Davis E-news and new products for VP-2

[elagache]

Dear WeatherCat Davis fans,

The Davis E-news is out for August.  You can read it here:

http://www.davisnet.com/news/enews/index.asp

There are two new enhancements to the Davis Vantage Pro-2 line.  The first is a redesigned rain gauge collector cone with spikes to keep birds from using it as a landing perch.  Here is the photo included in the newsletter:



The other enhancement is a modification to the UV meter to improve accuracy when the sun is relatively low on the horizon.  Apparently both will be available as parts that can be added to an existing station.

The E-news has its usual snippets about Davis.  Alas, they have demonstrated a complete ignorance of one of the most majestic and powerful steam locomotives ever built - The Union Pacific Big Boys!



What?  Ya' mean you haven't heard about the Union Pacific Big Boys either?   For those of you who are challenged when it comes to steam railroad enthusiasm  , you can read more about the Union Pacific Big Boy class of locomotives on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_Big_Boy

Where else? 

Cheers, Edouard 

[Blicj11]

My brother-in-law is a steam engine operator and mechanic at Disneyland and he was telling me about Big Boy just today!

[elagache]

Dear Blick and WeatherCat stream locomotive challenged types,

My brother-in-law is a steam engine operator and mechanic at Disneyland and he was telling me UP Big Boy just today!

So you must know the story! 

I suppose I should explain to everyone else why Davis would have had such an odd picture in their E-news and why an old stream locomotive might be making news today.  Union Pacific never stopped maintaining their steam locomotives completely because steam fans was so devoted to these machines as they were phased out. There is more information on the Union Pacific steam program on their website:

http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/steam/index.shtml

For a long time, they only had one stream locomotive still operating.  About 30 years ago, they restored what was at the time the largest operating stream locomotive in the world.  The Union Pacific company must be doing well because they decided to restore one of their Big Boy locomotives this past year.  This spring, the Big Boy 4014 was moved from a museum in California to the Union Pacific stream shops in Cheyenne Wyoming.  It was during that move that the photograph was taken with the Davis station in the background.

So, now you know!

Cheers, Edouard 

[TechnoMonkey]

Love steam engines.

"Steel Rails Under Thundering Skys"

[Blicj11]

The last revenue run made by a Big Boy was in 1959, more than 50 years ago. Union Pacific estimates it will take 3 - 5 years to restore the engine. Several years ago I rode all the operational narrow gauge railroads in Colorado and New Mexico. Some of those trains were pulled by steam locomotives. Pretty cool.

[wurzelmac]

The other enhancement is a modification to the UV meter to improve accuracy when the sun is relatively low on the horizon.

Would be interested in this one. During our winter I have no sun at all for one month, and one month before and after the sun is very low on the horizon. Is it only changing the sensor?

Cheers,
Reinhard

[elagache]

Hi Reinhard and WeatherCat "sunbathers",

Would be interested in this one. During our winter I have no sun at all for one month, and one month before and after the sun is very low on the horizon. Is it only changing the sensor?

The newsletter doesn't explain as clearly as they do for the collector cone, but the new design of the UV sensor is already being shown on the Davis website:

http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/weather_product.asp?pnum=06490

The picture is the same as the one in the newsletter.  It might a while for these new sensors to actually arrive a Davis dealers, but I would assume you could contact your favorite Davis parts supplier and ask when they expect to get some in.

Cheers, Edouard 

[wurzelmac]

Thank you for explanation!

Cheers,
Reinhard