Awesome Old Machine

The 4449 is a Southern Pacific Daylight locomotive. Its previous use includes the American Freedom Train. Current fuel is fuel oil. The 4449 is in her original colors, and is a relatively young steam engine, as the end of steam came in the late 40's. 4449 was one of two steam locomotives that pulled the Freedom Train. Because she is so big, the tighter curves of eastern railroads demanded a different locomotive on the eastern runs.

http://www.sp4449.com/01friends/index.html

Interesting story about the UP Big Boy locos...

The Geneva convention requires prisoners of war to be housed in similar climate to where they were captured. As such, the mid west saw a number of German prisoners of war. At one location, a prisoner could see a rail line with Big Boys pulling a long trains by themselves. Having counted the cars, he concluded that the war was going to be won by the United States. He reasoned that any country capable of such a locomotive could not be out done, and thus determined to stay in the US.