Ideas for places to visit in the Midwest
Ed Dickens is the manager of heritage operations and senior engineer for the Union Pacific Railroad’s Big Boy steam locomotive, also known as Locomotive 4014. Dickens is a key figure in the revival of the Big Boy and is considered a rockstar by train fans
Big Boy No. 4014 departed on the “Heartland of America Tour” on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024 from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and traveled across nine states: Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. Here it is pulling into the station in De Soto, Missouri.
The Union Pacific Big Boy is a type of simple articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive manufactured by the American Locomotive Company between 1941 and 1944 and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad in revenue service until 1962. Big Boy No. 4014 was delivered to Union Pacific in December 1941. The locomotive was retired in December 1961, having traveled 1,031,205 miles in its 20 years in service. Union Pacific reacquired No. 4014 from the RailGiants Museum in Pomona, California, in 2013, and relocated it back to Cheyenne to begin a multi-year restoration process. It returned to service in May 2019 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad’s Completion.
Click on the photo for more information. Click here of more photos.
The Loon is one of the joys of te Northwoods. Kind of a duck that is not a duck. They are fun to watch as they paddle around a lake and suddenly dissappear as they dive for fish. In early summer you may find one with its babies on its back and their erie call sets the mood for a quiet morning on a lake.
This photo was taken near Boulder Junction in northern Wisconsin, here you will find loons, ducks, geese and lots of eagles. This is an area of Wisconsin that is the Northwoods. There are endless lakes filling the forest area. In addition to waterfowl you will find deer, bears, and great sport fishing.
Click on the photo for more information. Click here for more Northwoods photos.
Listen to the loon:
The Peregrine Falcon is considered the fastest animal on earth. When diving for its prey, it can reach speeds up to 240 mph. Peregrines are crow size, so not very large and live in urban areas where they can hunt pigeons.
Owls are a little more difficult to photograph than other birds. This guy was photographed at the World Bird Sacntury in St. Louis County
One of the best places to eagle watch is Vilas County, WI. Vilas County is home to hundreds of lakes in this Northwoods area. The eagles sit in dead trees watching the lake surface for unsuspecting fish. Walking paths along the lakes you can spot their large nests in the trees.
Chick here for my full set of Northwood photos. Click on the photo for more information.
A family of geese traverse Fishtrap Lake located in Vilas County, Wisconsin. It’s enjoyable to get up early and watch the wildlife around the lake. Geese, Loons, Eagles, Egrets and more. The fisherman sit out in their boats silently hoping for a walleye or musky to take their bait.
Click on the photo doe more information.
A nice view of Eads Bridge with downtown St. Louis and the Arch in the background. The Arch signifies St. Louis’ status as Gateway to the West. Many westbound trails came out of the St. Louis area. In addition, many of the supplies, livestock and wagons were purchased here, making it, at one time, the fourth largest city in the country. The confluence of the Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois, and Ohio Rivers made it a great area for commerce.
Needing a railroad bridge crossing the Mississippi River at St. Louis, St. Louis bankers hired engineer James Eads to build the world’s first steel-truss bridge. Construction began in 1867 and it was dedicated in 1874. Giant granite piers support three arches and two decks. The top deck is the roadway and the bottom deck was for the railroad (now Metro Link mass transit). Pneumatic caissons were used for the construction for the piers, which were sunk 123 feet through mud to the rock bottom of the riverbed.
The caissons were pulled down in place using steel wire rope, manufactured on site. Seeing the usefulness of the wire rope several companies started manufacturing the rope for use in various types of construction. Not only did the bridge further open the West. Products developed for its construction helped build the West.
Click on the photo for more information.
At the Missouri State Capitol, looking across a balcony, onto another parallel hallway is a mural of the St. Louis river front and Eads Bridge. At the end of the 19th Century, St. Louis was in the forefront of commerce in the United States. Riverboats on the Mississippi and the railway enhanced its status as Gateway to the West.
Click on th photo for more infomration. Click here for the complete series.
Great Rivers Imaging 