabit 206 kilobytes.
2 K 1920x1080 (1080p) 16 megabit 647 kilobytes.
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See also same location with a diesel engine 2016 Sept 10 Cache Junction
The Plan: The train would come thundering around this "wye" coming from the north then head east across a bridge and causeway at Cutler Reservoir. The whole thing would be accomplished in five minutes and require some anticipation and planning so as not to hit the various powerlines in the area.
Actual: A freight train was parked on the bridge with its engines at Cache Junction. I realized this wall of steel is going to block drone control signal plus make it impossible to see the drone. So I grabbed my little plastic picnic table for a launch pad, an extra drone battery and the drone and walked south enough to have a clear view all the way east to the bridge. Then I waited. Unexpectedly, the train stopped for 15 minutes or so, maybe longer. Since the drone gets hot if it is powered on but not flying, I waited for the locomotive to do something. It would blow its whistle, I start up the drone; false alarm. Power off the drone. Repeat. Eventually things started to happen so I got the drone up in the air. The diesel locomotive was heading north and the steam engine heading south then east. Hooray, it's happening!
Not so fast. Big Boy stopped and waited for the freight train to move off the bridge. It waited a long time. I'm not sure why; maybe a switch had to be changed manually.
Another concern was other drones. Two tiny drones briefly appeared; they were about the size of dragonflies. I wasn't too concerned about them; the bigger Mavic would just swat them harmlessly (I hope) if there was a collision. The collision avoidance on the Mavic ought to prevent that. But it seemed I had it all to myself.
The big problem was not knowing Union Pacific's plan. I hovered the drone over Cutler Reservoir waiting for Big Boy to cross the bridge. After about ten minutes when it looked like it wasn't coming and battery down to 13 minutes left, I brought it down for a battery swap. Then I waited until Big Boy started doing something. Eventually it blew its whistle and started moving. I hustled the drone back over to the bridge; got there somewhat ungracefully just as the steam engine reached it.
It was glorious crossing the bridge and causeway. I had anticipated the sunlight, powerlines and many details and was ready for this part. It is a black engine and to photograph it, as many were, on the shaded side is just going to be a silhouette. I am particularly interested in the various components of the drive; known as Walschaerts valve gear which regulates how much steam to admit into the cylinders (where the steam then pushes on pistons) and when it does this. By changing the when, you also have forward and reverse so this mechanism is also known as the "reverser".
While watching the video I notice a little white drone just as the locomotive starts up from Cache Junction and another one just as the it crosses the bridge and is on the causeway.