Watch some of the 16mm films of Big Boys and Challengers Stan Kistler took during his 1956 trip, excerpted from the DVD program Union Pacific Classic Collectors’ Series, produced by Pentrex.
Union Pacific Big Boys and Challengers in action
By Angela Cotey | January 25, 2013
| Last updated on September 20, 2022
The procedure shown in the clip of a challenger returning a caboose to the train it had just helped is known as a flying switch, not a kick. A kick is when the cars are ahead of whichever direction the engine is moving. The engine speeds up, a pin is pulled, the engine stops, and the car(s) ahead of the pulled pin roll free.
I was wondering the same thing,Dan.
how did the rear end helpers know how much slack was in the consist when it was pushing
Just amazing, wish they would bring the steamers back