The tunnel belches smoke as 3985 emerges, also belching smoke.

The steam special puts on quite the show as it blasts off from a quick stop at the Kirkwood Station, located just out of frame, behind the train.

Sitting ready to go....

UP 3985 sit waiting for tomorrow's run to Jefferson City

The steam special slowly steams around the bend approaching "Pace", where the dispatcher will hold him to meet a westbound Amtrak.

Portrait of an engineer, a man and his machine. Ed Dickens, Engineer, and Manager of Heritage Equipment & Facilities, poses for a photo while performing post-trip maintenance in St. Louis.

The must have trestle shot at Fountain. A big thank you for whoever cut down the trees piled in the foreground, it really opened up this shot.

3985 heads south on the Chester Subdivision near Columbia, IL. If you look close, you will see the Saint Louis skyline in the distance on the right side of the horizon.

The Missouri River Eagle makes the turn in Southern Illinois. After being serviced it will return to St. Louis, Missouri.

The dedicated crew of the Union Pacific #3985 "Challenger" is lovingly performing routine maintenance tasks such as applying grease to critical moving parts shortly after arrival in St. Louis in... (more)

The crew of the Union Pacific #3985 "Challenger" is making a backup move to cut away the passenger cars before taking the locomotive to a location about 100 yards from here for refueling, inspecti... (more)

The crew of the Union Pacific #3985 "Challenger" is slowly repositioning the locomotive to a location about 100 yards east of here for refueling, inspections, and on-the-spot maintenance after cut... (more)

Union Pacific #3985 "Challenger" leading the "Missouri River Eagle" along Manchester Road on a beautiful early October morning as it slows for its final destination--St. Louis, Missouri (Nikon D2... (more)

The monster wheel & connecting rod assembly on steam locomotive UP 3985 are inspected multiple times during a service stop in Southern Illinois.

The Challenger tied down in St Louis, with the Gateway Arch in the background.